teresa.glenn – Page 7 – blog.colorcode.com

6 Life Hacks for the White Personality

This article gives insight into the White personality, focusing on some of their limitations and concluding with some tips to make their life better.

Those of us who are familiar with the social media world have likely come across the term “Life Hack.” This phrase is typically accompanied by a helpful tip that may make one’s life easier. For example, using Coca Cola to clean a toilet.

In our humble opinion, the Color Code is one of the better life hacks out there. 🙂 By understanding ourselves and others at the motive level, we can build better relationships, be better parents, be better employers and employees, and so on and so forth. Today, we will focus on a few life hacks for our friends with Peace as their Driving Core Motive–The White Personality.

Whites have so many wonderful qualities we could go on and on about; however, since this article deals with life hacks, we ask your forgiveness for diving right into the limitations that White personalities can struggle with. This will hopefully allow you to see where and why to apply these tips. So, let’s dive in!

As a White, you should be aware that you may appear detached and uninvolved to others. You also are known to typically take a passive approach to life. You can be bashful and unsure of yourself and we’re guessing you resist making commitments unless you’ve become “charactered” in that department.

And because a lot of Whites struggle with commitment and direction, this also can lead to a lack of motivation, or at least the appearance of such.

Another issue Whites deal with is, when faced with the choice to confront someone or give them the silent treatment, Whites will typically choose the silent treatment because they are uncomfortable with confrontation. Whites also often feel things very deeply, but they struggle to express their feelings to others. Can you relate?

Finally, we should probably tell you that Whites can struggle with timidness and being emotionally unsure. An example of this might be as an employee, we’ve found that many Whites take the easy road instead of fighting for themselves and accept less pay and lower positions in part because they don’t want to place themselves where there may be potential conflict.

Again, please remember that all these limitations don’t apply to every White personality. No two people are alike. A strong secondary color or filter or years of practice becoming “charactered” can easily make it so a someone who scores as a “White” on our assessment doesn’t deal with one or some of these limitations. However, in general these are all things to be aware of if you are a White personality. And, we want to make you aware of them because only by identifying our limitations can we know where to address our efforts most efficiently.

So, now that we’ve identified some potential limitations a person with a DCM of White could struggle with, let’s dive into what we’ve found to be some of the better hacks we’ve found over the past 30 years of research. And, if you are a White who’s overcome most or any of these, please add your insights in the comments below for your fellow Whites to consider. Without further ado, for your consideration here are:

6 LIFE HACKS FOR WHITE PERSONALITIES

Instead of avoiding issues, address them. This will help you feel empowered and less resentful.
Instead of reacting to agendas others set for you, set proactive agendas. Proactive attitudes will challenge your natural tendency to be passive-aggressive.
Actively seek a sense of urgency. Sometimes you can miss living a passionate life because you refuse to get excited about projects and people. Don’t let time pass you by!
Know that conflict can be enriching. Express your ideas with others and ask for their input rather than taking their feedback personally. Choose to view others’ feedback as enlightening and as a way to broaden your horizons.
Try taking a risk. Rather than always having a “wait and see” attitude, set goals that require effort and will boost your confidence.
Make efforts to control the daydreams that get in the way of you getting work done.

And there you go! Hopefully you’ve found something above that resonated. May we humbly challenge you to take some time this next week to pick even one of these “hacks” and work toward applying it. Then, let us know how it goes!

Here’s to you. 🙂

—The Color Code Team

8 Ways to Build Better Relationships with Reds

The aim of this article is to prepare you with some tools to understanding the innate Red personality so next time you’re at odds with one of these “Kings of the Jungle” it doesn’t have to be as frustrating of an experience.

Reds are as bold as the color they represent — they are not going to go unnoticed. Mother Teresa and Helen Keller were both Reds. President Donald Trump appears to be Red, too. Get the picture?

Reds are society’s natural born leaders, and they know how to get from point A to point B efficiently, often with little fanfare. Reds are active and productive. They are very committed to causes, and they are all about being focused and determined to accomplish whatever life hands them. The Red motto is: “Lead, follow, or get out of the way!”

If you haven’t guessed by now, Reds are naturally the most dominant and intimidating of the four personality types and this can sometimes lead to a frustrated spouse, co-worker, employee, friend, child or parent if the Red hasn’t worked hard at becoming what we call “Charactered.” The aim of this article is to prepare you with some tools to understanding the innate Red personality so next time you’re at odds with one of these “Kings of the Jungle” it doesn’t have to be as frustrating of an experience.

