Weekly Tools and Tips to Improve Any Relationship
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
Read MoreMy dear Blue father strongly dislikes the fact that, here at the Color Code, we refer to the Blue and Red personalities as “heavyweights” and the Yellow and White personalities as “lightweights”. Perhaps there is a negative connotation associated with one or both of those words for him—or he just never liked boxing… Regardless of why, in honor of Father’s Day, this article will attempt to give my father—and anyone else who may benefit by it—another, perhaps more palatable and “Shakespearean” if you will humor me, way of viewing this aspect of our different personalities. To Seek Control or Avoid Control—Tha
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I have a friend who has a great job, owns her own condo, drives her dream vehicle, and has more friends than anyone I’ve ever known. She is intelligent, has a great sense of humor, and would give you the shirt off her back. Jane is a Yellow. The thought of Jane’s social calendar sends chills down my spine. Unlike her, I am content to stay home, do projects around the house, and enjoy my family (until I don’t). I like it when people come to me, stay a while, then leave. There are times I wish they would actually leave sooner than they do, but still—they do eventually leave. My relationship with Jane consists of her doing anything I s
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I resolve to diet.
I resolve to exercise. I resolve to improve my relationship with a certain Blue. I resolve to (once again) work on my limitations. Does this sound familiar? As you read this, I have (most likely) failed at every one of my resolutions. Yet, every year I, along with millions of people worldwide, insist that this year will be different. One area I think we would all like to improve upon is our relationship with others. I admit that there are areas I can work on. Over ten years ago, I was given a book entitled Life’s Little Treasure Book on Wisdom. It is full of sa Read MoreOver the river and through the woods seems mild compared to getting to Grandma’s house these days. All you want is to get your 2.5 children (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr051.pdf) and their families together to enjoy a nice quiet holiday meal without the frenzied rush to get everyone to the next place. Sadly, family breakup is something most of us have experienced. Since the national average for divorce is near 50% for first marriages, your family probably resembles the Brady Bunch, with the yours, mine and ours thing going on—the blended family. These stepfamilies usually have many hurdles to overcome. This time of year can b
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SCENARIO: While the economy seems to be improving, and unemployment numbers are stabilizing, we are still seeing employers that are faced with a reduction in force. As difficult as it is for managers to give this terrible news, it is even more difficult to be on the receiving end. So what can you do as a manager? How can you make the news a little more bearable? Each color will prefer to have this conversation differently. LIKELY REACTION: REDS: In having this difficult conversation with a Red, don’t bother beating around the bush. Reds respond best to direct communication. Don’t ramble on with excuses, personal feelings
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The Color Code is everywhere, even 30,000 feet in the air. I recently flew across the country with my 15-month-old baby. My husband had a conference to attend in Florida. And, Yellow that he is, he insisted that our baby and I tag along to make a vacation out of it. A five-hour flight with a one-year-old? Sure, what could wrong? The flight there was heavenly. Our baby, Maggie, was a dream. She ate her snacks, she played with toys, she waved sweetly to the people seated around us. What was I so worried about? Traveling with a baby is a piece of cake. I’d seen those frazzled, sweaty parents running through the airport. I’d watched as they
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Taking Ownership For Your Relationships
Taylor Hartman, Ph.D.
When was the last time you accepted full responsibility for a problem in your life? When was the last time you heard anyone say, “That’s completely my fault. I am 100% Responsible for what happened and will do whatever is necessary to make it right!” We have created a society of victims with a cultural backdrop that actually promotes ”blame, denial and rationalization” rather than responsibility and ownership. Today, if you smoke three packs of cigarettes a day for forty years and die of lung Read More
