Turning Teamwork Into Dreamwork

Trying to organize a team of people can be a daunting task. Rarely is it possible to have a perfect team where everyone gets along, tasks are completed without strife and no conflicts arise. However, it’s much more likely that different team members will respond differently to different styles of leadership, and it can be difficult to work with the attitudes of the other team members. For years, psychologists have attempted to categorize different personality traits using many different methods. Many of these tools are available to the general public, and can help leaders and team members better understand each other.

    One method of learning more about you team is to use the True Colors test. This test is somewhat based on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test, but separates people into four distinct personality groups, blue, gold, green and orange. This simplifies the complexity of the MBTI Test, and makes it easier to identify personality types without complicated acronyms. Orange personalities are energetic and spontaneous, gold personalities are precise and punctual, green personalities are analytical and visionary, and blue personalities value emotionally-driven traits such as empathy and compassion. Using this tool, you can accurately gauge how a person will interact with others. People of the same “primary color” tend to get along with each other more than people with different primary colors, but it also allows for a person to have secondary traits in addition to their primary color.

    A great way to illustrate the differences between the different primary color personalities is to separate the members of your team into subgroups organized by primary color. Then, assign every group the task of designing a house (note: the operative word is “design,” not “draw!”). This is a great way to get a visual representation of the differences between the ways the primary color personalities think and conceptualize. Gold personalities tend to draw very symmetrical houses with accurate proportions, while Blue personalities will create more abstract structures with creative interiors. Visualizing the differences between the primary color personalities can help the members of your team better understand the way others perceive and solve problems.

    Understanding the different personalities that make up your team can allow for better communication between your team members and help them understand how their peers solve problems. In addition to these tests, the Chamber of Commerce can help you develop your leadership and team-building skills through a number of programs.