Reds NEED to look good technically, to be right, to be respected and to attain approval from a select few people. They WANT to hide their insecurities tightly. They want to be productive, be in a leadership position and experience challenging adventures. If you struggle to understand how to effectively develop a good relationship with a Red, here are eight helpful tips to consider:

DO present issues logically. Reds behave logically rather than emotionally, as do Whites. Blues and Yellows, however, are emotional beings. Reds can be opinionated and stubborn about a lot of topics and they are skilled debaters. However, they can be reasoned with logically. If faced with an argument with a Red, use your head and not your heart.
DO be direct, brief and specific. Reds are impatient. Red employers cannot tolerate indecisiveness or poor productivity. A White who hates conflict or a Blue who gets too caught up in the details would be wise to heed this advice.
DO demand attention and respect. Due to Reds dominant nature, it may be easy to let yourself go unnoticed by them. After all, they are glad to take the lead. But be careful not to let them walk all over you. Try asserting your opinions and using logic to your advantage.
DO offer them leadership responsibilities. Reds want to be in a leadership position, and they are very strong leaders. Reds are able to get to the heart of a problem without being distracted by lesser concerns, and are able to quickly devise proactive solutions. Reds are visionary, assertive and determined.
DO NOT embarrass them in front of others. Reds want to look good to others and they need to appear knowledgeable. They crave approval from people they respect for their intelligence and capabilities. They’d rather be respected than loved.
DO NOT expect a personal and intimate relationship. Reds struggle to attain intimacy. They are so naturally determined and productive that their lack of intimacy can get overlooked as being a problem by themselves and their loved ones.
DO NOT take their arguments personally. Reds love a challenge. They will frequently bring up controversial topics just so they can have a good debate. The other colors become frustrated by this, but they shouldn’t take it personally, because the Red may be doing it just to have the opportunity to banter.
DO NOT use an authoritarian approach. Reds want control, they want their own way. Due to their resourcefulness and self-reliance, Reds frequently challenge authority figures and control their own destiny.

Now that you’ve learned some basics, hopefully you are on your way to developing a positive relationship with a Red or with yourself. These power wielders can be great assets to our communities. Now get going and do something productive!

–The Color Code Team

What Are Your Colors & Signature?

There is a magical connection between leaving your signature and the best the Color Code has to offer regarding understanding your native character, or as the Color Code calls it, “getting yourself.”

From the Editor: Each month we will be inviting one of our experienced Certified Independent Color Code trainers to write an article discussing why and/or how they use Color Code in their field of expertise. We hope you will find this valuable as you learn from various experts all over the country and world as they share with you how they apply the Color Code. To start this series off we’ve got Jesse Ferrell from Las Vegas, Nevada for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!

Leaving Your Signature Meets The Color Code

Leaving your signature is an article I wrote and published a few years ago. The Color Code is a brilliant personality assessment that we use with all of our JessTalk speaking and coaching clients! There is a magical connection between leaving your signature and the best the Color Code has to offer regarding understanding your native character, or as the Color Code calls it, “getting yourself.”

We did a comprehensive study of eleven different personality assessments (Myers Briggs, DISC, iPec Energy Leadership, Enneagram, Winslow, etc.) in order to isolate the best personality assessment that had the following attributes: easy for clients to understand, easy to take, interesting and fun, accurate results, easy to enroll in one’s life and very memorable.

We found value in conducting this study and learning the various personality assessments, but none provided the unique variety of gifts that the Color Code offers, which is why we became certified Color Code trainers. We have spent more than 195,300 hours inspiring others to live their highest vision. We do that by building JessTalk Speaking & Coaching Firm and practicing our purpose of speaking professionally from the stage and through our success coaching and executive coaching pillars. LisaListen is a subdivision specializing in empowering women. Every client that walks through our doors or that we meet from the stage to continue the relationship submits to taking the Color Code as the first step in evolving solid professional relationships.

Leaving your signature everywhere you go speaks to how people come to know the manner in which you do things. “How you do anything is how you do everything.” You have an opportunity for making a positive and profound difference when interacting and touching the lives of others, simply by monitoring and upgrading how you do things. You leave your signature wherever you go whether you know it or not.

Some of us leave a very infectious and positive signature and others leave a very scratchy and unlikeable signature. When something bad happens in our space we often feel the need to right the wrong with a return attack or negative language.

We seek to be heard and ensure that the ‘wrong doing bunch’ gets our point! Well I have heard it said that it is better to get ahead than to get even.

It’s how you do things that matters most … it’s your signature. Maya Angelou said it best and perhaps first: “People may not remember what you have done for them, but they will always remember how you made them feel.” How you leave them feeling matters most to all of us.

The Color Code puts the emphasis on helping you get yourself and ultimately helping you get others after getting yourself first, then getting over yourself. It speaks of what your inner core motives are and how they have a large impact on why you do the things you choose to do.

Following the Color Code personality assessment, you are encouraged to raise the level of how you show up for yourself and others through a keen understanding of what that looks like from an innate core level.

