Month: March 2012

Ask the Expert

Dear Jeremy,

I have a Yellow staff member who is great when dealing with clients. People love him, and he brings a lot of business to the company. However, he does not do well with turning in paperwork, expense reports, etc., on time. I have had to come down on him time and time again, but he just gets flippant and tells me to relax. What can I do?

Daphne

Dear Daphne,

Thanks for writing. I appreciate your question, and as a Yellow myself, I may have some insights that will help improve your situation.

The key to dealing with this staff member effectively is to understand how Yellows think. You see, people are generally confident in areas where they feel secure, and not-so-confident in those where they don’t. For example, Reds are very logical. When people become emotional in front of them, Reds typically feel uncomfortable. Their response is often, “Take some time to get yourself together and come back once you’ve had time to think things over.” They don’t feel as secure in dealing with someone emotionally as they do logically.

Your Yellow staff member probably feels very confident when interfacing with clients. That part of your business involves his social skills, spontaneity, and charisma. He feels valued and knows that he is contributing something of value to the company.

Now, let’s take a look at the behavior that needs changing—the tardy paperwork. Yellows are notorious for struggling with follow-through and organization. We often joke that a Yellow’s idea of organization is “labeling the piles.” Your Yellow employee most likely feels less confident in dealing with detail-oriented tasks than he does with people.

Since he believes that paperwork is no fun, he will put off doing it. Then, once his procrastination lands him in trouble (again), and he’s confronted for his lack of cooperation, he probably becomes flippant and verbally manipulative, like the problem is yours and not his. He may justify his lack of follow-through by believing that the work he does with clients is more important than paperwork. Of course this notion is not true, but you’ll need to retrain his thinking in general to convince him otherwise. Let’s talk about how to do that.

If you have read The Color Code (republished as The People Code), or own a set of Code Cards, it will be helpful to review some of Dr. Hartman’s tips for effective interaction with Yellows. I’ll summarize two of the most applicable tips for your situation here:

1.   Offer praise and adoration for his positive behavior

2.   Don’t be too negative when providing criticism or feedback

The bottom line in working with Yellows is that they need to feel like you like them. They seek general approval, and want to know that they have a rapport with those they work with. So you have to begin by praising them for their high-level performance with the client work that they do. Show them that you genuinely appreciate the gifts and talents that they bring to the table. That will open the door for you to begin the process of creating change in other areas of their work that are a little less praiseworthy.

Something you may not know about Yellows is that they actually CRAVE structure. Yellows generally know that they lack organization and time management skills, and would love to have someone help get them up to speed. That said, you have to approach it in a way that doesn’t feel negative. You are more likely to elicit the desired result by approaching him teasingly or playfully, than by a way he will perceive as negative. The hard part for Blues and Reds alike in this type of situation is that they typically want to address this in a hard-hitting way, or they don’t feel that they’ve communicated their point adequately.

You almost have to take a step back and remember what you are trying to accomplish—correcting the behavior. To do that, you have to appeal to the other person’s driving core motive (in this case, Fun). Always look at the motive. If you care enough about the result to let your own reactions be placed to the side, you will likely be more successful in creating the outcome that you desire.

Continued Success!

Jeremy

Jeremy Daniel (Core Color: Yellow) has been working with the Color Code since 1998 in various capacities from training in the field personally with Dr. Taylor Hartman to designing customized corporate solutions and new training programs for various industries.  To ask about Jeremy’s training or speaking services, please email and inquiry to jeremy@colorcodetraining.com.

As simple as possible…

In his book, Life on the Mississippi, (1883) Mark Twain wrote, “Plain question and plain answer make the shortest road out of most perplexities.” Rubbing my chin… I smile. Yep, I like simple things.

I was first introduced to the field of mind development while coaching employees in my first professional career. After graduating from Georgia Southern University with a degree in Human Resource Management, I worked in H.R. and used several different tools to help develop and build leadership, interpersonal skills and individual performance in our employees. Some of the tools we used to try to help people improve were behavioral profiles.

