Scott Schwefel

Self-aware Leadership: How to Develop Emotional Intelligence and Drive Business Success

/in /by

self-aware leadership

Mastering Self-aware Leadership: A Path to Personal and Organizational Success

Self-awareness is one of the most vital skills for leaders, yet it is often overlooked in favor of traits like charisma, vision, and discipline. However, as research shows, self-aware leadership can have a profound impact on both personal effectiveness and organizational success. Self-awareness helps leaders manage their strengths and weaknesses, make better decisions, and foster more meaningful relationships with their teams. In this article, we’ll explore the importance of self-aware leadership and provide actionable tips for developing this critical trait.

What is Self-aware Leadership?

Self-awareness in leadership consists of two key components:

  • Internal self-awareness: This refers to how well you understand your values, passions, strengths, and weaknesses.
  • External self-awareness: This is about how accurately you understand how others perceive you.

Leaders who possess both internal and external self-awareness can better align their behaviors and decision-making with the needs of their organization and team. Learn more about personality assessment tools that can aid in self-discovery.

Why is Self-awareness Crucial for Leaders?

Research has consistently shown that self-aware leaders are more successful. A study by the Korn Ferry Institute found that companies with highly self-aware employees had better financial performance than those with lower self-awareness levels. This is because self-awareness helps leaders understand their limitations and blind spots, allowing them to make more informed decisions (Korn Ferry Study: Self-awareness Impact).

In addition to better decision-making, self-aware leaders are more empathetic and emotionally intelligent. They can recognize and manage their emotions, which improves their ability to connect with others and lead more effectively. Emotional intelligence, closely tied to self-awareness, is a key predictor of leadership success (Harvard Business Review on Emotional Intelligence).

Common Blind Spots in Leadership

Many leaders believe they are self-aware, but research shows that most people have blind spots—areas where their perception of their abilities differs from reality. A study by the Korn Ferry Institute revealed that 79% of leaders had at least one significant blind spot. For example, a leader might think they are an excellent communicator, but their team might find them dismissive or difficult to approach (Discover Yourself: Self-aware Leadership).

The Impact of Self-awareness on Business Success

Beyond individual leadership performance, self-awareness has been linked to better business outcomes. Companies that score highly on employee self-awareness tend to have higher stock returns and better overall financial performance. This makes self-aware leadership not just a “nice-to-have” quality but a business imperative (Korn Ferry Study on Self-awareness and Business Results).

Developing Self-aware Leadership: Practical Strategies

  1. Solicit Regular Feedback: One of the best ways to improve self-awareness is by asking for feedback. Leaders should seek feedback from peers, subordinates, and mentors to understand how their behavior impacts others. Honest feedback helps identify blind spots and areas for improvement. Incorporating feedback loops into your leadership development is essential to becoming more self-aware (MindTools: Feedback in Leadership).
  2. Embrace Leadership Coaching: Leadership coaching is a powerful tool for developing self-awareness. Coaches can help leaders uncover hidden behaviors, beliefs, and motivations that affect their leadership style. Regular coaching sessions enable leaders to reflect on their actions and consider how they align with their values and goals (Wudpecker: Benefits of Leadership Coaching).
  3. Mindfulness and Reflection: Mindfulness practices, such as meditation and journaling, can help leaders develop a deeper sense of internal self-awareness. By taking time each day to reflect on their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, leaders can become more attuned to their internal state. This reflective practice also helps leaders remain calm under pressure and make better decisions (Forbes: Mindfulness for Leadership Development).

Cultivating External Self-awareness

While internal self-awareness is critical, external self-awareness—how others perceive you—is equally important. Leaders who excel in this area are attuned to how their behaviors and decisions affect their team. Here are some strategies to develop external self-awareness:

  1. 360-degree feedback surveys: These anonymous surveys collect feedback from supervisors, peers, and direct reports, providing a holistic view of a leader’s strengths and weaknesses.
  2. Regular check-ins with your team: Creating a culture where feedback is regularly solicited and valued can help leaders stay aligned with their team’s expectations.

Explore more self-awareness resources for leaders.

Self-awareness and Emotional Intelligence: A Leadership Duo

Self-awareness and emotional intelligence (EI) go hand in hand. While self-awareness allows leaders to understand their own emotions, EI enables them to regulate these emotions and empathize with others. Leaders who develop both self-awareness and emotional intelligence are better equipped to handle interpersonal conflicts, provide effective feedback, and inspire their team.

For example, a self-aware leader might notice they tend to become impatient during long meetings. By recognizing this tendency (self-awareness) and regulating their frustration (emotional intelligence), they can remain calm and engaged, creating a more positive environment for their team.

Read more about emotional intelligence in leadership.

The Role of Self-aware Leadership in Team Building

Self-aware leaders are more adept at building strong, cohesive teams. By understanding their own strengths and weaknesses, leaders can delegate tasks more effectively and create a team dynamic where everyone’s strengths are leveraged. Additionally, self-aware leaders are more likely to foster open communication and trust within their teams.

Leaders who practice self-awareness also understand how their behavior impacts team morale and motivation. For instance, a leader who is aware of their tendency to dominate conversations can step back and encourage more team input during meetings, creating a more inclusive and collaborative environment.

Learn more about how self-awareness impacts team performance.

Conclusion: The Journey to Self-aware Leadership

Self-awareness is not a destination but a continuous journey. By cultivating both internal and external self-awareness, leaders can improve their decision-making, strengthen relationships with their team, and drive better business outcomes. Leaders who invest in developing self-awareness are better positioned to inspire trust, foster collaboration, and achieve long-term success.

For more insights and tools to help you develop self-awareness and emotional intelligence, contact us at Discover Yourself.

Scott Schwefel

Leadership communication styles: Adapting to Others

/in /by

Leadership communication styles

 

 

Adapting Leadership Communication Styles to Enhance Team Dynamics

Understanding your own personality type and recognizing the personalities of others is a powerful tool, especially in business settings. While managers hold authority, the most effective leaders know the value of adapting their leadership communication styles to suit their team’s diverse preferences. By doing so, leaders foster a more harmonious and productive environment that thrives on collaboration and mutual understanding. This approach allows for both personal and professional growth within the organization.