Those of us who move through life with a positive and attractive personality or attractive character are typically those who have increased our strengths and reduced or removed our limitations in a comprehensive fashion. We care enough about our signature to shape it in a pleasing fashion that serves others while serving ourselves. We take tremendous joy in helping others achieve better results via finding their own signature and are grateful Color Code helps us to do just that. If you’d like more information on what it means to find your signature then please check out our info below.

Make it a great day!

Jesse Ferrell

ABOUT JESSE & LISA

Relationship help is a click or phone call away — we empower and inspire you to live your best life today. Call Lisa at (702) 239-5055 to learn more. “The Color Code was the missing link in interacting with my sales team. Both parties come out with a win-win opportunity leaving everyone with a happier outcome knowing how to speak each of their languages. It has taken my team to new heights.” ~ Tony Bond, General Manager

Please click here to watch a short client success story on how the Color Code made a major difference increasing bottom line results!

A Fresh Way of Looking at New Year’s Resolutions

As we plunge into 2017, one of the most frequently asked questions we see is, “How can I finally stick to my New Year’s resolutions?”

It’s a good question, and there is a lot of advice out there online. Some of it is really great, and some of it is, well, not so great. As our expertise centers around the Color Code Personality System, I’d like to add my two cents on how to help with resolutions from our perspective.

Our perspective is always “MOTIVE.” Motive is all about why we do the things we do, and it definitely ties into how we pursue our resolutions.

Too often during this time of the year, we sit back and we think, “This year I’m going to lose weight, or save more, or be more patient with my children,” etc.

Take a moment and think about the way that we create resolutions. The process usually entails us deciding that we are going to do less of one kind of behavior and do more of another. For example, we are going to eat less pizza and run more on the treadmill. And we know that if that happens, we will lose more weight.

The reality of our past experiences, however, tell us that the word “if” in that last statement decides everything. Of course, the statement itself is absolutely true. “Will we execute?” is the real question.

In order to execute more effectively, I submit that we need to focus on more than just the behavioral changes that need to occur in order for us to achieve our goals. We need to dig a little deeper into our motives. We need to ask ourselves why we react to certain things the way we do and not just know that we need to behave differently.

An example that I like to use when teaching our Trainer Certification Course is about a person wanting to overcome the limitation of being impatient. The process of becoming patient doesn’t just mean that we stay quiet longer while we allow the same frustration to boil up inside of us instead of spewing out onto others. No, to truly create that kind of change you must first explore why you are impatient.

Maybe you don’t like having to deal with other people and you need to become more sociable. Maybe you don’t care about others in general as long as it doesn’t affect you. In that case, you might need to work on being more empathetic and compassionate. There can be so many reasons why a person displays the limitation of being impatient or why a person binges on food, or spends money frivolously, or doesn’t take time for themselves. And the list goes on.

My advice in a nutshell is to dig deeper! Look not only at the changes you want to make, but the reasons you want to make them and why the changes have been difficult for you in the past.

If you simply try swapping “Behavior A” for “Behavior B,” that strategy will likely last as long as your will power allows it to. Ultimately, we tend to go back to our old ways of doing things if this is our approach.

This year, try to understand what is making you tick from the inside first then work your way outward. Be more in tune with your motives first, and the behavior change will seem a lot easier.

Here’s to you in 2017!

Jeremy Daniel

Jeremy Daniel is the Vice President of Training for Color Code. He leads our Trainer Certification Program and has been teaching the Color Code and delivering motive-based applications to clients internationally since 1998.

6 Tips for Your Relationship with a Yellow

Because of so much exposure to Color Code, I considered myself adept at assigning people in my life to the various colors. So you can imaging my face palm when my husband — I admittedly couldn’t decide if he was a Red or a Blue — turned out to be a bright, shining Yellow.

From a tender age, I have been fascinated by The Color Code. I love learning about myself and others and how I can gain a deeper understanding of how we emotionally connect to one another. I am a Blue.

After listening to the Yellow CD for the first time in several years, it totally makes sense to me that he would be this fun-loving color. How could I not see it before? Now I realize I need to improve my approach of understanding his driving core motive, his strengths, and yes, his limitations.

If you are also in a relationship with a Yellow, here are a few things to remember:

DO promote creative and fun activities for and with them

Yellows are so much fun, and being married to one is very entertaining. My husband and I both value a good time, but I have a lot of White in me and it’s easy for me to rely on him to think of creative date nights. About a year ago, I was feeling slightly annoyed that our recent date nights were seeming a bit routine. My husband is very romantic, and I wanted him to plan something special for us.

Then I realized I was being selfish. He was very good at planning something special for me, but I was lacking. I quickly hopped on Groupon and found a deal to go ice skating outdoors. Then I texted him and told him I had a surprise date planned for us and asked him to pick me up from work and bring some warm clothes. His response was enthusiastic, and he delivered my request. We rode a free Christmas-themed trolley through the city then proceeded to ice skate on a rink surrounded by skyscrapers. It was simple, but memorable, and I could tell it meant a lot to my husband. Just because Yellows are great at bringing the fun doesn’t mean we can’t speak their language by joining the fun.

