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True Colors®
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Being a True Colors Level 1 Facilitator I appreciate work on True Colors Temperament that makes things simple. Jack Falt has put together his views on True Colors and he has given his permission to share his knowledge. Jack is a trained facilitator in the use of True Colors®, MBTI® and Self-Discovery Process®. He leads an ongoing Appreciating Differences group in the Ottawa area. Jack's
Web Site..............TRUE COLORS.org
(If you want more information on True Colors visit these sites later. I do recommend enrolling in a workshop to really experience True Colors) JACK'S OUTLOOK ON TRUE COLORS
History of True Colors About a couple of thousand years ago Hippocrates saw that people behaved in roughly four basic patterns that are known as temperaments. In more modern times David Keirsey (Please Understand Me II) began investigating temperaments again. One of his students, Don Lowry, developed a program called True Colors® to help people determine their own temperaments. He used four colours to represent these four temperaments: Orange-Adventurous
(SP)
Gold-Responsible (SJ) Blue-Harmonious (NF) Green-Curious (NT) The letters represent the preferences based on the work of Jung and Myers: S-Sensing
N–iNtuiting T-Thinking F-Feeling J-Judging P-Perceiving When reading descriptions of the colours (temperaments), it important to realize that these are very general descriptions. Not everyone will fit the descriptions all the time. In fact we have elements of all four colours within us that we all use that make up our color spectrum. However, one colour tends to be dominant just as we tend to have one hand that is dominant. It doesn't mean that is the only hand we use. It just means that all things being equal our dominant hand is likely the one we will use first. So it is with colours. Our dominant colour is the one we mainly use, but there are times when we use the other three. In a given day we are likely to be able to identify times when we have used all four colours. In fact part of our uniqueness comes from
how the four colours combine in our personalities. When
determining your True Colors you are asked to rank pictures,
descriptions and word clusters. This gives you a score to determine
your dominant True Color (Actual True Colors Workshop).
Another way to determine your True Colors is to go through these colour descriptions and noting down somewhere the statements that describe your behaviour generally. Then compare the
four descriptions and see
which one most closely matches your personality. You will also find that at certain times in
your life
you seem to be in a specific colour phase. You may find you want to
just
take off and let go of your responsibilities and be Orange for a while.
At
other times you may want to settle down and take care of business and
be
in your Gold phase. Sometimes your curiosity gets the better of you and
you
go into a Green phase. You can spend enormous amounts of time
researching a topic and finding out all you can about it. Then there
will be times when the potential of people seems so important. You want
them to get along. You want to help them be all that they can be and
this triggers you into your Blue phase.
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| We are much too complex to fit neatly
into four pigeon holes. But having some general concepts help us
understand ourselves and others better. It is useful to know what your
dominant colour is. You can better understand your strengths and
biases. For example, knowing that you like everything to be very
orderly, can help you be a little more tolerant of those who are messy.
You may realize that their colour is not too concerned about always
having things arranged neatly all the time. Now you have a choice.
Instead of seeing them as having a
major character flaw that needs some serious modification, you can
either
be more charitable towards them and accept them as they are, or you can
remind them that you would prefer it if they picked up after
themselves.
Sometimes they may be quite happy to do just that if it makes you
happy. The important
thing is to appreciate the differences in each other.
TRUE COLORS
Of the four temperaments, the Orange-Adventurous
temperament is probably the most noticeable. These include our actors,
sports players, singers, crafts people, as well as the trades people,
builders, repair workers, and sales people. Their world is tools.
