Your Work Style in Color

8/11/2019 Your Work Style in Color

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A Rob ert Half Compa ny

Your Work Style in Color: A Colorful Approach to Working Relationships


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Introduction.......................................................................... 4

Unlocking the Mystery of You.................................................. 5

Understanding Differences..................................................... 10

Bringing Out the Best in Each Other....................................... 12

Putting It All Together............................................................ 15

Table of Contents

T2 1.800.804.8367 officeteam.com | Your Work Style in Color: A Colorful Approach to Working Relationships
http://www.officeteam.com/http://www.officeteam.com/


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1. Take a brief online survey at www.off ice team.com/worksty le to findout which color energy you prefer.

2. Share the online survey link with your colleagues so they can identify theirdominant color energy, too.

3. Read about each of the color energies in this guide to learn how you canimprove your work relationships.

4. Print out Pages 18 -19 and post them in your workspace.

5. Visi t www.officeteam.com/workstyle to read how managers and administrativeprofessionals who have taken the full Insights Discovery Personal Profileevaluator are using the information to work together better.

6. Encourage your organization to learn more about the solutions from Insights by visiting www.ins ights.com or contacting [email protected].

How to Use This Guide

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In a survey of more than 3,200 administrative professionals conducted by OfceTeam, IAAP andInsights, nearly all respondents said they are at least somewhat aware of their work style. Buteven if you believe you know your work style, you might not fully understand all of your personalpreferences and how they come into play in the ofce.

Insights segments professionals into four different work style types. Each category is represented bya color energy Cool Blue, Earth Green, Sunshine Yellow and Fiery Red and is associated witha number of specic characteristics. We all have a mix of traits from these areas, but a dominantcolor energy emerges for each of us. To the right is an explanation of the four color energies.

You can discover which color energy you prefer by taking a brief online survey at www.ofceteam.com/workstyle . Keep in mind that no one has the best approach to work each color energy has its own strengths and challenges. Identifying with one color energy doesntmean you dont possess some qualities of other colors in the spectrum. The survey and resultsare simply tools for better understanding your own work preferences, as well as those of yourcolleagues. The following pages explore the different categories.

Insights Discovery Color EnergiesUnlocking the Mystery of You

C O O

L B L U

E F I E R Y R E D

E A R T

H G R E E N

S U N S H

I N E

Y E L

L O W

CautiousPrecise

DeliberateQuestioning

Formal

CompetitiveDemandingDeterminedStrong-willedPurposeful

SociableDynamicDemonstrativeEnthusiasticPersuasive

CaringEncouraging

SharingPatient

Relaxed



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Professionals who lead with dominant Cool Blue energy tend to be careful andprecise. They like to analyze things, and often probe for more information.These workers are tuned into the details of a situation. They may be therst to spot errors, and managers often turn to them when projects requireperfection. They prefer work that is structured and arent apt to make changesunless they are warranted.

Do Be well prepared and thorough Put things in writing Let them consider all the details

CautiousPrecise


Formal Dont Be overly emotional or casual with important issues Keep changing things without good reason Answer questions vaguely

When working with someone who leads with Cool Blue energy:

COOL BLUE



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When working with someone who leads with Earth Green energy:

These nurturing professionals are willing to guide others and offer support tocoworkers. Specialized tasks are their favorites, and they appreciate clear direction.These personalities are characterized by calmness, condence and depth. Theyprefer scheduled work, and apply themselves with composed determination andperseverance to matters that are important to them.

CaringEncouraging

SharingPatient

Relaxed

Do Be patient and supportive Slow down and work at their pace Ask for their opinions and give them time to answer

Dont Take advantage of their good nature Push them to make quick decisions Spring last-minute surprises on them

EARTH

GREEN



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YELLOWSUNSHINE

When working with someone who leads with Sunshine Yellow energy:


Do Be friendly and sociable Be entertaining and stimulating Be open and exible

Dont Tie them down with routine Ask them to work alone Bore them with details

These workers enjoy working on teams and sharing their thoughts and feelings.Rarely at a loss for words, these professionals are expressive and persuasivecommunicators and often infuse energy and passion into their programs.They enjoy working on diverse projects, but they may have difculty keepingtrack of all of them.