DO touch them physically

Being “touchy-feely” is not natural for everyone, but Yellows liked to be touched physically. This is a good reminder for couples after the honeymoon phase wears off. If your spouse or significant other is a Yellow, take a mental note to incorporate extra physical expressions into your relationship. Sometimes while my husband is driving, I’ll reach over and rub the back of his neck, and he loves it. Of course, don’t crash!

DO accept their playful teasing

As a Blue, I tend to be overly sensitive. Sometimes my husband will razz me and I won’t realize he’s totally kidding so the conversation takes a sour turn. He then usually says, “You take me so seriously!” I’m a Blue, I do! But it’s important for me, and any other like-minded people, to remember Yellows like to tease and they’re just trying to have fun.

DON’T ignore them

Nobody likes being ignored, but Yellows especially dislike it. Too often, I keep the company of my phone when I should be keeping the company of my husband. I know it’s hurt him in the past when I pay more attention to my virtual life than to him (as it should). Make a concerted effort to be present with your Yellow significant other and pay attention to them.

DON’T expect them to dwell on problems

As a Blue, one of my natural limitations is being worry-prone. Yellows, on the other hand are easily distracted and don’t dwell on problems. Being married to a Yellow is a huge blessing in this regard. I usually want to over discuss my worries, and this can exasperate my husband. He soothes and supports me as a worrier, but I can tell when I’ve taken a step too far.

DON’T forget they have “down” times also

My Yellow husband is optimistic and happy with life most of the time, but he does occasionally surprise me with stress and sadness. When these emotions crop up for him, I try my best to be patient, knowing that he’s great about picking me up when I’m down. But this atypical behavior does throw me off. I do, however, think it’s really important to remember Yellows are still normal human beings and therefore experience all kinds of emotions.

Now that I’ve successfully removed my palm from my face, I hope you and I can apply this Yellow knowledge and strive for better, more fun relationships. After all, who doesn’t love a Yellow?

Megan Christensen graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho in 2014 with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication. She previously worked as the head writer for KSL.com and is now the digital content manager for The Color Code. Her core color is Blue, but she is almost just as White.

A RED Planning a YELLOW Bridal Shower

Are you curious to see how a red/yellow dynamic would play out while planning a party? Read how this red reacts when her yellow niece has different ideas about a bridal shower.

My sweet niece is getting married. She lives in a different state than most of her family, and consequently feels the wedding plans are a bit one-sided. She is desperate to be surrounded by her own family. I readily agreed to throw a bridal shower for this fun-loving, VERY Yellow niece in her hometown.

This is how it all started:

Talk about clueless. I win the prize for being clueless. And I have no excuse. I work for Color Code.

Lets break down this innocent little message:

I was hoping to have a little shower at your house.

How a Red reads this: I would like to invite 10 or so close girlfriends to attend a bridal shower at your house.

What a Yellow means: I’m inviting all relatives within driving distance along with all of my Facebook friends residing in your city. Boys and girls.

Do a pool summer thingy.

How a Red reads this: Tables around the pool, with guests quietly conversing while they eat.

What a Yellow means: POOL PARTY!!!

The thought of having 30-100 people I don’t know swimming in my pool just didn’t sound like a good idea. I had to think of some way to discourage this. More later—much, much more.

Next, I needed to find out when the shower would happen. This proved to be a moving target. But after much back and forth, we finally decided on a date and the fact that it would be a brunch.

She did say I could do the invites, right? Being a Red, I jumped on it. I found out her colors (purple and blue) designed the invitations, printed them and checked them off my list. Then I got this:

Suits? At first I thought she was asking if dress was semi-formal. Nope, pool, again.

Next came the Pinterest messages:

Yellow: Here are NINE games we could play!

Red: Game?! How do you corral 50 (possibly wet) people to play a game?

I am not a “game” person. My idea of the perfect shower, be it wedding, baby, or whatever, is to go−eat cake−open presents−leave.

Decorations? Do tablecloths count? Once again, my idea of a tasteful, subdued brunch was flying out the window.

I could see I was in waaay over my Red head. I needed a Yellow on the team STAT.

Don’t you love a Yellow’s exuberant punctuation? It always makes me smile.

I held a meeting with Josh’s Yellow wife. She agreed to do all the “fun” stuff. Games, decorations—the lot.

That is until I spoke with her the week before the shower and she said she was going on a TRIP TO NEW YORK!!! EEEEE!!!

Umm, what about the shower and the fun stuff—you know—games and decorations?

Uh, yeah. I’m not sure I’ll have time because of my TRIP TO NEW YORK! I leave Tuesday and won’t be back until Friday. Sorry. Smiley Face.