The tool they use might even be their body in the case of a boxer or a
singer. They have an instinctive knowledge of how to use a tool to its
best advantage. They use tools in very practical ways. If a
tool
will get the job done, they’ll use it. ORANGE GOLD BLUE GREEN (The color you identify the most with is your dominant color. Take your time and be honest with yourself in picking a dominant color). Back to NHL Temperament Page Orange-Adventurous Another characteristic of this temperament is how the Oranges use words. Their words are very concrete and factual. They tend to talk about cars, clothing, how fast something will go, or how two colours match. If you’ve been to a party where one group talks about skidoos and hockey, and another group talks about babies, cooking and fashion, you are likely in Orange conversations. Its not that Orange's aren't interested in world peace. It is just that it is not the first topic that comes to mind when they gather together. The fox is the animal that might represent the Orange temperament. A fox does not plan its day. It just goes out each morning knowing that it has to survive. It is constantly scanning the countryside to see if any opportunities present themselves. Oranges function in a similar way. They don't like to plan. They want to see what turns up, and they have the confidence to know they can deal with any situation. It is thought that over 90% of school dropouts are Oranges, and only 2% of the teachers are Orange. Oranges have the same range of intelligence as any other temperament. They just find formal learning rather tedious and don't like to be bothered reading the books to master an academic subject. When they do go on to higher education, they tend to go into areas such as engineering or the fine arts. When Oranges are in a restrictive environment, they get bored, restless and stressed. This is very evident in school. When Orange children have to sit for long periods of time listening to the teacher or having to do repetitive work, they turn to mischief to liven things up. Many get misdiagnosed as being hyperactive. Lots of variety and hands-on activities can often calm these students down and are much more effective ways for them to learn. At home parents are advised to get them in lots of activities such as sports or dance classes. Adult Oranges need lots of variety as well. They tend to avoid committee work but will take on a short term project such as fund raising. When the job is over they move on to something else. When they do get on a committee that is running very smoothly, they have even been known to create a few problems just to liven things up. Another core need of Oranges is to have impact on people. They want recognition for how well they perform. This could be how well they hit a ball, repair a toilet, act in a play, or write a song. They do things because it is fun to do. An Orange will practice hitting baseball flies for hours. He does not think of it as drill. Its just fun to do. Another temperament might also want to be a great ball player, but will do the practice because he knows it has to be done. When an Orange is too confined, she follows the motto: Donut get mad. Get even. This is particularly noticeable in the teen years. Most teens rebel to a certain extent, but Orange teenagers can become quite vindictive when thwarted from their freedom. They still need firm guidelines, but confrontation is not always the best way to handle them. As lovers and spouses Oranges prefer a freewheeling lifestyle. There is often a mutual attraction between the Orange-Adventurous and the Gold-Responsible temperaments. Oranges want the traditional, organizational part that Golds bring to the relationship. However, as frequently happens with all of the temperaments, they try to change their spouses to be like them. If they do succeed, they may find that their spouses no longer interest them. The answer is to love what you have and appreciate the differences. Oranges have so many gifts we all can enjoy. The Gold-Responsible individuals have the temperament with the highest percentage in the total population—nearly half. They are the ones who act as the steadying element in our society. Today, our society is in an ever accelerating state of change. Without the Gold’s stabilizing effect, can you imagine the chaos our lives would be in? Gold’s tend to use more concrete words rather than abstract ones. At social gatherings they tend to talk about their everyday lives, the happenings at work and about their families rather than new and different ideas. Golds tend to find satisfaction in doing work that involve details. They do well in accounting. They are good at assembly work where quality control is important. Much of the detail work of an architect would be Gold in nature. They have the full range of intelligence from the genius level to barely functioning. They fill jobs from the most basic to the highest level of intellectual capacity. They just feel more comfortable with what they can see and touch. The animal that represents them is the beaver that industriously keeps working the whole day long. “Be prepared” is their motto. When thinking of the future, it is so that they can be prepared for any contingency.  