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These professionals tend to be decisive and focused. When seeking solutions to problems, they work logically,pragmatically and quickly. They are action-orientedand may thrive on competition. These workers strive toget things done efciently and may not spend muchtime on small talk or details.


Do Be direct and to the point Focus on results and objectives Be condent and assertive

Dont Be hesitant or wordy Focus on feelings Try to take over

FIERY RED When working with someone who leads with F iery Red energy:

Your Work Style in Color: A Colorful Approach to Working Relationships 9


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There are administrative professionals and supervisors of everystyle. However, more than four in 10 of the support professionalswe surveyed said they have a work style that is different fromtheir boss. And of those who have taken the full Insights DiscoveryPersonal Prole evaluator, 45 percent of administrative professionalslead with dominant Earth Green and 49 percent of managers leadwith dominant Fiery Red.

Earth Green and Fiery Red energies are on opposite sides of theInsights Wheel . Thats not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, oppositetypes often have complementary strengths that can lead to strong

partnerships. But these differences also can cause conict if theparties dont recognize or adapt to each others work preferences.For example, a professional with strong Fiery Red energy may comeacross as intolerant or controlling when stressed. This could causeindividuals leading with Earth Green energy, who value harmony, toreact in a slow or stubborn way.

Understanding DifferencesU

Common Conflicts

We asked administrative professionals to describe an issue theyd had with theirmanager due to differing work styles. Here are some of their responses:

He makes decisions quickly, and I like to analyze.

Time constraints and deadlines are an issue: My boss does work at the lastminute, and I do it ahead of schedule.

I am more detail-oriented than my boss and like to have as complete a picture aspossible before we make a decision. My boss is a full speed ahead kind of guy.

My manager does not check e-mail and calendars on a regular basisand misses many appointments.

She likes to micromanage, and I like to be given a task and be left to do it.If I need clarification or have questions, then I like to go to my supervisor.

We have conflicted over deadlines. I think theyre set in stone, and my supervisorsees them as guidelines. It can be frustrating for both of us.

Theres often a lack of information because my boss keeps it all in his head anddoes things at the last minute. Hes creative and doesnt realize the need to plan ahead including for travel, meetings and projects.



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caringrelationship-focused

harmoniousrelaxedpatient

compliantpassive

slow dependentstubborn

on a good day

on a bad day

EARTHGREEN

The charts below show the different color energy preferences on a good day, and on a bad day.

YELLOWSUNSHINE

COOL BLUE

excitablefrantic

indiscreetboastful

hasty

on a good day

on a bad day

dynamicenthusiasticconvincingexpressive visiona ry

cautiousprecise

analyticaldetailedobjective

nitpicky indecisivesuspicious

coldreserved

on a good day

on a bad day

decisivedetermined

confidentpowerful

purposeful

aggressivecontrolling

overbearingdominantintolerant

on a good day

on a bad day

FIERY RED



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I have had several bosses with different styles. I nd thatif we openly acknowledge our work styles, and then work

out how we can adapt to each other, things remainprofessional instead of personal. Its important to havethe condence to be in front of this issue instead of beingafraid to bring it up. As long as I make sure a managerunderstands this is for his or her benet, it keeps ourconversation customer service-oriented and softens it.

I ask leading questions so the other person gives metimelines and describes how the work will be completed.I reinforce those responses by repeating the answersback to him or her. For example, I might say, So youare saying you need the draft copy by 2 p.m. tomorrow.Youll make any changes and have the nal copy to meby Thursday, and the nal handouts are to be preparedfor Monday morning.

Learning to ask the right questions for clarication hasbeen key. I share more information as i t becomes knownrather than waiting until an issue develops. This preventssurprises and misunderstandings.

For one procrastinator, I drafted presentationsleaving blanks or question marks where he

needed to insert data. Although it may be initially challenging to work withsomeone who has a dissimilar style, remember thateach individual also brings different assets to the table.Once you understand someones approach and prefer-ences, working together becomes less about differencesand more about taking advantage of complementarystrengths. This dynamic is reected in the survey: While70 percent of administrative professionals polled said itcan be challenging to work with someone who has adifferent work style, 66 percent cited benets to workingwith those who have different approaches.