Leadership communication is not a one-size-fits-all skill. In fact, understanding how to adapt your communication style depending on the situation and the individuals involved is key to fostering a positive work environment. Effective leadership communication bridges the gap between strategy and execution, ensuring that team members remain aligned with organizational goals.

In this blog, we will explore practical strategies for managers to adjust their communication methods and styles to maximize team performance and drive better results.

Tailoring Communication Methods for Maximum Impact

A significant difference between personality types lies in how they prefer to communicate. Introverts often favor email as it gives them time to process information and respond thoughtfully. In contrast, extroverts may prefer in-person conversations, engaging in real-time collaboration to bounce ideas off colleagues. Meanwhile, multitaskers may opt for phone calls, which allow them to tackle multiple tasks while addressing key issues.

Understanding these preferences is critical for leaders looking to create an efficient communication environment. Managers need to recognize that personal communication preferences are integral to a person’s work style. According to studies on leadership communication styles, individuals who are allowed to communicate in a way that suits them are more likely to be engaged, productive, and contribute meaningfully to their team.

However, business necessities sometimes demand immediate communication, regardless of personal preferences. In such cases, managers should prioritize the task at hand, but when possible, it’s beneficial to allow team members to communicate through their preferred channels. For instance, permitting an employee who excels via email to respond in that format can result in more thoughtful and productive outcomes (Communicating with the Four Color Personalities).

One strategy leaders can use to accommodate different communication styles is to establish flexible communication protocols. These protocols allow employees to engage in their preferred modes of communication while still adhering to organizational standards. Leaders who incorporate adaptability into their leadership communication styles ensure that their team members feel heard and valued, fostering a culture of inclusion and respect.

Adjusting Communication Styles for Clearer Conversations

Just as communication methods vary, so do communication styles. Some employees prefer concise, bullet-pointed instructions focused solely on the essentials. Others thrive on detailed explanations that give them insight into how their role fits into the bigger picture. These differences can lead to misunderstandings if managers fail to adjust their communication style.

By observing and noting the communication preferences of their team members, managers can tailor their messages more effectively. For example, a task-oriented employee may appreciate bullet points, while a relationship-oriented individual may prefer a more extensive discussion. When addressing larger groups, a manager can cater to both styles by presenting key points first, followed by a detailed explanation for those who need it (Adapting and Connecting, Inside and Out). For teams, an Insights Discovery Team Building workshop can further enhance communication and understanding.

Leveraging Emotional Intelligence in Leadership Communication

Emotional intelligence (EI) plays a pivotal role in leadership communication. Leaders with high emotional intelligence are aware of both their own emotions and the emotions of others, enabling them to communicate more effectively. Emotional intelligence allows leaders to perceive and regulate their emotions in ways that promote understanding and collaboration. It also enables leaders to recognize how different communication styles affect their team members emotionally.

Leaders who practice emotional intelligence in their communication are better equipped to handle conflicts, navigate difficult conversations, and inspire trust among their team. Emotional intelligence is closely linked to self-awareness in leadership, which refers to a leader’s ability to recognize their strengths, weaknesses, and emotional triggers. Leaders who are self-aware can adapt their communication style based on the emotional needs of their team.

For instance, when delivering feedback, an emotionally intelligent leader will consider how the recipient might react. A high-EI leader would tailor their message to be constructive, supportive, and empathetic, ensuring that the feedback is well-received and encourages growth (Valiant CEO: Emotional Intelligence in Leadership).

Running Effective Meetings for All Personality Types

Meetings are a necessity in most organizations, but they can often feel draining, especially when personality differences clash. A key challenge that managers face is facilitating meetings that cater to the needs of all participants, ensuring that introverts and extroverts alike are able to contribute effectively.

By setting clear goals—whether brainstorming, troubleshooting, or planning—managers can help keep meetings focused and productive. For instance, a meeting designed for brainstorming will likely encourage extroverts to voice their ideas freely, but introverts may need more time to process and reflect before contributing. In such cases, setting an agenda in advance allows introverts to prepare their thoughts ahead of time, ensuring a more balanced and inclusive conversation.

One strategy for enhancing meetings is using active listening in leadership. Active listening involves fully concentrating on what is being said rather than just passively hearing the speaker. When leaders actively listen to their team, they are better able to facilitate discussions that incorporate diverse viewpoints, making team members feel valued and heard (GrowthTactics: Active Listening in Leadership).

Using a structured approach—such as round-robin sharing followed by open discussion—ensures both introverts and extroverts have opportunities to contribute in ways that suit their strengths. Structuring meetings this way also helps avoid personality conflicts, as everyone has a clear understanding of when and how they can contribute.

Presenting and Teaching with Diverse Learning Styles in Mind

When presenting or leading workshops, it’s essential to remember that both personality and learning styles vary. Some individuals absorb information best through auditory presentations, while others prefer visual aids, group discussions, or hands-on learning. Leaders who are adept at recognizing these differences can make their presentations more engaging and effective.

For example, during a team presentation, a leader might combine auditory elements (speaking), visual elements (slides), and interactive elements (group exercises) to cater to different learning preferences. This not only ensures that the information is accessible to all participants but also keeps the audience engaged.

Moreover, adapting communication in leadership is critical when presenting to diverse teams. By adjusting the depth and complexity of information based on the audience, leaders can ensure that their message is both understood and actionable. Incorporating storytelling, practical examples, and real-life scenarios can also enhance the effectiveness of the presentation (MindTools: Learning Styles).

The Role of Adaptability in Leadership Communication

Adaptability is one of the most important skills a leader can develop. In fact, the ability to switch between leadership communication styles is critical for navigating the complexities of modern workplaces. Leaders must learn to assess the situation and determine which communication style will be most effective, whether it’s directive in a crisis or participative during collaborative projects.

Adapting communication in leadership also means being attuned to the needs of the team. For example, during times of high stress, employees may need more reassurance and guidance, while in more routine situations, they may prefer autonomy and minimal supervision.

