Colour me green

Last week our entire program had the opportunity to sit in on a workshop run by iLearn2, called Communicate Naturally.™  Everyone had to fill out an assessment form before the workshop, placing us in a colour scheme consisting of:

  • Gold Mine
  • Green Planet
  • Orange Sky
  • Blue Ocean

The assessment asked you questions and then placed you in a hierarchy based on these schemes – very introspective.  I ended up being green above all else, with key words like theoretical, knowledgeable, curious, rational describing me.  The assessment said I saw the big picture, and didn’t get caught up in the details.  I ask questions, and want to learn and keep learning.

Check, check, check. All of this was adding up, I didn’t pay any attention to the other colours, I was only focused on being a green and only a green.  Cue chief learning officer, Doug Bolger.  

As the facilitator, Doug came in and was responsible for explaining just exactly what the colours meant, and how important they were not only as team members but as communicators.  Gold mines have strong follow through, Orange skies are skillful, Green planets focus on growth, and Blue oceans make connections.

Doug laid out not only how each colour works, but also its strengths and weaknesses.  As I was listening to him describe how green planets fall short – I wondered about myself in a group dynamic.  Maybe sometimes (ok all the time) I naturally sit with my arms crossed with a disapproving face, and get visibly frustrated when someone doesn’t understand my point.  Usually I don’t mean to look like this (often saying – hey that’s just my face), but it’s important to realize these things when working with different people.  I can fare on the negative side, and I realized as Doug was talking, this usually stems from wanting to develop and strive for that sometimes unattainable perfection.

On the plus side, I’m constantly striving to be better, and want to keep learning and and practice new ideas.  The workshop showed the importance of having a group of many colours.  I looked around and the room and noticed that a recent successful group project I was in for a class had people with every colour orientation.  It also became clear how too many of the same colours in one group can clash or be unproductive.

I love my fellow oranges.  Having them all in one group on one side of the room is great but can be distracting.  The same goes for the greens who were pointing out the mistakes we were making during an activity like it was the activity itself.  The activity had us make lists of things we like and didn’t like.  Simple enough, but the golds had the most organized lists I had ever seen.  Not to be critical (although hey- I am a green after all), but it did help to show how important different colour dynamics really are, in terms of leadership and allowing everyone to contribute equally.

The importance of the colour dynamics not only apply to a great group formation, but also individually.  It’s important to recognize each colour with how you identify yourself.  Even though I’m a strong green followed by orange and blue with a pale shade of gold, I recognize how I draw on these at different times – and this is important.

Something that Doug said during the workshop really stayed with me.  He stressed how gold mines are essential in the real world as professionals.  If this was your palest shade he said to pay attention – gold mines are crucial.  This applies to me.  For a recent assignment  in project management we had to do a mock production schedule and project scope for a potential client.  I now see how important gold mines are for the success of projects that require the utmost follow through and attention to detail.  These skills will carry on as we develop as communicators, and the importance to develop these skills, but also be able to carry them out in an effective way is critical.

The biggest takeaway I had from Communicate Naturally™ was how enthusiastic everyone in the program was about the workshop.  Doug’s interactive style reflected in the involvement of the group, and I realized that even though I want work towards the end goal and finish a project, managing the difference in communication styles and drawing on each others strengths is just as important.  Collaboration is key, and Doug helped us easily understand just how important this is.  The involvement of the entire group in achieving a goal held more impact compared to relying on just one person.

I will definitely use these practices in the CC&PR program, and since this has been a review, the workshop currently has a “fresh” rating (a la rotten tomatoes).

Category : CC&PR
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