Neither easy nor challenging

15 %Somewhat easy

14 % Very easy

2 %Somewhatchallenging

63 % Very challenging

7 %

Neither benecialnor problematic

21 %Somewhatbenecial

49 % Very benecial

17 %Somewhat

problematic

13 % Very problematic

1%

How easy or challenging do you think it is to work with someone whohas a work style that is very different from your own?

Source: OfceTeam, IAAP and Insights survey of 3,249 administrative professionals. Responses do not total 100 due to rounding.

Do you think its benecial or problematic to work with people whohave work styles that are different from your own?

Source: OfceTeam, IAAP and Insights survey of 3,249 administrative professionals. Responses do not total 100 due to rounding.



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What do you do when, despite your best efforts, yourepeatedly lock horns with a colleague or boss who hasa different work style? Try these tips:

1. Take the high road. Your attitude, effort level andreactions are all in your control, even if others arent.If an issue arises or you disagree with someone,always be positive and professional. You dont haveto be best friends with everyone you just needto nd a way to work effectively with them.

2. Work with what you have. Accept the person youreworking with now, quirks and all. If your colleagueprefers scheduled meetings and you like to simplydrop by, try it his way to reduce conict.

3. Get on the same page. Simple miscommunications such as the desired outcome of a project cancause friction. Arrange a face-to-face meetingwith a colleague to make sure youre on the samepage, and follow it up with an e-mail recappingwhat you discussed.

4. Check in regularly. If youve had troublecommunicating with someone, its important tokeep information owing freely and frequently.Find out the persons preferred method of communi-cating for example, by e-mail, in person or overthe phone and provide weekly (or daily, ifdesired) updates.

5. Put yourself in the other persons shoes. Understanding someones work style is just onepiece of the puzzle: Learn what other pressures acolleague faces. For example, knowing whom shereports to and how many people she superviseswill add perspective to the situation.

Seven Tips for Overcoming Clashing Work Styles

6. Dont take it personally. Often, a persons behavioris not a reection on you. Someone who doesntgreet you every morning may not be a morningperson. Start with the assumption that its notpersonal and youll be less likely to take offenseand react negatively.

7. Know your own behaviors. Your habits can driveyour colleagues just as nuts as theirs drive you.

What do friends and family say you do that can beannoying? This same behavior can be going on atwork. Be aware of how you may be affecting othersand try to make changes, where appropriate.



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Our day-to-day interactions with colleagues might be easier if everyone had the same work style:Eight in 10 administrative professionals surveyed said they prefer working with someone whohas a style similar to their own. But as attractive as it might sound to work with people who thinkor behave like you do, it may be more difcult to generate new ideas in this type of arrangement.Its also not the reality in most ofces: Companies benet from bringing together people withdifferent strengths and personalities, so youre apt to encounter colleagues of all types throughoutyour career. Taking the time to understand how you approach work, as well as how your cowork-ers prefer to do their jobs, wont solve every issue, but i t can help you build stronger, more effectiveprofessional relationships.

We hope you have found this booklet useful and invite you to visit www.ofceteam.com/workstyle for more information, including access to our online survey and case studies of managers

and administrative professionals who have completed the full Insights Discovery Personal Proleevaluator. For help with any of your career or stafng needs, visit www.ofceteam.com.

Putting It All Together

Survey Methodology OfficeTeam, a division ofRobert Half International,and Insights teamed upwith IAAP to conduct theonline survey of 3,249career-minded administra-

tive professionals withinthe association and livingin the United States orCanada.



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About OfficeTeamOf ceTeam is the worlds leading staf ng service specializing in the temporary p lacementof highly skilled ofce and administrative support professionals, ranging from executive andadministrative assistants to receptionists and customer service representatives. Throughoutthe year, we compile the data, trends and insights we uncover through our daily contact withclients and candidates and our extensive research on employment and workplace issues.We offer this information in the form of complimentary guides, articles and other materials.We have more than 315 ofces worldwide and offer online job search services and careerresources at www.ofceteam.com . Please call 1.800.804.8367 for the ofce nearest you.