Leaders who are adaptable can move fluidly between different communication styles. Whether a leader needs to be authoritative, coaching, or laissez-faire depends on the context and the personalities involved. By practicing empathy and self-awareness, leaders can determine when it’s time to switch styles to achieve the best results (Wudpecker: Leadership Communication Styles).

Building Trust Through Transparent Leadership Communication

Honesty and transparency are essential components of effective leadership communication. Employees are more likely to trust leaders who are open about the company’s goals, challenges, and opportunities. When leaders communicate transparently, they create an environment where employees feel safe to express their thoughts and concerns without fear of retaliation.

Leaders who practice transparency in their communication build stronger, more cohesive teams. Transparency is especially important during times of change or uncertainty, where clear communication can help alleviate fears and confusion among employees.

For example, during a restructuring or organizational change, transparent leaders will keep their teams informed about the reasons for the change, the expected outcomes, and the impact on individual team members. By providing regular updates and being open to feedback, leaders can ensure that their teams remain aligned and engaged throughout the process (Valamis: Leadership Communication Tips).

Encouraging Feedback and Continuous Improvement

One of the most effective ways for leaders to improve their communication is by actively seeking feedback from their team. Encouraging feedback not only helps leaders understand how their communication style is perceived but also opens the door to continuous improvement.

Leaders can foster a culture of open communication by regularly asking their team for input on how they communicate. This feedback can help leaders identify blind spots and areas for growth, enabling them to make necessary adjustments to better meet the needs of their team.

Moreover, feedback allows leaders to demonstrate their commitment to improvement. When employees see that their feedback is valued and acted upon, they are more likely to engage in honest, productive conversations with their leaders.

Conclusion: Lead with Flexibility and Understanding

Adapting leadership communication styles not only improves communication but also enhances team collaboration and overall productivity. Leaders who take the time to learn and apply these techniques will find that their teams are more engaged, motivated, and aligned with company goals. By fostering a culture of transparency, adaptability, and empathy, leaders can build stronger relationships with their teams, resulting in long-term success.

For more insights into personality types and their impact on leadership, feel free to contact us to explore how our programs can benefit your organization.

Scott Schwefel

4 Ways to be a Better Communicator on Zoom

/in /by

4 Ways to be a Better Communicator on Zoom

Not even a global pandemic can stop us from communicating. While video calls aren’t optimal, there are things we can do to reduce “Zoom fatigue” and feel more connected to the people on our call. Learn these 4 ways to be a better communicator on zoom and ensure success.

1. Hide your own video.

 

When we’re effectively communicating with someone in person, there is a level of self-awareness involved in understanding how you’re showing up and how the person would like you to engage with them. This self-awareness is taken to an unhelpful extreme when there’s a video of yourself staring back at you. This would be like staring into a mirror when talking to someone in person. Awkward and distracting, to say the least. 

The good news is that on Zoom, you can hide yourself without turning off your camera. Others can see you, but you won’t be staring at yourself—the closest you’ll get to the experience of talking in person. If you’re in Gallery mode, all you have to do is right-click your video to display the menu and choose “Hide Self View.”

It might be easy to say, “Well I just don’t/won’t look at myself,” but it is nearly impossible to not pay attention to your every blink, wiggle, and stray hair. To really be present, you’re better off hiding your video and giving your full attention to others. 

2. Optimize your onscreen appearance as well as others’.

 

Optimizing your appearance is about more than just looking good, it’s about the ability to read subtle facial cues, which are hugely important to effective communication and essential for being a better communicator on zoom. Human beings are extremely sensitive to one another’s facial expressions, and expressions of emotion are a detailed display of muscle contractions, particularly around the eyes and mouth, often subconsciously perceived, and essential to our understanding of one another.

It’s important to give everyone their best chance at picking up these clues that underpin any dialogue by placing yourself in a well-lit space, placing your laptop or digital device on a firm surface, and allowing your face to take up no more or less of one-third of the screen. These conditions most closely mimic an in-person interaction where you can see clearly the nuanced projection of thought and emotion.  

If you’re having trouble seeing someone’s face, if their camera is shaking and swaying, or if their face is too far or too close to the camera, let them know. Facilitate a conversation that will allow you to communicate more easily and effectively on this two way street. 

3. Make sure you have a strong internet connection.

 

While this tip seems to go without saying, having a poor internet connection on a video call does more than alter the quality of transmission, it alters the emotional value of the interaction. We cannot be our most effective communicator when there’s an underlying feeling of frustration or disconnect. 

Psychologists, neuroscientists, and computer scientists say that distortions and delays in video communication can make you feel anxious and isolated. The brain is in a state of dissonance trying to make sense of the fragmented information it’s receiving. This cerebral confusion translates to emotional discomfort. You may not even be aware that the symptoms of a weaker internet connection are causing stress and fatigue. 

Communicating through a screen is hard enough without the extra burden of audio or video going in and out, lagging, or being distorted in any way. Again, the most effective communication happens when we can clearly see and hear the person with whom we’re engaging so that we can better lean into their style. Tip: If your wi-fi isn’t very strong, try hard-wiring into your modem or router.

4. Lean into the others’ style.

 

This is without a doubt the most important tip for being a better communicator on Zoom or in person.

The best communication happens when we lean into the style of the person to whom we’re talking. The good news about this is we do it naturally. Without realizing it, all of us engage in mimicry when we encounter another person. By mimicking, we are essentially saying “I behave like you do, I fit in here, and we trust each other.” We can mimic someone’s facial expressions on zoom and body language on zoom (even their posture on zoom), but we can also mimic their verbal style of communication. 

For instance, some people may get on a work call and immediately dive into an agenda with ferocity and focus. Others may get on and wish to talk about how everyone is doing first and what they’ve been up to before getting into the work. Some people may get on a Zoom happy hour and speak quickly and excitedly, while others may quietly listen and absorb. 

Pay attention to the tone, pace, and message of the people on your calls, and lean into it. This is where the Insights Discovery model comes into play. To learn about Insights Discovery, click here. For now, here’s a quick cheat sheet:

If they smile a lot… smile more.

If they’re more serious… smile less.