And then this from my niece:

I could read her disappointment, and all of a sudden I was pretty ashamed of myself. My niece is getting married. She is a Yellow bride who wants this time to be about fun…about her. Why was I being so selfish? Shouldn’t her needs and wants trump mine during this important time of her life? Shouldn’t she have games, decorations, and balloons if that is what makes her happy? It is only one day in my life, but a lifetime of memories for her. And there is always chlorine.

And finally…

Mimosas? Oh dear. CC

Epilogue–June 29

As is often the case, my concerns were unwarranted. The shower was lovely. Josh’s wife showed up an hour early with a car full of Pinterest and Etsy-worthy decorations that she and her daughter created late in the night after landing from a long and grueling plane ride from New York. My niece’s guests were gracious and subdued. The only people brave enough to go swimming were two children.

Turns out Reds aren’t always right.

Teresa Glenn has been working with the Color Code since 2006, where her main focus is product development. She has been in the publishing and product development field for over 20 years. Teresa is a core Red with a strong Yellow secondary.

New Comprehensive Analysis Available!

Color Code is excited to announce the release of our new 42-page comprehensive analysis!

Color Code is excited to announce the release of our new 42-page comprehensive analysis!

To celebrate, this new analysis is available free of charge to anyone who has purchased an online comprehensive analysis in the past. Plus, we are having a 72-hour sale for those who have not taken the test or have just received their free basic results previously. Until August 8th at midnight, they can get their 42-page customized analysis for only $19.95! (see details below)

The New Analysis has been designed to offer the best of Color Code by leveraging available technology with over 30 years of experience in building relationships and self-development. Read on to learn what we’ve included with the section descriptions and our challenge and promise to you, below!

Section I—Overview of the Color Code Theory Your analysis begins with important issues that affect your personality. This section builds a critical foundation for understanding the Color Code paradigm and why it is so effective.

Section II is where things get really interesting because it’s unique to you and you alone. Using special algorithms that weigh your answers and calculate variables, this online version of the test is able to provide, not only extremely accurate results, but your specific strengths and limitations in each color illustrating characteristics that also may be due to your secondary color, if you have one, or traits you’ve developed because of the filters discussed previously. Pretty cool, right?

Also included are the needs and wants of both your DCM and secondary color (if you have one) for reference:

Section III—Self Development teaches you how to take the information you were given in Section II and gives you specific advice on building character—building up your strengths and correcting your limitations. Here we focus on your specific strengths and limitations from each color and let you know where you are already charactered, which traits are healthy, which are unhealthy, and finally, which traits are dysfunctional. From there we will identify what you should START doing, STOP doing, and CONTINUE doing as a way to reap more happiness and success in your personal and professional relationships.

Section IV—Building Relationships is the culmination of everything you learned in the previous sections with a focus on how to use this valuable information to build relationships. You will receive specific do’s and don’ts for interacting with all of the other DCMs (personalities) as well both video and written representations of what you might expect in a relationship (professional or personal) with any personality. This information is extremely important for fostering healthy marriages/relationships, productive business partnerships, effective parenting and more. We periodically hear from people who tell us that applying this information has literally saved their marriage!

Supplemental Information is packed with complimentary information to help you both professionally and personally. We have included videos, pdfs, and audio files that cover everything from relationship training to anger management. Plus, customized development exercises that will help you put what you just learned about yourself into practice.

So there you go, that’s our new comprehensive analysis. We can’t wait to hear what you think of it. And, to make that easier, we offer the following:

Our Challenge and Promise

In case you haven’t noticed, we really believe in this stuff and want to make a believer out of you, too. In order to facilitate that, we offer our “Full Analysis Challenge And Promise” (see above). Summarized, it says if you do your part to implement this information for 30 days and don’t see any improvements in your relationships and/or self-development, we will refund 100% of your money no questions asked. It’s that simple.

Want to know how to get yours? Here are the details:

Upgraded to a full analysis in the past? Just find the email we originally sent you and click on the link. Your new analysis will be there free of charge.

Received basic (free) results in the past? There is no need to retake the test. Simply find the email we originally sent you to access your basic results and click on the link. From there you may purchase the upgraded report. And, as a special thank you for being a fan of our blog, enter the coupon code “mynewanalysis” in the coupon box below the video to get your customized comprehensive analysis for only $19.95! (Valid until August 8th, 2015)

Want to give our personality analysis a try for the first time? Click HERE to be taken straight there and pay only $19.95 for the next 72 hours! (Valid until midnight August 8th, 2015)

Aside from working personally with us or one of our Certified Color Code Trainers, we truly believe that learning and applying the information contained in your customized comprehensive analysis is the best we offer and can have an incredible impact on your life and your relationships. We hope this article and money-back offer will help you give us a chance to show you what we mean.

Here’s to better relationships and a better you!

The Color Code Team

Ask the Expert

Looking to hire someone? Here are some tips for interview questions you might ask to help determine a good fit with your company.