Connect with us:

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http://www.officeteam.com/http://www.officeteam.com/http://twitter.com/officeteamhttp://www.linkedin.com/company/officeteamhttp://www.facebook.com/officeteam


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About Insights

Insights is a people development company working in partnership withleading organizations across the world. Our transformational learningsolutions are supported by our extensive portfolio of customizableproducts and services. This portfolio, delivered by Insights worldwideteam of exceptional and inspirational people, helps our clients improvetheir effectiveness in ve key areas: Individuals Sales Teams Leadership Organizations

Underpinning our learning solutions are two unique and complementarylearning systems, Discovery and Navigator. These systems measurepreference and capability and provide an engaging and accessiblelanguage for learning.

This language, threaded through our entire portfolio, enables our clientsto experience rich, deep and inspiring learning solutions that enhancerelationships, improve performance, and change personal and professionallives forever.

For more information on how Insights can help your organization,please contact [email protected].

About IAAP

The International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) is theworlds largest association for administrative support staff, with more than550 chapters and 24,000 members and afliates worldwide. For morethan 60 years, IAAP has provided up-to-date research on ofce trends,cutting-edge publications, outstanding seminars and conferences, leadershipdevelopment, global networking opportunities, and top-notch resources tohelp administrative professionals enhance their skills and become moreeffective contributors to their employers. For more information, please visit

www.iaap-hq.org or call 1.816.891.6600.



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Communication Tips

Communication TipsCommunication Tips

Do Be well prepared and thorough Put things in writing Let me consider all the details

Dont Be overly emotional or casual

with important issues Keep changing things without

good reason Answer questions vaguely

Do Be direct and to the point Focus on results and objectives Be condent and assertive

Dont Be hesitant or wordy Focus on feelings Try to take over

Do Be patient and supportive Slow down and work at my pace Ask my opinion and g ive me time to answer

Dont Take advantage of my good nature Push me to make quick decisions Spring last-minute surprises on me

Do Be friendly and sociable Be entertaining and stimulating Be open and exible

Dont Tie me down with routine Ask me to work alone Bore me with details

Communication Tips

2

0 1 1

Of c eT e am

.A nE q

u al

O p p or t uni t y E m

pl o

y er .

Take a brief onl ine survey at www.ofceteam.com/workstyle to ndout which color energy you prefer.

By also encouraging your colleagues to complete

the survey, you can obtain valuable informationabout their individual preferences, which can helpprevent friction, miscommunication and frustration,not to mention increase productivity.

Use the tips provided here to help you improveinteractions with coworkers who have stylesdifferent from your own.

Colorful Connections

C O O

L B L U

E F I E R Y R E D

S U N S H

I N E

Y E L

L O W

CautiousPrecise


Formal



CaringEncouraging

SharingPatient

Relaxed

E A R T

H G R E E N



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Cool Blue Preference

C O O

L B L

U E F I E R Y

R E D

S U N S H

I N E

Y E L L

O W

CautiousPrecise


Formal



CaringEncouraging

SharingPatient

Relaxed

E A R T

H G R E E N

Sunshine Yellow Preference

Fiery Red Preference

Earth Green Preference

What Color EnergyDo You Prefer?

Want to learn more about your colleagues workstyles? Encourage them to take a brief online surveyat www.ofceteam.com/workstyle to nd outwhich color energy they prefer.

Once theyve received their results, write theirnames in the diagram on the right next to thecolors they identied with. You might even hangthis poster up in the ofce for others to see.

Refer to the tips on the previous page for advice onhow you can work more effectively with coworkersof various work styles.



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All referenced trademarks are the property of their respective owners.2011 OfceTeam. An Equal Opportunity Employer. OT-03 11

1.800.804.8367 officeteam.com

A Rob ert Half Comp any

The Insights Group Ltd, 2006-2011. All rights reserved. Insights Discovery and InsightsLearning Systems were originated by Andi and Andy Lothian. Insights, Insights Discoveryand the Insights Wheel are registered trademarks of The Insights Group Ltd.

This document is intended for promotional use only. Insights Practitioners should only uselearning and development resources that have been created, approved and made availableby Insights for this specic purpose.

2011 The International Association of Administrative Professionals. All rights reserved.International Association of Administrative Professionals and IAAP are registered trademarksof the International Association of Administrative Professionals.

Your Work Style in Color

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