One of the challenges we encountered with the behavioral tools was implementation. That is, how do we keep our people using, learning and applying the information they learned once they returned to real life? Talk about frustrating! It was my own dissatisfaction with behavioral profiles that led me to The Color Code.

Leonardo daVinci: “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

I finally came across a video of Dr. Taylor Hartman (developer and author of The Color Code) talking with a local news reporter about The Color Code.  The video only lasted maybe 3 or 4 minutes, but during the course of the segment I was able to capture the essence of the Color Code and each of the 4 colors. It was very simple to understand.

I immediately ordered Dr. Hartman’s book online (now called The People Code), read it several times and started sharing what I learned about the 4 Driving Core Motives with my family and friends. It wasn’t long before I knew I should look for a way to go deeper.

I’ve had the privilege of sharing The Color Code material with many groups and individuals over the past few years. I find it thrilling to see people experience breakthroughs in their lives when they learn what drives them and others to do what they do. They get it, and understand how to apply it. By keeping it simple, Dr. Hartman created a tool that can be used by everyone.

Over the years, I’ve heard others criticize Dr. Hartman and the Color Code specifically for its simplicity. Critics argue anything as simple as a 4 color-system cannot be valid or accurate to help know one ’s self better. They say it’s too simple. Well, as Albert Einstein (the genius many once thought a simpleton) wrote… “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” Hey! Now that would make a great slogan…

The Color Code: As simple as possible… not simpler.

Guest author, Michael Hancock shares his discovery and use of the Color Code. He is a presenter, master inquirer and neo-Renaissance man. He has held numerous leadership positions in both for-profit and non-profit organizations, with professional experience in the worlds of media, business, politics and technology. Michael currently owns and operates Creative Dynamics, and conducts training, coaching and consulting using the Color Code interpersonal skills program. Michael enjoys change, change management and asking “Why?” Michael values fun, family, freedom and fellowship. He enjoys learning, trying new things, seeing new places and meeting new friends. An outstanding speaker/presenter, Michael is a natural “info-tainer” whether in front of an audience delivering a speech or leading a GOLF (Great Opportunity for Learning and Fun).

Michael is married with 2 children, lives in sunny Florida and is (what else?) a Color Code Yellow.

March Madness is Not Just About Basketball

March Madness started a couple of days ago and College Basketball fans all around the country are rejoicing.  But for many parents of Junior High and High School students, “March Madness” has a different connotation.  It means that report cards and College acceptance/rejection letters are here.

Anxieties are high for both parents and teens.  Some parents are really mad because their teenager’s grades are not up to “standard” and they will spend the majority of the evening yelling about studying or homework. Some teenagers are mad because they know they will be in hot water and can’t understand why they can’t or need to do better. However, the bottom line is this March Madness for those parents means extra money will be needed for tutors, test prep classes, study books and aids.  The teenagers will have punishments or reduction of free time and/or extra curricula activities.  In general, many people are just turning off the TV sets and video game consoles, with the hopes that doing all of these things will bring about the desired result of academic success.  Unfortunately, time is running out for this school year and parents have exactly three months to “put the house in order” to achieve set academic goals.

If you are one of the lucky ones, your teen has brought home a glowing report card or is going to his/her dream college.  I would like to offer my sincere congratulations to those students for their academic success.  You probably don’t need to read any further.  However, my guess is that you probably should.  While having a child who gets good grades or obtains entry into the school of their choice is great academic success, it is not always a given if there isn’t a strong foundation or a sense of self directed learning.  In life there will be some challenges or limitations that will impede one’s success, and quite honestly, it is in understanding our own limitations and addressing our personal challenges that we will be able to grow.