Dear Jeremy,

Do you have some suggestions for interview questions to help determine a good fit with the company?

Sincerely,

Lori

====================

Dear Lori,

Thank you so much for submitting your question!

Many people utilize the Color Code Personality System in the selection process, even though we do not officially endorse it as a hiring/firing tool. It can, however, have some strong applications in that arena if utilized properly. So, yes, I do have suggestions for the types of questions you might want to use in the interview process, and I’ll be happy to share those with you in this post.

First, please allow me to state something very clearly…

We strongly believe, based on decades of practice and observation, that any of our four, Color Code Personality Types can do any kind of job. You don’t have to be a Red to be successful in a leadership role, or a Blue to be an exceptional nurse, or a Yellow to be a top-producing salesperson, or a White to be an amazing dentist, etc. You will find successful Reds, Blues, Whites, and Yellows in all kinds of careers – even in areas that might surprise you! – because people can learn, grow, and adapt. You might have four police officers, each with a different Color Code, and they can all be successful. They will simply bring a different style and outlook to the job… and that’s a good thing, right?

(Of course it is!)

So with that said, somebody might ask, “Then why Color Code job applicants in the first place?”

I assure you that there is actually a VERY good reason for this. It is, in a word, “CONGRUENCE”.

Everybody knows that employment interviews are tricky. Any candidate can put on a good face, and people have become extremely adept at telling you what you want to hear. One of the greatest challenges of the interviewer, therefore, is to determine how genuine/truthful the job applicants are actually being.

Enter the Color Code, and your questions, Lori. 🙂

Before we get to those questions and come back to this idea of congruence, let’s review some ideas on administering the Color Code Personality Assessment.

Assuming that you have your job candidates take the Color Code Personality Assessment prior to the interview process, I would invite them to do so while following these instructions:
Let them know that you are not looking for a certain personality type to fill the job and that you believe there is no version of the outcome that would prevent them from being hired.

Tell them that when they take the assessment, they should answer the questions based on what they were like as a CHILD – not based on what they are like today.

Explain that this assessment is designed to help you know more about their communication style and why they do what they do.

Tell them that you know that there are questions they will have to answer with only “negative” behaviors as options. That’s okay, because this is only based on childhood behaviors, and you know that many of the responses will have changed over time. Assure them that you are not going to get hung up on specific responses to each question.

Hopefully, if setup properly, your candidates will feel inclined to answer the questions truthfully – which will work in their favor during the interview.

Fast-forward now, to the actual interview. You have no doubt reviewed each candidate’s resume, done your background checks, called referrals, and of course reviewed their Color Code Personality Assessment results. It’s time to begin the interview.

You have your questions that you know you will need to ask. In addition, you will be able to supplement those with some Color-Coded questions to help you verify whether each candidate is being truthful about who he/she really is – hence, the congruence piece.

We know that Reds, Blues, Whites, and Yellows are going to respond differently in certain situations. We know that there are certain kinds of reactions that would be more congruent with their style than others.

For example, you wouldn’t expect somebody who turns in a Yellow Color Code result to be boring, socially awkward, or have difficultly communicating during the interview process. Similarly, you wouldn’t expect a Blue to take a superficial approach to his/her work or otherwise show up as being flaky and/or uncommitted.

The more you know the Color Code, obviously, the better you will be at using this as a tool for checking for honesty and congruence in your applicants’ responses – thus helping you overcome the most difficult challenge of the interview process. That, of course, is being able to answer the question, “Is what I see now really what I’m going to get if I hire this person?”

That said, there are myriad questions you might ask. Here are just a few examples:

With your Red candidates, ask:

Let’s assume that you are the leader of a team, and that your team has a hard deadline approaching. You realize that you are falling farther and father behind being able to deliver on time because one of your team members isn’t pulling his weight. What do you do?

…Or, perhaps something like this:

Tell me about a time in your life where you failed. What happened? What was that like for you? What did you learn from that experience?

Think through how a Red would respond. In the first scenario, he/she (if truly a Red), would most likely approach things in a very logical way. They would identify the problem and solve it. Failure is not an option, and they will not make excuses for not delivering. If that person not doing his job can’t get on track and they need to be replaced, so be it. They wouldn’t make it personal, though. It’s simply about performance.

In the second scenario, Reds rarely fail, and when they do, it is extremely daunting to them and their sense of self worth even. They feel it intensely. They hate it. A healthy Red will learn from the experience, get stronger and move forward with a new sense of resolve, but they won’t dismiss it as a small thing.

Do you get the idea?

If the candidate either scenario responds differently from what you would expect from a Red, that should raise a little… well “red” flag in your mind, and you’ll want to ask additional questions.

With Blue candidates, you might ask a question like:

What if your boss told you that she needs a little project done very quickly, and that it’s just a formality anyway and that nobody really cares about it (but it has to be done). She doesn’t want you to spend a lot of time on it – rather, just “throw something together and call it good”. How would you respond to that?

