I’ve been teaching Color Code interpersonal communication workshops for nearly ten years. Early on, I came across a question from a participant for which I thought I had an answer.

“But what if I don’t know THEIR color?  It’s not like everyone has taken the assessment.”

“Well, there’s an addendum to this course called ‘quick-coding.’”

At this point, I transitioned to the quick-coding slides and pointed out the cards that teach some quick-coding strategies. Then the student said, “Yeah, this is a little helpful, but I don’t think it’s fool-proof. What if we get it wrong?”

The whole class delved into a rich discussion inspired by this question. As a group, we had several small ideas, but we also came to one major communication strategy for each color.  I now call those major strategies ‘The One-Tips.’ 

RED:

If you are a primary Red, you likely have a tendency (as I do, since I, myself, am a Red) to focus on what you want to do and what you think and believe, with less regard for others.  This is natural and common for Reds, as we are quick to come to conclusions, confident in our beliefs, ready to make decisions and move forward.  We often have the additional habit of assuming others agree with us if they don’t speak up boldly in disagreement.  We miss out on the wisdom of others, simply because we move a little too quickly.

If you are a primary Red, the one-tip for you, to help you in most situations when you don’t know the color of the other person or people, is to LISTEN FIRST. Allow others space to speak and share their ideas before you speak. Others will appreciate it, and occasionally, you’ll hear a great idea that you may like more than your own.

BLUE:

If you are a primary Blue, you likely care deeply about your work and relationships.  You also likely worry a lot, so you often look for risks and faults, and then focus on them as you worry.  You probably communicate passionately what you believe is right and wrong and may occasionally judge others for their differing opinions. Even if you have learned not to judge others, your passion can be intimidating. Others around you may learn to hold their tongue, because they do not want to deal with your intensity or judgment. 

For you, the Blue, the one-tip is to LOOK FOR WHAT’S RIGHT AND ALLOW OTHERS THEIR OPINIONS.

WHITE:

If you are a primary White, you likely find comfort in allowing others to take the reins. You’re comfortable with their ideas as long as you’re allowed to keep your systems and organizational practices in place. But you often have great ideas of your own; carefully thought-out ideas that took detail and nuance into consideration.  And you often keep those ideas to yourself, because, well, “their ideas will work just fine and who are you to tell others what to do? And anyway, they didn’t ask you.”  If you do this, you are underestimating your value.  You are talented at devising well-considered and thoroughly thought-out plans, strategies, and ideas—and you often have insights that others miss.

If you are a White, the one-tip for you is to SPEAK UP AND SHARE YOUR INSIGHTS.

YELLOW:

If you are a primary Yellow, you bring zeal and zest to life and to those around you. You also have some natural tendencies to do that thing or tell that joke that others may be reluctant to do or say; you see the upside first and the downside later. This attribute makes you fun to be around and your positivity is infectious, but the missteps can come back and get you in the end. You may realize a little too late that you told a joke that makes others uncomfortable, or you acted on an idea that was too far outside the standard operating procedures. 

If you are a Yellow, the one-tip for you is to THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK AND ACT. (But after you have given your thoughts consideration, keep contributing to your team and to your friends—we love you for just being you.)

So, there you have it. All four of the one-tips.  What is great about them is that when you put them together, they make a comprehensive communication process: 1) Listen first, 2) Look for what’s right and allow others their opinions, 3) Think before you speak and act, and then, 4) Speak up and share our insights.

One of the reasons I love teaching Color Code is that it allows for quickly learnable and actionable lessons, and these four ‘one-tips’ might be the best example.

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Derek Pangelinan is the owner of Derek Rey Consulting, a workplace-culture and leadership development company. He has been teaching Color Code for nine years and has taught teams in large and small organizations, for-profit and nonprofit, and has used it as a coaching tool. You can reach out to Derek at his business email address: Derek@DerekReyConsulting.com