The main thing that separates the different temperaments is their behaviour which is in turn influenced by their core needs. One core need of Golds is to belong. They need to know where they stand in the hierarchy of a group. Even being at the bottom of the ladder is better than being an outsider. They form the backbone of institutions. They fill the places of worship, the service clubs and businesses. Having a special title is important and they respect the office even though they may not particularly admire the person holding the position. That is why family is so important to them. They know they belong to that clan or tribe. As learners Golds are more interested in the facts rather than ideas. They want the details. They prefer that the teacher just tell them what they need to know. Having to do research and find out on their own can leave Golds feeling that they might miss out on something that the teacher expects them to know. They like learning in groups but expect the group to conform to complete the task. The majority of elementary teachers are Golds and they get along well with their Gold charges that follow the rules. During their teen years Golds take on increasing responsibility. They will want to get jobs to save for their future such as further education. They will have their rebellious times but these don't tend to last as long as they might for other temperaments. They need to feel grown up and they want to take their place in society. As adults Golds like the predictability of life patterns. You grow up, get a job, find a mate, raise a family and if all goes well, you’ll live a long and prosperous life with a loving family at your bedside when you pass on. Another aphorism they live by is: “Hope for the best but expect the worst.” Golds expect to be held accountable. They cheerfully shoulder the load that they know needs to be done. They just know someone is going to come along and ask them if they have done some specific thing. They want to be able to say that it is done. They are not going to be found wanting. They take on serious responsibilities even though they may grumble about being put upon by others; but when it is suggested that they should let others do it, they will say it’s all right, they'll do it. They want to see that it gets done when it should. This temperament is concerned about the welfare of people and will look after the physical needs of one another. It’s not that the other temperaments don't also share. It is more that they don't always see the physical needs of others. Some cultures have elevated this to a sacred duty. Not to provide shelter to even your enemy is considered a grievous fault. As lovers and spouses they value family life and take pride in caring for their families both by earning money to maintain the home and by looking after the needs of family members. Often they are attracted to Orange-Adventurous lovers who provide a vicarious excitement in their lives. The Orange lover benefits by having a stabilizing partner. Unfortunately, Golds like to make their lovers over in their own image. The partner will only tolerate this to a certain level and then quarrel or leave. We would all be better off if we could learn to appreciate the differences of others and accept them as they are. This allows them to become all that they can be rather than wasting their energies trying to live up to someone else’s standards. The people having a Blue - Harmonious temperament tend to be future oriented. They are interested in new ideas particularly ones that relate to people. They are eternally optimistic that the world is going to get better and that everyone will live in peace and harmony. While they are concerned about every day things like seeing that everyone is fed, they are more concerned about seeing that everyone has the opportunity to develop their full potential. For them rules are only guidelines. If there are special circumstances then rules are made to be broken. Often their speech is peppered with abstract concepts such as truth, love and peace. They can rhapsodize over a good theory. They are less concerned about the details of day-to-day living. The details have to be taken care of, but seeing the big picture is much more fascinating. The animal that is associated with Blues is the dolphin. Dolphins are a very gregarious mammal. They have a complex means of communications. They are playful and fun loving animals. There have been numerous stories of dolphins rescuing humans in distress. Some people have found it very exciting to swim with the dolphins and hitch a ride on their dorsal fins.  Blues long to be authentic. They don't like to pretend they are something they are not. They are not very interested in social position and just want to be accepted for who they are. Having to pretend they are something they are not is very stressful to them. Wearing a uniform or following a dress code is not comfortable for them, although they will do so to please others who are important to them. They don't see the need to dress in certain ways just to impress others, such as a teacher wearing a suit and tie to set them apart from their students. As learners Blues are most interested in subjects that promote personal growth—theirs and others. They like helping others to learn. They enjoy small group discussions. In their writings they tend to focus on the big picture and like to use metaphors to get across their points of view. In school Blues, above all, like to please and they want to know that the teachers care about them. They may take subjects that are of no particular interest to them, but they perceive the subject to be important to a parent or a mentor. Some Blues have even followed careers that were of little interest to them personally just to please a parent. During their teen years Blues are often drawn to creative activities such as drama, the arts and writing for the newspaper. They can be unconventional in their behaviour and their dress. They may have a deep need for privacy, using their time to sort out the meaning of life. As adults Blues are warm and caring for those around them with the emphasis more on the development of others rather than their physical needs. Their intuitive sense is very strong. They have knack of knowing what motivates another person. Blues can excel at diplomacy and use this intuition to their advantage. Another core need is to be empathic to those around them. Often Blues end up in work that involves counselling, teaching and psychology. Even if they are working as an accountant, Blues bring that element of human compassion that belies the more usual bottom line approach to the job. Above all, life