(Most Blues would never feel good about agreeing to something like that. If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right, and they will take it home and work on it after hours if needs be, but if their name is on it, it will be done correctly!)

With a White candidate, you could ask something like:

Let’s say you were working for somebody who lost her temper easily. She was generally effective at producing desirable results, but was highly charged emotionally and yelled at people when things didn’t go her way. How would you deal with that scenario?

(Whites typically don’t like conflict at all and would feel extremely uncomfortable in that kind of a situation. Even if the candidate had never experienced run-ins with this boss, he/she would not want to work for her and would probably seek an opportunity elsewhere. With most Whites, they would not necessarily confront, or go to battle with this person, however.)

With a Yellow candidate, you could ask something like:

Let’s say you were on a team with an important sales quota approaching. If the team doesn’t hit the sales goal, people will likely lose their jobs. As the deadline gets closer, and the group is lagging behind the expected pace, fear creeps in and people start to panic. How would you react?

(Yellows tend to stay very positive and have a way of encouraging others to be positive as well. They also believe that things will work out and that they can find a solution. Most Yellows would try to encourage the team and try to add some hope as opposed to getting negative as well. Look for humor, creativity, and light-hardheartedness in their reply as they don’t tend to get overly serious about things).
And really, you could ask any of these questions, or several others to any of the Colors and expect to see a different type of response. Remember, what you are looking for is congruence. Are they reacting the way that a Red, Blue, White, or Yellow would typically react? If not, is there a reason for that? Have they learned to take a different approach, for example, and does their answer seem to “check out” in your mind.

This might take a little practice, of course, but hopefully it sets you off in the right direction and helps bring a new kind of filter to your hiring process.

Good luck, Lori, and please let us know if we can be of further assistance!

Very best of living,

Jeremy Daniel
Training Director
Color Code

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.

Electronic Messages—Reading Between the Lines

We live in an age where a large percentage of our communications are done via email and texts. It is convenient and, for some, a great time saver. The problem is, how are your messages interpreted?

“Words, once they are printed, have a life of their own. ”

-Carol Burnett

We live in an age where a large percentage of our communications are done via email and texts. It is convenient and for some, a great time saver.

The problem is, how are your messages interpreted?

Without body language to provide insight in the delivery, a misinterpreted written communication might leave the recipient feeling slighted, criticized, or belittled. An unanswered email or text might make a person feel that they are being ignored, or worse, that the recipient is angry over the content of the message. All of this can cause stress and no little resentment… to the detriment of a positive and productive relationship.

As students of the Color Code, we know that all personalities are different. Each driving core motive has needs. We are all motivated differently and conversely, we motivate differently. When receiving electronic missives, it is important for us to know the difference—and react accordingly.

Reds’ emails and texts are often interpreted as curt, unfeeling, and, let’s face it, critical. When a Red sends an email or text it is normally a “just the facts, ma’am” missive. They don’t do smiley faces emoticons or LOLs. Rarely will they ask personal questions or offer any insight into their own feelings. A Red will not respond to a text or email that doesn’t require specific response. Don’t expect an email that simply says “thanks” or “got it”.

When you can’t see a Red’s face in the delivery, the sarcasm they are famous for just seems downright mean. It might interest you to know that Reds will seem confounded if you express offense at the emails they send, because (in most cases) offense was not their intention.

When sending a Red a text or email—especially in a business setting—keep to the facts (preferably in bullet form). If responding to a Red’s bulleted email, try putting your answers directly below the bullet points he sent you. That way, you’ll know you’ve answered all questions or requests succinctly rather than in a rambling response. If a Red asks for a confirmation that you received the email, send one, but don’t otherwise waste his time with a “thanks” response.

Blues are quite different from Reds in electronic communication. Unlike Reds “less is more” does not apply. Blues are thorough, and detail conscious. You will likely receive not only and answer, but the thought process involved in coming up with the answer. They might start off with a personal note before getting to the meat of the missive—but meat there will be.

In writing, a Blue may come off as a bit sanctimonious, and the recipient may feel as if they are being judged, or worse, not given credit. Blues need to feel appreciated and might fail to see their self-righteous tone as offensive—so don’t take offense.

When sending a Blue an email, it is important to fulfill their need for detailed information. Be sure your message includes the what, where, when and how, or you will be peppered with more emails asking about the missing information. Your communications should be well-written and respectful.

Whites, like Reds, are logical and to the point. Unlike Reds, they are more thoughtful in their communications. While not motivated by emotion, they will go to great lengths to be kind and not create conflict. You may need to read between the lines to get the real message. Whites are more inclined to communicate via email or texting rather than face-to-face interaction.