For the rest of us who are concerned with how we are going to assist our children in achieving success, we need to take a step back before we spend another dollar. Today, we are all are faced with so many more challenges and opportunities than past generations. Parents should get a true assessment of our teenagers’ driving core motives and learning styles to better assist in the development of skills for self-directed learning.  Most importantly, in this global society with blended cultures, our teenagers must take a more comprehensive and inclusive approach to their own educational and life goals.

Teenagers are better served academically when parents take a holistic approach with students and provide them with the having the right tools and supports. A critical goal of parents should be developing teens to have a strong character with a clear understanding of their driving core motives and personality traits.  Youngsters, who cultivates this mindset effectively accentuate their personal strengths and reduce their limitations.  Furthermore, understanding these concepts creates a supportive foundation for teens to accept the challenges of effective effort. Meaning, people get smarter when they work hard.  In addition, by creating fulfilling relationships with their teachers, classmates and other educators who will assist them in achieving self-directed learning teenagers who are on a mission to develop their own intellectual capacity through self-directed improvement based on knowing their strengths and limitations will achieve academic mastery.  These well-rounded students will boost their confidence and develop greater ownership over their academic and professional goals, by increasing their investment and motivation in school.

The perfect assessment tool available to understand one’s driving core is Dr. Taylor Hartman’s, “The Color Code.”  Using this tools with teens and parents will help them become more productive, create closer and more meaningful relationships within the family, with educators.  Additionally, this tool has the potential to reduce conflicts, minimize stress, foster independence, increase teamwork ability and encourage a sense of social-emotional freedom.  Being able to explain why you do what you do is the first step in taking responsibility for one’s own life.  How powerful is that!

A whole new world will begin to open up for both you and your teenager.  Youngsters will be able to begin a dialogue about the challenges they face with ease and build peer networks with confidence focusing on others with similar academic and professional goals.  With a newfound confidence your teen may recognize that having a quality of life means more than just achieving academically.  Understanding his/her driving motive core can help them to appreciate having a strong sense of character, as well as encourage being a positive, contributing member of his/her community.

So parents, before you drop that bundle of cash on tutors and study aids, find a Color Code professional to discover your teen’s Color Code.  By the way, while you’re at it, take the Color Code personality assessment for yourself and learn why you do what you do too!  Cheers to March Madness… both in the lives of teens and parents, and in the world of basketball.

Karen L. Booker, CIT
The BeBe Group President
Certified Independent Color Code Trainer

Karen Booker, a New Yorker, is a lifelong learner with over thirty years of experience in the real property management and business services specializing in, policy analysis and operational diagnosis, and Community Education and Outreach. Ms. Booker is a Certified Independent Color Code Trainer and Instructional Technologist, and holds a MS in Urban Affairs, Policy Analysis and Professional Management from New School University She is currently working on a PhD in Applied Management Decisions with a concentration in Leadership and Organization Change.

 

 

 

Ask the Expert

Dear Jeremy,

I have a question about the Color Code Personality Assessment. I just took it prior to attending a workshop last week and I came out Blue. I remember taking it back in High School and coming out Yellow. Is it possible that I’ve changed my color, and how does that happen?

Victoria

Dear Victoria,

I get this question a lot. At almost every workshop we teach, someone brings this up, so let me give you the short answer, and then I’ll explain…

The answer is no—it is not possible that you’ve changed your color.

Pretty simple and straightforward, right?

Okay, let me explain. This usually happens, and I don’t mean to embarrass you, when somebody doesn’t follow the instructions while taking the assessment. In the instructions, we ask you to answer the questions on the earliest version of yourself that you can recall. In other words, we want you to answer the questions as a child.

Obviously, the childhood version of you isn’t going to change from today to twenty years from now. You were who you were, so if you answer the questions accurately, the results should never change.

One of the major underlying prolegomenon of the Color Code is that you are born with your driving core motive (or color) intact. That is why we ask you to answer the questions as a child. We want the results to reflect the earliest version of you possible. In other words, we are trying to capture a snapshot of what you were like, before the world started telling you how to behave.

