1. characteristics of Blue comm. Friendly Helpful Expresses emotions Optimistic Foster harmony Takes time to relate Empathetic Creative Indirect Reads between the lines Personal Polite & compassionate

2. how Blue listens “More than words” What’s the meaning behind the message? What do I see, hear, feel, about what’s being communicated? –What value is the speaker trying to relate to me? Does it match mine? Message is secondary

3. how to communicate w/ Blue Acknowledge them Let them know you care Pay attention to congruency (body language) Include them Patience Listen for feeling Let them share what they know Hear them out Show appreciation Use gestures of friendship Tactful feedback Recognize contributions

4. characteristics of Gold comm. In writing Purposeful Appropriate Task focused Loyal Predictable Chronological Detail oriented Status quo Judgments Closure Accountable

5. how Gold listens “Devil’s in the detail” Chronological details Not “filling in the blanks” Listen for responsibility Information gathering Right & wrong/Appropriateness –Speaker intentions –Speaker status within given context

6. how to communicate w/ Gold Be specific Outline procedures Plan ahead Stay on target Save surprises & novelty Don’t interrupt Apologize when appropriate Appeal to strong sense of right & wrong Acknowledge hard work Maintain composure Be consistent Recognize contributions

7. characteristics Orange comm. Confident Loud Casual Desire to speak in the moment “Now” oriented Quick Brief Straightforward In motion Flexible Varied Involved

8. how Orange listens “Make it work” Looking for entertainment, impact, relevance, usefulness Lose interest easily if lengthy Make interesting connections Try to determine motives Concerned with how to use information now

9. how to communicate w/ Orange Be prepared to listen for straight content Lighten up Use sound bites Match their speed Move with them Appreciate their flair Give them an audience Offer options Make it a challenge Recognize their contributions

10. characteristics of Green comm. Purposeful Private Logical Think before they speak Irritated with “stupid questions” Abhor redundancy Theoretical Like the big picture Love to share ideas Ask a lot of questions Use big words Communicate with conviction Wry sense of humor

11. how Green listens “Problem solved, what next?” Looking for information (data gathering) & purpose of communication Assume you want a problem solved or are providing necessary communication Redundancy, extreme emotion, things they aren’t interested = tune out Problem solving

12. how to communicate w/ Green Give time to think Don’t misinterpret need for info Give big picture Stick to logic Watch your vocabulary Notice their humor Debate for fun Speak with purpose Understand & heed Recognize their contributions

13. Ways you can improve your communication with others…

14. Blue, maybe try… Practicing objectivity Saying “No” Learning to hear “No” Speaking up Recognizing the difference between politeness & interest Finding others who communicate like you do

15. Gold, maybe try… Giving in a little Having more patience Considering other options Practicing peripheral listening Accepting others Stepping back

16. Orange, maybe try… Being aware of how others may see you Waiting for a response before proceeding Identifying others requirements Noticing when you’re exaggerating Focusing when listening to others

17. Orange, try… Pausing before commenting Recognizing others Using softeners when making requests or giving direction Making a decision & sticking to it Finding other oranges

18. Green, maybe try… Being more aware of what people are asking of you (details or no details)? Tempering your “why” Making room for others emotions Paying attention to other people’s needs Listening without fixing Acknowledging others’ intent Not debating Making time for your relationships Letting others know what’s going on with you

19. How is this color displayed in your work life? How is the color displayed in your personal life?

20. What do you like about your color? What do you dislike about it? How do others misunderstand you? What’s that like for you? What do others need to know about working with you?

21. “The thing you need to know about our color is…” “We know you don’t understand it, but here’s why we…” “You need us in your group because we…”

22. What do you value in your communication with others? What’s important to you when people are communicating with you? How do you approach communicating with others? What do you need to remember to be careful about when communicating with others? How do you listen?

23. What would this group value in their communication with others? What would you assume this group sees as the purpose of communication? What would be a “turn off” to this person when you are communicating with them? What is the correlation between communication and the relationship of the communicators? When this group is listening to you, what do you think they are listening for?