must have meaning for Blues. What is the meaning of life and what is their part in the grand scheme of things is a lifelong quest for Blues. They strive all their lives to “become.” They can become workshop groupies, believing they have found the Holy Grail, that is until the next new exciting idea comes along. As lovers and spouses Blues are very caring and considerate. They are usually more aware of their partners’ needs and will do everything they can to satisfy those needs. They are more likely to suffer in silence if they cannot get their partners to understand what the problem is between them. Above all they want a harmonious relationship. They will put up with a great deal before admitting a relationship has come to an end. Blues are often attracted to Greens. They are attracted to the Greens rational approach to life. They learn to appreciate the differences and accept them as they are. Greens - Curious temperament are constantly trying to figure out the world and why it is the way it is. Knowledge means power to them. If they know how something works they can control it. They are constantly striving to better themselves, so their main competitor is themselves. They may be satisfied with what they have done today, but tomorrow they will have to do even better. They want logical answers to everything. They do not access their feelings easily. They much prefer to deal with the world in a logical rather than a values based way. They tend to use more abstract words that deal with theory, concepts, and ideas. They are more interested in the big picture than in the everyday details. The details can be filled in later although they are very good at taking care of all the details so as to produce the perfect outcome. The animal that represents Greens is the owl. The owl sits high up in a tree so it can observe what is going on below it. It can sit quietly and then swoop down at the right moment. Because the owl is quiet for the most part it has the reputation for being wise. Wisdom comes from knowledge and experience. Greens are continually acquiring knowledge and using it to produce better results each time.  Greens love to master anything that comes their way. Then they may lose interest in it and move on to another challenge. They may take on a sport until they have mastered it and reached their physical limit in that sport. They tend to play giving their total effort and haven’t much patience with those who don't give it their best. They need to feel competent. However, their definition of competence far exceeds that of any other temperament. What was competence for them today becomes mediocrity tomorrow. In school they look up to the competent teacher. They quickly write off teachers who don't know what they were talking about. They often grasp a concept quickly and soon get bored with the teacher going at a slower pace for the less gifted. Of course Greens have the full range of intelligence as do the other colours. The intellectually challenged Green can become very frustrated at not being able to understand a concept. During their teen years Greens are often involved in intellectual activities such as computer or debating clubs, or school newspaper production. Socially, their friends may be a bit on the eccentric side. Greens are the colour with the fewest numbers in the population, with males being more numerous than females. It can sometimes be a bit of a difficult time for girls because of the stereotype that females should be more feeling and emotional. It is helpful for a Green girl to have a Green woman to be a model for her. Greens need to be achieving. Even a vacation is a time to accomplish something. They have to read X number of books. They want to able to cross the country in a specified amount of time. Even relaxing for Greens has to be done in an efficient manner. They can be very resolved. When something attracts their interest, they tend to follow it up to its full conclusion. They may multi-task with each task being worked on if only at the intellectual level. They are not ones to start things and then just abandon them without giving maximum effort. Although they may skim over a number of topics to see what interests them. Adult Greens live more intellectual lives. If their work falls into the intellectual category, it can be the main focus of their lives. If their work is more mundane, they will often have outside intellectual pursuits to satisfy these needs. Justice issues are often a concern for Greens. They can become very passionate when they see others being treated unfairly. Other colours respond to the situation itself: poverty, lack of water, etc. Greens are more into comparing how one group has all the resources while others have little or nothing, and try to bring about changes to the system. As lovers and spouses Greens can be quite critical. They don't see themselves that way. They see it as being helpful. Most partners don't really appreciate the error of their ways being pointed out to them, even if their partner is right. Greens don't need the same amount of emotional connectness that other colours do and so may appear to be cold or aloof. However, once the Green realizes what their partners need, they can use their skills to be very attentive lovers. It is just that it tends to be a more intellectual procedure rather than a spontaneous emotional heartfelt gesture. It doesn’t mean that Greens are any less capable of love. It is just that they express it in their own way. They have to learn to appreciate the differences in other temperaments. Rationals are often attracted to Idealists because of their more nurturing nature. For more information on True Colors visit : http://www.svrc.on.ca/svrc_true_color_more.asp Your dominant color is the one,
which most closely matches your personality. That is your True Color! Back |
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True Colors®
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