If they speak quickly… speed up. 

If they speak slowly… slow down. 

Don’t treat people the way you want to be treated. Treat them the way they want to be treated. You don’t have to fully mimic their behavior and style, but you must be aware of it and lean into it, even just five percent, to build stronger rapport and communicate more effectively.

The days of zoom are far from over. It’s in our best interest to learn how to better communicate on zoom with others, through a screen. In the end, you may find a lot of what you’ve learned applies to more than just Zoom meetings. 

Do you have any great communication tips to share? Let me know at scott@discoveryourself.com

Scott Schwefel

Discover Yourself Mindfulness

/in /by

Discover Yourself Mindfulness

Those who are interested in the world of psychology will surely have heard the term “mindfulness,” a practice that brings together psychology with elements of meditation. Mindfulness has been used as a therapy for depression, anxiety, PTSD and more, but is also considered beneficial for people dealing with everyday stresses and the pressures of life.

But what exactly is mindfulness, and how can it help in the workplace? This is the subject I’ll be covering today.

What is Mindfulness?

Many people regularly feel rushed and stressed, with too much to do and too little time to do it in. This is especially true of those who are career-minded, and who want to succeed at their jobs. For these people who feel as if they never have a moment to themselves or that they never get a break, mindfulness can help.

The basic principle of mindfulness is to stop for a few moments and take time to be aware of exactly how you are feeling, mentally and physically, and to register experiences as they are in the present moment. Instead of the usual racing thoughts, daydreams about the future, or worrying about past mistakes, mindfulness encourages people to force themselves to be still for a minute; to concentrate on their perception and body, rather than being distracted by thoughts of what is to come.

This might sound easier said than done, but there are practical ways that people can practice mindfulness. One popular exercise is to find a quiet room and take a small snack of some kind, like a biscuit or a raisin. Then you sit quietly and eat the snack slowly, taking time to think about how you can smell the scent of the food, all the different flavors you taste on your tongue, the feeling of your jaw working, an awareness of your swallowing, and so on.

Don’t try to direct your experiences or force them into a certain direction – just allow yourself to observe. By paying great attention to these sensory experiences, you get more in touch with your body and you also calm your mind by occupying it with something present for a few minutes.

Mindfulness and Meditation

Those who have experience with meditation will find many similarities between that practice and mindfulness. Meditation teaches people to focus on the moment as well, to observe their thoughts passing without trying to control or follow them. In this way, meditation and mindfulness are very similar.

However, meditation takes a great deal of practice. Some people are put off by the requirements to sit in a certain way, or by its association with spiritual or religious beliefs. Mindfulness can be an entry route into the same benefits of meditation, but without the spiritual aspects if those do not appeal.

One aspect that both mindfulness and meditation teach the importance of is paying attention to breathing. When people are stressed or anxious, their breathing and heart rate increase, and they feel tense and ready to snap into action at any point. (This is the fight or flight response.) Learning to listen to and feel one’s own breaths can help to slow breathing and heart rate, yielding a sense of relaxation and mastery of oneself.

Mindfulness as Treatment

Mindfulness can be particularly beneficial for those who suffer from mental disorders like anxiety or depression, and for those struggling with issues like workplace stress. Many people with mental health issues suffer not only from the symptoms of these issues, but also from feelings of shame or worthlessness that come from not being able to cope with the symptoms. For example, a person who is stressed at work may have trouble sleeping and find themselves being snappy and on edge. They may even feel that they are weak for not being able to cope when their colleagues seem to manage okay.

Mindfulness teaches us to observe thoughts and feelings neutrally, without judgement over whether those thoughts and feelings are good or bad. A person who is stressed but practicing mindfulness might note that their pulse is high, that their muscles are cramped, and that they are having problems concentrating, without berating themselves for feeling these things.

Simply acknowledging the legitimacy of these experiences without trying to push them aside or feeling guilty for having them can be very helpful in getting symptoms under control.

Everyday Mindfulness

If someone hasn’t tried mindfulness before, it might seem like it would be difficult to start. But in fact, it’s something that can be added into a daily routine without too much trouble. One popular way to learn to start mindfulness and meditation is to use smartphone apps such as Headspace or Calm, which guide users through a brief daily practice. Other people learn meditation as part of a group or in an exercise class like yoga or various martial arts. Finally, more psychologists and therapists are now teaching mindfulness to their clients as part of their service.

Even without these guiding lessons, people can benefit from a few simple tricks when they are feeling overwhelmed or stressed. Finding a quiet space is key, as is giving yourself permission to sit quietly for a few minutes. Concentrating on the body and on current physical feelings can help to stop racing thoughts or unhelpful rumination. And trying to accept your thoughts and feelings as temporary experiences rather than things which are good or bad can help to alleviate feelings of shame when you are struggling. These steps can be performed anywhere, so next time you are feeling overloaded at work, try taking a few minutes to be mindful and see if that makes you more productive and less stressed.

For more information about how psychology can be applied to the workplace, visit www.discoveryourself.com.

Scott Schwefel

How Couples Can Benefit from Understanding Their Color Types

/in /by

CouplesAndColorTypes720 1

In many of my posts, I’ve explored how personality assessments like Insights Discovery benefit businesses. While behaviors may vary between home and work, core personality traits remain consistent. Understanding these traits through tools like Insights Discovery can be just as powerful in personal relationships, especially for couples and color types. By recognizing how each partner’s color type influences their behavior, couples can improve communication, resolve conflicts, and deepen their connection.

Opposites Attract? Personality Types In Relationships

The phrase “opposites attract” often proves true in relationships, where partners with contrasting personalities can bring balance and harmony. One may be sociable and outgoing, while the other is more reserved and thoughtful. These differences can challenge each partner to step outside their comfort zone, leading to personal growth and new shared experiences. When couples understand their color types—whether one partner is a Fiery Red and the other a Cool Blue—they can appreciate how these contrasting qualities make the relationship more dynamic and rewarding.

Much like in the business world, where contrasting personality types can form highly effective teams, these differences in personal relationships can foster deeper connections and stronger communication. A relationship where each partner embraces the other’s unique qualities can thrive, bringing fun, engagement, and long-term satisfaction. By recognizing how personality types influence behavior, couples can navigate their differences and turn them into opportunities for growth and deeper connection.