Some Whites suffer from procrastination, and will put off answering your email right away. In fact, some of them should have the old adage, “If you ignore it, it will go away” on a needlepoint sampler gracing their office wall. Gentle reminders will get them going again.

When sending an email to a White, be kind, objective, and present all arguments. Whites have a great skill of seeing all sides and forming a logical conclusion. Unless you have already won a White’s trust, don’t get personal or jokey in the text.

Yellows are probably the most dynamic of the colors when it comes to email. Count on them to send you the latest joke one minute and an insightful and persuasive communication the next. A yellow is most likely to use emoticons and exclamation points. Even in the most serious of emails, they will make an appearance.

Yellows may not return your email in a timely manner—or at all. This is not a personal slight, but an indication that they have moved on to other things they deem more important or interesting. A reminder that you are awaiting a reply should bring you back to the top of the list.

When sending an email to a Yellow, be specific about what you want and possibly more important, when you want it. Be upbeat, positive, but firm–and always emphasize that you appreciate their contribution.

Before you jump to conclusions remember we all have different methods of communication. Without a smile, a wink, or even a scowl, we don’t have the benefit of facial expressions or body language to help us interpret the emotion behind a message. The best thing to do, for the receiver and the sender, is to take into account the possibility that we all have different methods of sending and receiving messages, both literally and emotionally. Think it through before you let a simple misunderstanding ruin an otherwise healthy relationship. CC

Ask the Expert

Dear Jeremy,

I profiled as a Red. I don’t think that is a bad thing to be, but now my family thinks that the Red is all that I am. They think I’m controlling and unkind. What do I do to convince them that I have many layers?

Yours truly,

“Red”

====================

Dear “Red”,

What a great question! Speaking of layers, I see a few in your question and comments that I would like to address here.

Certainly being Red is not a bad thing at all! Every Color has wonderful strengths that should be openly shared and celebrated. It is also true that every Color has terrible limitations that should be regularly evaluated and addressed as well.

Another reality is that no two Reds are ever exactly alike. Take Donald Trump and Mother Theresa for example. Is it possible that they are actually both cut from the same “Red” fabric? Absolutely! In fact, it is very probable that they actually are both strong Reds.

So yes, there are layers. Secondary Color; your personal needs, wants, instincts and preferences; character development or dysfunction; and many other factors will play into what makes you, uniquely you.

In reading your email, two questions came to my mind, and those are the ones I want to focus on for my reply:

Question #1: Do you value yourself as a Red?

Question #2: What are you doing to develop the reputation that you desire?

Let’s dive in…

Question #1: Do you value yourself as a Red?

The reason that I’m asking this question is that I perceive that you taking your family’s comments very personally. This obviously hurts (or you wouldn’t be asking). I’m sure there are still challenges out in the world for you to conquer, and if this was of small importance, you wouldn’t take the time to inquire. I also know that Reds require approval from a select few—not the masses, but rather people who are important to them. Family is usually right at or very near the top of that list.

The more secure you feel about yourself and your own intrinsic value, the better equipped you will be to take feedback without getting hurt by it.

The next time a family member points out that you are too controlling or unkind, would you be able to say, “Really? I don’t see that about myself. What am I missing?”

…or will you get defensive and fight back and try to “convince them” (your words) that you are right and they are wrong?

This is a hard thing for Reds to learn. It requires self-esteem and humility. If it helps to know, both will make you stronger, more capable, and happier. You have to learn to value who you are just because you exist —just because you breathe. You can’t base your self-worth on the magnitude of your last great victory or accomplishment.

Question #2: What are you doing to develop the reputation that you desire?

You may have heard it said that “perception is reality”. In other words, if your interactions with other people leave them feeling like you are overly controlling or unkind, maybe – just maybe – is there something to that?

I’m not saying that other people might not be the problem either – just so you know.

I certainly have seen people with a bias toward another Color. Those people might not be able to value what you bring to the table simply because they don’t approve of your style in general (for whatever reason). Please keep that in mind. I’m not necessarily saying that this is all your problem.

…However, I am saying that it usually is. 🙂

Again, instead of trying to convince people to see things or do things your way, challenge yourself to be more responsible. Challenge yourself to ask the question, “What about me makes me seem overly controlling or unkind?”

Can you do that?

If so, challenge yourself to take note of those things that come to mind. Try to do them differently. Ask for the feedback of others and listen to what they say. If you fight back, they will only start telling you what you want to hear. That, however, is never true growth.

If you are humble and you listen and apply and ask for more feedback, you just might impress your family and cause them to want to be more helpful, encouraging, and positive.

In short, they will see your other layers because you will have begun to earn the reputation of having them.

To quote Dr. Hartman, “Personality is a gift. Character is a victory!”

In my experience, victories are always something that you have to fight for…

So, onward and upward, my Red friend. Your new challenge awaits, and a more refined “YOU” will be your prize.

Very best of living,

Jeremy Daniel
Training Director
Color Code