We also state that you can never change your color. The fact that anyone might want to is a topic for a completely different column, as we wouldn’t have time to address it here.

That doesn’t mean you can’t learn skills you didn’t come with. Practically every person on this planet has done that. You can learn limitations too, and most of us do.

The key to all of this, is that you first have to be okay with and accept who you are. That’s step one. Once you embrace your driving core motive, you can start to learn the skill sets of the other colors. If you try to cast your own color to the side in an attempt to adopt another, your insecurities will always hold you back from reaching your full potential as a human being.

Now, some people say that they were not themselves as children. Circumstances such as an overly domineering parent, or various forms of child abuse or trauma were present. For these types of situations, we would give alternative instructions for answering the questions on the Color Code Assessment.

We would tell you to answer the questions on the version of yourself you feel is “the real you.” This is harder, because it becomes much more subjective. The tendency to answer the questions on how you want to be (as opposed to how you actually are) is harder to resist, but all in all, your results will feel more correct to you.

If you still want to know how you have changed over time, that is where the Character Code comes in. The Character Code is a completely different assessment that measures what you are like today. It is a follow up to the Color Code Assessment. The Character Code Assessment can and should change over time as you learn new (and drop old) habits. It is the instrument we use when we are helping individuals and work teams put the Color Code into action by working on various development initiatives.

Thanks, Victoria, for your question. Like I mentioned before, we get it all the time. I hope that this explanation helps. In your case, if you are still not sure what color you are, you may want to go back and retake the assessment again with this new perspective in mind.

Continued success!

Jeremy Daniel

 

Jeremy Daniel (Core Color: Yellow) has been working with the Color Code since 1998 in various capacities from training in the field personally with Dr. Taylor Hartman to designing customized corporate solutions and new training programs for various industries.  To ask about Jeremy’s training or speaking services, please email and inquiry to jeremy@colorcodetraining.com.

The Cost of Conflict

Tonight I was punched in the eye…HARD.

No, I wasn’t caught in the middle of a bar brawl, or anything gossip-worthy like that. I was driving a basketball in for a lay-up. The guy who hit me is a good friend of mine. There was no retaliation, no angry flare-up or heated exchange of any kind. I knew it wasn’t personal, or even intentional. He was simply going for the ball and missed. It was just good, competitive basketball.

Everyday, we experience situations that have the potential of creating varying levels of conflict—especially in the workplace. Granted, they usually don’t involve physically hitting people…though that probably happens too, I suppose. The more common variety of office-place conflict involves issues like arguing over how something should or shouldn’t be done, poor performance, disrespect, passive-aggressive behavior, or general frustration with co-workers or perhaps even difficult customers.

How we deal with these types of situations is up to us. Do we let our tempers get the best of us? Do we allow our feelings to get hurt? Do we spend time gossiping with fellow co-workers about everything that’s wrong with So-And-So or the organization in general?

Unfortunately, the statistics on how we are handling conflict in the workplace are not terribly encouraging. Experts have estimated that a typical manager spends 19-29% of his/her time resolving petty personality conflicts. Tim Roberts, a conflict management and transformation specialist at the University of Chester, in the United Kingdom, claims that managers spend 40% or more of their time dealing with conflicts in one form or another (see: http://www.bpir.com/workplace-conflict-resolution-bpir.com/menu-id-71/expert-opinion.html).

For the sake of being fairly conservative, let’s use the first statistic to calculate how much time managers spend “babysitting” employees rather than engaging in meaningful business activities. First of all, a manager taking two weeks of vacation a year will work fifty weeks annually. Now take those fifty work weeks and multiply them by 19% and then again by 29% to see how many entire work weeks are lost to negative conflict. If you do the math, you will see that that the average manager loses between 9.5 and 14.5 work weeks per year. That’s an entire business quarter lost!

To calculate the hard numbers of what this costs your company, try the following math:

  1. Take the average salary that you pay a manager for one week’s work and multiply that by the total number of managers in your organization.
  2. Take that number and multiply it by 9.5.
  3. Take the same number and multiply it by 14.5.