Relationships Over Time

However, after the honeymoon phase ends, relationships often settle into a routine. At this point, conflicts can arise, and long-term success hinges on the couple’s ability to adjust and understand each other’s needs, goals, and motivations. For a relationship to thrive, partners must take time to understand what drives the other person.

How Personality Differences Cause Conflicts

Differences in personality often lead to disagreements. Imagine a couple with theater tickets for 8 pm. One partner, cautious and detail-oriented (a Cool Blue), wants to leave at 7 pm to avoid being late. The other, more spontaneous and action-oriented (a Fiery Red), sees this as excessive and prefers leaving at 7:30 pm. Without understanding, this could spiral into a major argument.

It could be that the person wanting to leave earlier is a cool blue, who likes planning in advance and is cautious about the risk of being late, which they find stressful and upsetting. And the person wanting to leave later might be a fiery red, who doesn’t like to wait around and wants to optimize their travel time. The blue sees the red as inconsiderate of their feelings and unrealistic about the world, and the red sees the blue as overly cautious and inflexible.

Couples and Color Types: How Understanding Can Help Resolve Quarrels

Understanding why a partner thinks and acts the way they do is crucial. Often, couples try to persuade or control their partner’s behavior instead of focusing on understanding. In our theater example, the Cool Blue partner isn’t trying to annoy their partner; they’re stressed by the idea of being late. Conversely, the Fiery Red partner isn’t inconsiderate—they simply dislike wasting time waiting.

By communicating using “I” statements (e.g., “I feel stressed when we’re late”), both partners can express their feelings and reach a compromise. The couple could leave early and enjoy a drink at a bar nearby, satisfying both the Cool Blue’s need for punctuality and the Fiery Red’s need for activity.

Understanding personality types in relationships allows couples to address the root cause of their disagreements. While not all conflicts will have an easy resolution, the key to a successful relationship lies in communicating feelings openly and being receptive to your partner’s preferences.

To learn more about how personality assessments like Insights Discovery for couples can enhance relationships in both personal and business settings, visit Discover Yourself.

Scott Schwefel

Jung’s Creative Type – Top Two Colors Opposite

/in /by

jungs creative type

 

Introducing Carl Jung’s Creative Type

In the past I’ve discussed how a number of personality assessments are based on the work of psychologist Carl Jung. One of these assessments based on Jung’s work is the Insights Discovery system, which assigns people into four primary color categories that refer to personality styles (cool blue, earth green, sunshine yellow, and fiery red). From these four color categories, eight personality types are defined, based on combinations of these colors (e.g. the Motivator type is a mix of fiery red and sunshine yellow).

However, those who are familiar with Jung will know that he also discussed the importance of dominant and auxiliary traits, meaning that a person may use a blend of several different personality styles or energies. Today I’ll be sharing information on how dominant and auxiliary traits are important for the Insights Discovery system too, by introducing a particular and unusual personality type: the Creative type.

What is a Creative Type?

The basic Insights Discovery system assumes that most people will be best described by either a single color energy, or a combination of two related color energies. For example, a person may be a results-driven, determined leader (a pure fiery red Director type), a highly sociable extrovert (a pure sunshine yellow Inspirer), or an enthusiastic and positive Motivator type (a combination of fiery red and sunshine yellow). However, there are some people who do not fit this pattern of using two closely related styles. Instead, these people have two opposing styles they use most frequently. These people are the Creative type.

A Creative person can channel both fiery red and its opposite, earth green, for example. Or they can be both sunshine yellow and cool blue. These people are capable of displaying both opposing aspects of personality: in the case of fiery red and earth green, a Creative type can be both a decisive leader and a supportive counselor depending on the situation.

This can be confusing for others, as they see the Creative being harmonious and supportive one minute (using their earth green energy) and then flipping to being abrupt and decisive the next (using their fiery red energy). This can make the Creative type hard to identify as they can have many aspects to their personality.

How are Two Opposing Energies Balanced?

According to Jung, we do not have simply one persona. Rather, we have a persona that we use most often and most consciously, and also another persona that we use less often and less consciously. These are sometimes known as dominant and auxiliary traits. The dominant traits are those that we would most often describe ourselves with – they are related to the way that we wish to behave and wish to be seen.

But the auxiliary traits are also an important part of what motivates us, even if we are not fully aware of it. Jung believed that creativity arises primarily from the unconscious mind – that is, from the thought processes that go on in the background of our minds and that we are not aware of. The auxiliary traits are linked to this unconscious mind.

For most of us, our dominant and auxiliary personas are similar, but for Creative types, the dominant and auxiliary traits can be very different. A Creative type can be highly detail oriented but can also look at the big picture, or they can think about what needs to be achieved now as well as what could be achieved in the future.

But simply having the potential to use various aspects of one’s personality is not enough – in order to be successful, a Creative type needs to have excellent mental and emotional agility to move between aspects depending upon the requirements of a situation.

The Advantages and Challenges of Working With a Creative Type

Having a Creative type on a team has both benefits and drawbacks. In terms of advantages, a Creative type can act as a bridge or interpreter between different personality styles, for example by reframing the fiery red’s desire for action into a people-focused approach that will appeal to the earth green. Or they can take the enthusiasm of the sunshine yellow and translate it into logical terms that will be comprehensible to a cool blue. This makes them valuable in promoting team harmony and helping different personality types to understand each other.

When a Creative type has good self-awareness, they are able to adapt to a wide range of circumstances and use the appropriate mode for current requirements. However, if they lack self-awareness, they may switch to an inappropriate mode without being aware of it – for example, when trying to motivate an insecure co-worker they may rely too much on fiery red energy and come across as bossy or uncaring.

This means that Creative types can also be unpredictable and hard for others in the team to understand. Other team members may say that they just don’t “get” the Creative person because their behavior can seem erratic. This is why Creative types need careful management and support to achieve their full potential.

