The SmartSkills personality inventory system was created by Bob Weile and Jerry Rhodes in 1991. The test utilizes similar categories to Insights Discovery with the use of colors to label various personality types. The test covers common thinking strategies and behaviors that people use in their personal and professional lives.

Bob Weile founded OneSmartWorld, the company that produced the SmartSkills learning and teaching modules used in office and career settings around the country. The modules were produced to allow leaders of businesses and teams the ability to grow their own emotional and social intelligence.

Utilizing SmartSkills

SmartSkills was created to show people what their own emotional and psychological strengths were and how they could implement that knowledge in a business setting. Understanding one’s personal strengths can help a leader manage their employees and organize teams based on their individual personality strengths.

The SmartSkills categories use colors, much like Insights Discovery does. Hard Blue refers to people who are highly logical, fact-based decision making, straightforward thinkers, and work well under precise project descriptions. Hard Blue refers to the Reformer personality type in Insights Discovery. The next category is Hard Green, which covers people who are resourceful, ingenious, creative, and quick-thinking. This category covers the Director and Motivator personalities in Insights Discovery.

SmartSkills also has a category called Soft Green, which is defined as imaginative creative. These individuals are future-oriented, creative, and are highly visionary and are related to the Motivator and Inspirer personality types in Insights Discovery.

Soft Blue is the opposite of Hard Blue and encompasses people who are committed, make their decisions based on personal values, and interpret their situation based on their internal mindsets. This category equates to the Helper for Insights Discovery. The final two categories in SmartSkills are Hard and Soft Red. Hard Red is analytical, organized, and highly detailed, while Soft Red is sensitive, a listener, and is in tune with the needs of others. Soft Red matches with the Insight Discovery categories of Supporter and Coordinator while Hard Red equates to Observer and Coordinator.

Comparing Insights Discovery

Insights Discovery takes a slightly different track from the SmartSkills system. Insights Discovery named their four color categories (as opposed to six) with short words that described what that color meant for that personality type. The two systems aren’t all that different, but utilize slightly different methods to get their points across.

Jung opened up an entirely new world with his discoveries, and discoveries into the psychology of personality and the self are still being made today. Insights Discovery is based squarely on Jung’s theories, and as such is an invaluable tool in helping people understand themselves and others.  If you would like further help in identifying yourself or others as part of the four color personalities, schedule me, Scott Schwefel, as your keynote speaker. I will come to your group and address the differences in personalities in a truthful, fun, and easy-to-understand way. Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to share my blogs with the color energies you work with!