Color Me Red

At the beginning of the year, we instituted a monthly leadership training at work. It focuses on acknowledging the type of communicator you are, understanding how others communicate and need to be communicated with, and knowing how to recognize the communications style of others.

To discover the type of communicator each of us is, we took a rather long on-line assessment. We were then grouped by colors: yellow, green, blue or red. Yellows are engaged, inspiring people. Greens are supportive and empathetic. Blues are detailed and data-driven. And Reds are bossy jerks.

Guess what color I am?

Now as I looked around the room and saw a sea of social worker greens, I grew somewhat self conscious of my Redness. I wasn't alone, there were a couple of other Reds. A couple...out of 40 people.

So what does it mean to be a Red? Well, the analysis of my assessment described my management style as "Disregards certain opinions and ideas which differ from his own."

Hmmmm.

It goes on to suggest the best way to communicate with me includes:

- being ready to ignore my seemingly arrogant demeanor
- agreeing with me whenever possible.

It also suggested that if I were more humble and modest I'd recognize that I do have certain limitations.

Really? Since when?

I suppose it could be worse: One of my friends, and a fellow Red, was told to remember that not everyone thrives on arguing.

Although I joked around with the fantastic moderator about my Redness, and have taken plenty of good-natured kidding from my colleagues and friends, I'm actually OK with being Red.

What scares me is that without ever having been assessed, I can already tell you that I'm not the only Red at our house!