What Everyone Can Learn from a Creative Type

There is a lesson from the Creative type which is important for everyone. Namely, that personality types are not set in stone, and are not prescriptive – instead they describe the many ways in which people can interact. If someone practices and trains an approach or skill then they will improve, even if it is not something that necessarily comes naturally to them. Just because someone is not naturally extroverted, for example, doesn’t mean they can’t become a great salesperson with practice and training.

Also, it is important to be mindful of what thought processes and approaches we use for a given situation. If a manager has a problem with a low performer, then they could try either decisively leading by saying exactly what is expected of them (using a fiery red approach) or supporting and nurturing them (using an earth green approach). Having the self-awareness to decide which aspect of their personality they should use in a given situation is a key skill for better interactions with others.

To learn more about Insights Discovery and how it can help to build strong teams, visit www.discoveryourself.com.

Scott Schwefel

Discover Yourself – Creating Lasting Behavior Change – Forming New Habits

/in /by

LastingBehaviorChange720

We all know that making a lasting change to our behavior is tough. Whether someone is trying to develop new work skills, to live in a healthier way, or to make more time for self-care, creating a change that lasts is a challenge. It’s not enough just to have good intentions: people need to make sure that their new behavior becomes a habit in order to make it stick. Fortunately, research in psychology can provide information on how to make behavioral changes that last.

Public Health Versus Individual Change

Much of the scientific research on behavior change looks at issues of public health, in the context of medical personnel or government workers trying to change the behavior of large groups of people. For example, interventions to discourage people from smoking (such as the indoor smoking bans which were introduced in many countries over the last 15 years), or to encourage them to eat healthily (such as Britain’s “5 a day” fruit and vegetables campaign) try to change the behavior of the public as a whole. Similarly, public health campaigns about washing hands to reduce the spread of disease, or anti-drunk driving initiatives are generally performed on a country-wide level.

But there are lessons from these large-scale campaigns that can be informative about individual behavior change. If individuals want to form new habits, then they can benefit from looking at what works on a group level and finding ways to apply these lessons to their own lives. For example, a key requirement of a behavior change campaign is that it must promote a directly actionable activity. It is no use for someone to decide that they want to eat more healthily if they do not have a plan for what healthy eating should look like. To be successful, this person will need a specific goal or set of goals to work for, such as eating several portions of fruit and vegetables a day, only eating fast food once a week, or switching to low calorie sodas.

Setting Goals

As the example of eating more healthily demonstrates, people need to have not just an intention to change but also a specific and achievable goal to work from. Setting goals is key to motivating people to change, but only if the goal is both challenging and achievable.

If a person tries to start a side business, change their diet, exercise regularly, and spend more time with their children all at once then they will almost certainly fail – this is just too many changes at once to be feasible. And then, when the person inevitably fails at one or more of these goals, they will give up on the whole endeavor and revert back to their previous behavior. Just look at the new year’s resolutions that everyone makes, where they spend a few weeks in January trying to change their entire life, only to give up within a few weeks with none of the changes sticking in the long term.

It is better to start with one change at a time, and to set reasonable goals for that one change. And a good way to set useful goals is to focus on effort rather than achievement. If someone wants to start running and they set a goal of running a mile in under eight minutes by the end of the month, if they are out of shape then they may well fail and become discouraged. But if the goal is going running twice a week, at whatever speed they can manage, then they can focus on acquiring the habit of going running instead of looking at their achieved speed. After a month or two of running regularly, it will become part of their routine and they will likely learn to run faster anyway. This kind of incremental effort-based change is much more likely to stick than trying to achieve many changes at once.

Importance of the Environment

Most people believe that what they think causes their actions. It seems obvious that thoughts cause behaviors, like when someone thinks that they are thirsty so they decide to take a drink of water. But in fact, this view underestimates that importance of unconscious motivations and the environment.

Very often, people follow cues in their environment more than they are aware of. A famous experiment had people sit in front of a bowl of soup and eat as much as they wanted – but sometimes the soup bowl was designed so that it would re-fill itself without the person noticing. When eating from the re-filling bowl, people ate much more soup than they did otherwise. How much they ate wasn’t determined by how hungry they were so much as it was influenced by the amount of soup that was available.

The practical upshot of this research is that if someone wants to make a change to their behavior, then they should make a change to their environment. In the example of how much food to eat, if someone wants to eat less, then they should try using smaller plates to make their portions look bigger. And the same principle works for other behavior changes too: if a person wants to write every day before going to work, then they should have their writing materials visible and easily accessible on top of their desk each morning. If someone wants to spend less time using screens, then they should sit in a different room without a TV or computer in it but with plenty of books and magazines.

Habit Formation

It is also easier to stick to a new habit if it becomes part of a regular schedule. If someone wants to reply to customer emails but feels like they never make the time to do so, then they can set a regular time when they first arrive in the office or right after lunch each day to do so. After a few weeks of doing this task at the same time each day, it will become an automatic habit and the person will no longer have to force themselves to perform it as it is part of their routine.

Behavior change is just one area where psychology research can be helpful in business and in other areas of life. To learn more about how psychology can benefit you, visit www.discoveryourself.com.

Scott Schwefel

Stress and Insights Discovery

/in /by

stress and insights discovery

 

When discussing personality types, it is important to remember that people will express their personality traits in different ways depending upon the environment that they are currently in. For example, Insights Discovery is based around personality assessment for a business environment, so it reflects people’s personality style at work more than when they are at home. A key psychological factor which can have a large influence on personality traits is stress: people will express different aspects of their personalities and will react in a more extreme way when they are stressed. So how does stress and insights discovery color energies interact?

As work can frequently be stressful, it is helpful for managers to have an understanding of how different personality types react to stress, what those stressors are, and how managers can help to alleviate this stress.

 

How stress and Insights Discovery interact?

 

Cool Blues and Stress

Cool blues are cautious and thoughtful, and they like to plan in advance. Therefore, they are stressed by situations where there is a lack of structure for them to work within, or where they are missing important information which they need to do their job. They hate to turn in work that is of low quality, so they do not like to be rushed and will be unhappy if they feel their work is not up to par. They also value efficiency and exactness, so they will feel frustrated by wasting time.

