Finding Your True Colors

An exercise in self-awareness

True Colors

• We will study personality qualities tied to a color spectrum, it’s just simpler that way.

– Blue– Gold– Orange– Green

Caution: Labels Are Not Good

• You will find your color spectrum

• Often, you will be shades and variances of your colors

• You will exhibit traits of your dominant color but also your less dominant colors

• Knowing about you and about your coworkers is a huge asset

Sometimes…

• Our work forces us into an unnatural color so how we work with this and understand this makes us more flexible.

Complicating the spectrum…

• The way we process information and share information tends to blur the color lines sometimes– Some are introverted in their demeanor– Others are extroverted

As we examine our colors

• Remember that we are “shades” of the colors, for the most part

• The way we process and interact may be hampered by our introversion or our extroversion

• Introverts usually show their second color as a dominant color

• Extroverts go full force with their dominant color• We may change the color in which we operate

depending on the circumstances

Let’s figure this out

• Work your way through the survey and total the points

• When you have completed the work, take a quick break

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Survey Time

True ColorsSurvey says…

The Blues among us…

• Caretaker• Optimistic• Passionate• Enthusiastic• Imaginative• Cause Oriented• True Romantic• Need to be Unique• Cooperative rather than

Competitive• People Oriented• Peacemaker

Strengths of the Blues

• Accepting• Act as a Catalyst• Communicating• Cooperating• Counseling• Creating• Guiding• Imagination• Intuition• Leading

• Listening• Mentoring• Motivating• Optimism• Recruiting• Speaking• Supportiveness• Teaching• Tolerance• Training

It’s about the lens through which you look

• Others may see Blues as– Over-emotional– Mushy– Other-Worldly– Unrealistic– Too Tenderhearted– Wishy-washy– Smothering– Manipulative– Groveling– Bleeding Heart– Talking too much– Nosy

• Blues may see themselves as– Caring– Romantic– Spiritual– Having Faith– Nice– Flexible– Caretaker– Pleasant-not pushy– Polite– Willing to work tirelessly for a

cause– Great Communicator– Genuinely interested in the

welfare of others

Turn to a Blue for…

• Validation• Cheering up• A Confidant• A Mentor• Understanding Affects on People• Help!• Creative Ideas• Training• Leading a Human Needs Cause• Sharing• Affection• A Friend

The Golds among us• Loves to Plan• Detail Oriented• Punctual• Strong Sense of Duty• Belief in Policies• Values Family Traditions• Conscientious• Conservative and Stable• Well-Organized• Strong “Shoulds and Should

Nots”• Most Comfortable in a Structured

Environment

Strengths of the Golds

• Accounting• Belonging• Caretaking• Collecting Data• Contributing• Coordinating• Dispatching• Family• Following Directions

• Guarding• Handing Details• Organizing• Planning Ahead• Securing• Supervising• Work time THEN play

time

It’s about the lens through which you look

• Others may see Golds as– Rigid– Restricted– Stubborn– Boring– Self Righteous– System-Bound– Unimaginative– Judgmental– Bossy– Uptight– Rigid Idea of Time– Married to Task

• Golds may see themselves as– Stable– Providing Security– Dependable– Firm– Knows What’s Best– Efficient– Realistic– Appropriate– Executive Type– Responsible– Punctual– Goal-Oriented

Turn to a Gold for…

• Planning• Responsibility• Supervision• Trust • Details• The correct way to do something• The Rules or Policies• Accuracy• Tradition• Fairness• If you need someone to be on time or enforce an

agenda• Organization

The Orange among us

• Energetic• Desires Change• Playful• Master Negotiator• Natural Entertainer• Pushes Boundaries• Accepts Challenges• Impulsive and Spontaneous• “Just Do It”• Appreciates Immediate Feedback• Most Productive in Non-Structured

Environments• Self-Confident

Strengths of the Orange

• Able to take charge• Being the master of tools• Carefree• Dealing with chaos• Determination• Direct communicator• Eclectic, diverse,

changing• Going with the situation

• Hands-on• Keeping options open• Living moment to moment• Negotiating• Proficient, capable• Receptive to opportunities• Risk-taking• Trouble-shooting• Welcomes new ideas

It’s about the lens through which you look

• Others may see Orange as – Rude– Irresponsible– Not serious– Selfish or self-centered– Ignoring the rules– Manipulative– Impatient– Easily distracted– Unprepared– Flirtatious– Taking advantage of others– Flaky

• Orange may see themselves as – Straightforward– Easy-going– Enjoying the process– Now-oriented– Productive Freedom– Good negotiator– Mover and Shaker– Multitasker– Spontaneous– Friendly– Succeeding– Flexible

Turn to an Orange for…

• Leadership• Trouble-shooting• Tasks requiring risk

and chance• Fun ideas• Action• Proficiency with tools

• Variety• Negotiation• Entertainment• A good laugh• Attention• Straight

Answers

The Green among us• Problem-solver• “Why” mentality• Very complex• Standard-setter• Cool, calm, collected• Intellectual• Work is play and play is work• Need for independence and

private time• Driven by Competence• Perfectionist• Analytical• Approaches interpersonal

relationships in a logical manner

Strengths of the Green

• Analyzing• Conceptualizing• Confidence• Designing• Determination• Developing• Diagnosing• Intellectualizing

• Inventing• Mapping Out• Problem Solving• Reasoning• Technical know-

how• Thinking

It’s about the lens through which you look

• Others may see Green as – Intellectual snobs– Arrogant– Heartless– Unrealistic– Eccentric, Weird– Unfeeling– Anti-social– Cool, aloof– Sarcastic– Critical– Lacking mercy– Unappreciative

• Green may see themselves as – Knowledgeable– 98% right– Expedient– Visionary– Innovative– Rational– Independent– Deep thinkers– Able to find flaws– Witty– Fair– Assume things will be done

well

Turn to Green for…

• Ideas• Information• Competence• Tenacity• Firmness• Objective Decision

Making• The Right Word

• Technology• Critique• To Learn• To Get

Something Fixed

• To Invent or Create Something

Communication

In True Colors

Communication Across the Color Spectrum

• There are general rules to follow to assist in effectively communicating no matter the color!

• They make good sense and should be used by all

Ways to Open Lines of Communication Across the Spectrum

#1 Share True Colors with everyone!

• Knowing True Colors helps you understand the values, needs and actions of others

• It provides a nonjudgmental language base• You can begin to see the uniqueness of

perspective and truly appreciate others in your life in new ways

#2 Pause and Pay Attention

• Remove yourself from the “center spotlight” and consider the needs of the other people

• Listen intently without over analyzing

#3 Learn from the past but avoid over generalizing

• Just because someone is predominantly one color doesn’t meant that is the ONLY color they exhibit

#4 Look for the positive intention behind the behavior

• When you dig deep enough you’ll find the positive behavior

• Standing firm for what is right is a positive aspiration

• People normally have a good reason to act the way they do

#5 Give others the benefit of the doubt

• Just because someone isn’t communicating effectively at one time, doesn’t mean they never communicate effectively

• Sometimes a different approach is all that is necessary to set things on a better path

#6 Keep experimenting—there is no such thing as failure, only results

• Every situation is useful• Even results you aren’t satisfied with can yield

assistance• Notice what works and what doesn’t and take good

notes

#7 Be prepared to adapt

• Every successful interaction requires give and take• Keep the other person’s “color” in mind when

communicating• Make their strengths work for you

#8 Decide what is important to you– Is it important to know the styles of the other

colors?

• Be aware of the other colors “touching” your life• Open the lines of communication with “other

colors”• Keep their strengths in mind as you communicate

with them

True Colors

How Blue communicates

• Friendly• Helpful• Express emotion• Optimistic• Fosters harmony• Empathetic• Takes time to relate• Creative• Indirect• Reads between the lines• Personal• Polite and compassionate unless

personal values are violated

• Creative• Indirect• Reads between the lines• Personal• Polite and compassionate

unless personal values are violated

How Gold communicates

• In writing for accuracy

• Purposeful• Appropriate• Topic Focused• Loyal • Predictable• Chronological

• Detail Oriented• Status Quo-the way

we have always done it

• Judgments of right and wrong

• Closure, completion• Accountable

How Orange communicates

• Confident• Loud• Casual• Desire to speak in the

moment• “Now” oriented• Quick

• Brief• Straight forward• In motion• Flexible• Varied• Involved

How Green communicates

• Purposeful• Private• Logical• Think before they speak• Irritated at “stupid questions”• Abhor redundancy• Theoretical

• Like the big picture• Love to share ideas• Ask many

questions• Use big words• Communicate with

conviction• Wry with a sense of

humor

True Colors