If your organization fits within the normal, national average for time spent on negative conflict, you have just calculated the range of direct economic impact conflict has on the bottom line of your business. Of course, there are indirect costs as well. Think of the unnecessary stress, poor morale, turnover, and other issues that conflict causes. When people do the math, they usually realize they can’t afford not to deal with this problem.

Let’s talk about how and why this happens, and then how to use an understanding of the Color Code and motive to help resolve some of these issues.

Mary Rau-Foster, attorney and certified mediator writes, “Conflict arises from a clash of perceptions, goals, or values in an arena where people care about the outcome.” This means that a workplace setting must be an ideal location for breeding conflict.

The truth of the matter is, a business cannot survive without conflict. A business has to compete, or it has to fold, and the players within the business from the shareholders down through every level of employee understand this concept extremely well. And when you really think about it—what’s wrong with that?

Conflict can be the single most positive force that drives a team forward. It can also be the most destructive. In one of Shakespeare’s best-known plays, Hamlet, he writes, “Nothing is good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”

Here is where the knowledge of driving core motive and the Color Code can be extraordinarily valuable. Each of the colors processes information differently, but without this education, most of us assume that everybody sees things the same way we do. Therefore, when stressful situations arise at work and people are on their worst behavior, oftentimes the end result is negative conflict.

This usually happens because people take what others say and do personally rather than simply dealing with the issue at hand.

Let me give you an example. Let’s say that sales revenue is down, and unless it reaches an acceptable level, there will be a massive layoff. People spring into action. The atmosphere becomes intense. Every lead becomes more precious than it was a month ago, and co-workers are pushing each other for better results. If Brad, a salesman, fails to close on an important contract, his manager, Michelle, might have to give some very direct feedback about how he is not doing a good enough job at discovering the needs of his potential clients before he pitches the features and benefits of the product.

At that point, Brad has to decide how he will assimilate that feedback. He could turn it into a positive situation where he might ask Michelle to explain what she is observing and help him understand how he can perform more effectively. It could potentially be a turning point in Brad’s sales career, or at the very least a small improvement that will help him close a few more sales per month.

The outcome that is more common, however, involves Brad taking Michelle’s comment personally. He might think that she is picking on him, that she doesn’t like him, that she is trying to force him off the team, or that she is just simply being the jerk that she is to everyone. He might get defensive and fight back, or he might just pretend to agree to try harder until he can vent his frustration to fellow salespeople later.

Whenever someone personalizes, the result will be destructive.

With a basic knowledge of the Color Code, people are empowered to change the way they think about, react to, and communicate with others. Knowing that Michelle is a White, for instance, would help Brad realize that she is probably giving very objective and clear feedback and that she is not trying to attack him personally.

The Color Code also allows people to monitor their internal reactions to various situations. Brad might realize that as a Yellow, he has the tendency to run away from anything he would perceive to be negative or critical. Knowing that about himself makes it easier for Brad to redirect his reaction in a way that would allow him to revisit the situation more logically rather than retreat into a negative emotion.

There is true power in knowing what makes people tick. It allows us to be more forgiving of our differences, and to engage in a more constructive form of conflict. When people can give feedback in a way that is not easily misinterpreted, and receive it without having to personalize, a work team becomes much more competitive, productive, and profitable.

For me, getting punched in the eye just made me play harder. It made the competition more intense. I wanted the win even more than I did previously, which made my teammates feel the same way. Instead of turning that energy into something negative, we rallied together, and came from behind to take the game.  <


 

JeremyDanielJeremy Daniel (Core Color: Yellow) has been working with the Color Code since 1998 in various capacities from training in the field personally with Dr. Taylor Hartman to designing customized corporate solutions and new training programs for various industries.  To ask about Jeremy’s training or speaking services, please email and inquiry to jeremy@colorcodetraining.com.