A manager can tell when a cool blue is stressed because they will nitpick over details and question the worth or efficiency of a process. They may become obstinate and dig in their heels if they feel they do not have the information that they need to complete a task.

If they feel they are not getting the support they need, they can stop communicating and start making decisions without approval from higher ups. This stress can be managed by getting feedback from them along the course of a project, making sure they have the information that they need, and working with them to analyze inefficiencies in processes.

Earth Greens and Stress

Earth greens care most of all about fairness and positive interpersonal relationships, so they will feel stressed when they perceive there is unfair or impersonal treatment of themselves or others. They care deeply about their ethical values so asking them to bend the rules is another cause of stress for them. They also value a calm and supportive atmosphere so they may become stressed by loud environments, frequent interruptions, or feeling that they are under excessive time pressure.

When an earth green is feeling stressed they will tend to withdraw into themselves and become overly cautious. They may be personally hurt by the unfair treatment of someone else, even if it does not directly affect them, and this hurt can be expressed in a judgmental way. They may see themselves as the only one who cares about their values.

To manage a stressed earth green, a manager needs to take time to support them in person. There should be plenty of face-to-face contact, and the manger should reiterate that they understand the earth green reacts this way out of a sincere desire for fairness.

Where necessary, a manager should be transparent and acknowledge that decisions are not always perfectly fair. But they should then convey that this needs to be kept in perspective – overall, management cares about being fair and takes steps to implement this value as much as possible.

Sunshine Yellows and Stress

Sunshine yellows are sociable and outgoing, so they become stressed and unhappy when they have no opportunities for personal interactions or for fun. While seeing co-workers joking around might seem like a waste of their time, these moments of joviality are essential for the job satisfaction of a sunshine yellow. They can also feel stressed by rigidity and a lack of flexibility, and they can become hurt by what they perceive as personal rejection from co-workers.

The warning signs of stress from a sunshine yellow are that they become overly emotional, even melodramatic. They may become opinionated and argumentative when they feel that they are being excluded from the group. To mitigate this, a manager should allow as much flexibility as possible so the sunshine yellow can prioritize and organize their own tasks.

If they become overly fixated on a feeling of exclusion, a manger can re-direct their energies onto a new task which can be an effective distraction. Sunshine yellows highly value approval so they should be allowed to save face and maintain their reputation wherever possible.

Fiery Reds and Stress

Fiery reds care about action and decisiveness, so they are stressed by a lack of focus and a lack of control. Waffling, u-turns, and indecision are frustrating to them because they throw themselves fully into a project and they do not like having to readjust their goals. When a fiery red is stressed they will double down on their decisive and confident traits, and they can become aggressive, demanding, and overbearing. They can become snappy or rude to co-workers and they will be visibly impatient when they think a decision is taking too long.

To handle a stressed-out fiery red, a manager can take two different approaches. The first is to allow the fiery red to take control of the project or process, and trust that they will push forward until a decision is made. This is a good approach for an experienced and trusted fiery red.

The alternative approach, if the manager is not confident in the fiery red’s ability to lead yet, is to get them to take time out away from the project. Now might be a good time to send them on a training course or to learn a process from another department. Or they could be directed to a different aspect of the project which requires immediate action, which will give them something to do while further decisions are being made.

To learn more about stress and insights discovery and how personality assessments can benefit managers & employees, visit www.discoveryourself.com.

Scott Schwefel

Interacting With Our Opposite Types

/in /by

interacting with our opposite types

Personality assessments are useful not only for participants to understand themselves better, but also to understand the other people around them. Interacting with people with very different views and priorities can be challenging, but Insights Discovery can suggest ways for interacting with our opposite types in order to work together more smoothly and effectively.

 

Interacting With Our Opposite Types By Color Energy

 

Fiery Red Interacting with Earth Green

Fiery reds are action driven, confident, and focused on their goals. Their opposite type are earth greens, who are calm, supportive, and ethical. A fiery red can see earth greens as docile, inactive, resistant, or stubborn. The methodical, careful progress of the earth green can feel frustrating and plodding to the active fiery red type.

To get the most from interactions with earth greens and to avoid losing their temper, fiery reds should practice patience and try to hold back from jumping in to every task head first. There can be great value in pausing to think an idea through before getting caught up in the action, and earth green can help to provide this balance.

A skill that earth greens can offer to fiery reds is the ability to see other’s points of view and to foster consensus. While a fiery red would likely try to resolve a dispute between members by imposing a rule or view onto the whole team, an earth green will try to find a compromise where everyone is happy and where every member of the team feels respected.

As fiery reds are often natural leaders, they motivate and push their team to achieve more. But they also benefit greatly from having an earth green as a fellow manager who can soothe team members and support them when they are stressed. Fiery reds should learn to see the value in this more caring, empathetic approach and learn when to deploy an earth green to smooth over difficult social situations.

Earth Green Interacting with Fiery Red

The patient and caring earth greens can find the forward and assertive fiery red type to be aggressive, controlling, and overbearing. The tendency of fiery reds to take charge and to push others towards goals can chafe the earth green who wants everyone to feel respected and understood. It will help earth greens to remember that democratic relationships are indeed important, but sometimes it is necessary for someone to lead decisively.

If an earth green feels like they or others are being steamrolled by the fiery red, then they can try raising these concerns outside of a high-pressure group meeting situation. A fiery red will be much more receptive if the earth green can voice their issues in terms of impediments to action as opposed to personal feelings.

An earth green can benefit from the push that a fiery red provides, as this can prevent them from overthinking and compel them to action. Also, there may be situations where it is not possible for everyone to be happy, and a fiery red will push for an acceptable solution where an earth green can be paralyzed by indecision.

Sunshine Yellow Interacting with Cool Blue

Sunshine yellows are sociable, creative, and love to dream about the future. Their opposite type is cool blues, who are methodical, analytical, and precise. Sunshine yellows can perceive cool blues to be cold and reserved, and find it strange that they are more focused on rules or data than on people.

To a highly people-focused sunshine yellow, it may be almost inconceivable that anyone would not think primarily in terms of social interactions. Therefore, when interacting with cool blues, it can help sunshine yellows to remember that focusing on data over interpersonal relations does not mean a lack of care for other people – rather, cool blues want to be fair to all people, and they express that care in a data-driven way.

A cool blue can make a strong partnership with a sunshine yellow. The sunshine yellow person can imagine great concepts for the future and raise enthusiasm for the project among other people, while the cool blue can come up with the realistic ways to achieve those concepts in the real world.

The pragmatism of a cool blue can be an essential reality check on the dreamy nature of a sunshine yellow, as long as the sunshine yellow doesn’t take this pragmatism personally. They should remember that when a cool blue expresses skepticism about an idea, they are not trying to be negative – they are searching for a way that the idea can realistically be achieved.

Cool Blue Interacting with Sunshine Yellow

Conversely, when analytical and logical cool blues have to interact with excitable and dynamic sunshine yellows, they can find them to be hasty and imprudent, or even disorganized and a “head in the clouds” type. It will help cool blues to remember that, unlike themselves who tend to think through an idea carefully before voicing it, other personality types like to think out loud in a discursive manner.

Just because someone says something that is not totally logical or they share an idea which is not fully thought through, it does not mean that the person is silly or vacuous. They should understand that people use discussion as part of their thinking process and try not to judge excited sunshine yellows when they take an idea and run with it.

A sunshine yellow can help a cool blue in tasks like drumming up support for a project. For example, if a cool blue finds a way to make a system more efficient, then they may push for their new system to be adopted and be surprised when they are met with a lukewarm reception.

To the cool blue, if the new system is more logical then obviously everyone should support it. But a sunshine yellow knows that they need to sell people on the new system with enthusiasm and a sense of fun, which can be far more persuasive than logic. A cool blue who comes up with a concept and a sunshine yellow who gets everyone on board with the concept can make a great team.

To learn more about Insights Discovery and how it can help colleagues understand themselves and each other, visit www.discoveryourself.com.

Scott Schwefel

Managing the Color Energies

/in /by

Managing The Color Energies

Understanding the different personality types of a team is important for managers not only so that they can build an effective team, but also so that they can gain insights into how to manage the color energies of the team. Today I’ll be discussing tips and techniques for managing the color energies in the Insights Discovery system.

Managing Cool Blues

People who are cool blue in temperament are thoughtful and like to plan out events and activities in advance. Typically, they will be organized and know their processes very well, following instructions exactly. But one challenge in managing them is they are not the most adaptable of people; they need to be given time to consider and process new information and ideas. If a new concept or model is introduced to a cool blue, they may not be particularly enthusiastic about the change straight away. This does not mean that they are rejecting the change or that they will be unable to cope with it, but they may require a few days to adapt to the new mindset required of them.

One practical tip on managing cool blues is to give them a heads up (wherever possible) of new issues that may arise in the future. A manager who can let their cool blue team members know in advance that changes will be forthcoming – for example, that this year an annual process will be changing, or that brainstorming sessions will be moving from regular small meetings to occasional large meetings – will find that the cool blue person has planned and anticipated the change and is more ready for it. This gives two advantages: firstly, the blue person will be able to contribute useful ideas as they have had time to consider and aren’t being forced to respond off the cuff, and secondly, they will be more positive about adapting to change when they know to expect it.

Managing Earth Greens

Earth green people are driven by their values, which often focus around sharing, harmony, and fairness. This means that in order for a manager to win the loyalty of an earth green person, they must explicitly demonstrate their even-handedness and explain their reasoning. For example, if a manger is planning to end a contract with a vendor and to move to another vendor, it would be wise to let the earth green members of their team know about why they are making this change. Even when it is not strictly required for the green person to know about the reasoning to perform their job, they will be more supportive and enthusiastic if they see that their manager has good reasons for making this choice.

This is because earth green people care deeply about personal relationships with co-workers. If the green person perceives their organization as being capricious or opaque about their motives, they will not trust them and will not perform well. And this interest is not self-centered: a green can perceive a colleague being treated badly by a manager to be as damaging as if it were happening to them. To build the best relationship with an earth green, a manager should be as fair as possible and be transparent about that fairness.

Managing Sunshine Yellows

The highly sociable sunshine yellow type is passionate, enthusiastic, and has a strong vision of the future. If a manager wants to sell their team on a new concept or process, then getting the sunshine yellow members of the team on board is key. These people will then cheerlead for the idea and get everyone else in the team to accept and embrace the new concept too. If a person who can drum up energy and get everyone involved is required, then the sunshine yellow is the type to turn to.

However, sunshine yellow types can be distractible and disorganized. When managing such a person, it is important to clearly lay out the essential requirements of a task and not let the person focus only on the “fun” parts of a job. Also, sunshine yellows can have a tendency to overwhelm other less outgoing team members, especially if there are a high proportion of yellows on a team and their visions are closely aligned. In this case, encourage sunshine yellows to pull back sometimes to allow space for others to express their ideas.

Managing Fiery Reds

Fiery reds are active and hands-on, and they like to find the most efficient way of performing their tasks. This means that they can be very adaptable and amenable to change, as long as their manager can demonstrate to them how the new system will create a better outcome than the old system. Unlike cool blues, fiery reds are not interested in considering every small change in depth – they would rather learn by doing and are focused on the present moment rather than ruminating about the past or future. If a fiery red needs to learn a new skill, it is best to hand them the tools and let them puzzle through the challenge for themselves rather than trying to teach them everything in advance.

One useful but occasionally frustrating aspect of managing a fiery red is their pragmatism. They are not the type to be swept up by great oratory or to embrace an idea because it sounds new and exciting. Instead, they want to see a clear and realistic vision with concrete steps outlined that will achieve that vision. When trying to motivate a fiery red, do not focus on abstract concepts or too much big picture talk – instead, give them grounded, actionable steps which they can follow to achieve the desired goal.

This is just scratching the surface of the ways that psychometric testing can help managers interact with and motivate their team. For more information on how Discover Yourself can greatly increase your management effectiveness, contact us today HERE.

 

Read More Entries From Our Blog Below: