“The ability to deal with people is as purchasable a commodity as sugar or coffee and I will pay more for that ability than for any other under the sun.” (John D Rockefeller)

An historic quote but we’d argue it’s more relevant than ever in agency life today.

As we manage the staggering pace at which artificial intelligence is impacting the creative service world, we’re also seeing another intelligence move into the spotlight – Emotional Intelligence (EQ). As fast as we seek to automate everything in sight, agency leaders must remember that EQ will be the differentiator that sits behind an increasingly AI-driven offer.

It’s EQ that sparks the understanding and creativity for a pitch winning idea.

It’s EQ that comes to the fore when handling those angry client calls or the performance conversation you’ve been avoiding.

It’s even EQ when you decide to do something different in the moment to get a new business pitch back on track and the rest of the team sits stunned because it didn’t happen in rehearsals.

In short, Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is our ability to understand ourselves and others, make decisions with empathy and build meaningful and trusted stakeholder relationships.

It’s these relationships that are central to agency success.  For example:

• Trusted advice.  As AI streamlines many routine services, agencies are leaning more on their strategic counsel to differentiate. As this trend continues, the ability to establish trusted advisor client relationships using our EQ is more important than ever.
• Leading and inspiring your team. Emotions drive people and people drive performance.  As competition for talent continues to grow, its managers and leaders who can best connect with, build trust, inspire and ultimately retain top talent who will thrive.  AI tools will not replace the human skills required to get the best from your teams – that’s EQ.  
• EQ is earned and learned, not programmed…And it boosts your team’s well-being.  EQ provides the self-awareness and regulation to build resilience, manage stress and reframe challenges – allowing us to not just withstand adversity but learn and grow from it.  The best performing agency teams demonstrate high EQ.  
• Sometimes, you’ve got to trust your gut – especially when hiring!  AI might be able to tell you a given candidate is the best fit for the job based on a set of criteria.  But when it comes to hiring decisions, how often does your gut tell you one thing while the paperwork says another – the former often proving to be correct! That’s EQ at work.

So how can you develop EQ?

The good news is that unlike our IQ (which is largely fixed), our EQ can be developed.  One of the fastest ways we’ve found to build it in agency teams is Insights Discovery — because it gives people a shared language for behaviour under pressure.

It uses a simple but powerful four colour model to increase self-awareness, deepen our understanding of others and develop the skills to adapt our interactions for maximum success.

Each colour energy reflects a set of behavioural traits. While we all have splashes of all four colour energies, what determines our behavioural and interaction preferences is how much of each energy we naturally possess.

Predominantly, we tend to display both the strengths and the potential weaknesses of our two most dominant colour energies.  The remaining two colour energies will show up occasionally but are less visible in general.

This insight is gold dust when it comes to developing our self-awareness and self-control – both essential for developing our EQ.

Helpfully, we can then use the same tool to recognise the behavioural and communication preferences of others and find ways to adapt our interactions for greater success.  The graphic below indicates how best to connect with each colour energy.

So there you have it.  One powerful tool to help boost your EQ.  Give it a try with your teams and clients.  Identify their top two colour energies.  Then employ some of the corresponding tips to enhance your interactions (think managing, motivating, pitching, influencing and so on).        

People buy people

When it comes down to it, agencies are and will remain people businesses.  It’s your people who determine how good your offer is and how good the results are.  They determine the strength and depth of your client relationships and how engaged, motivated and inspired your teams are.  AI will undoubtedly continue to change the landscape at pace but it’s our EQ that will ultimately attract, engage and retain the clients.

If you’d like to explore how to build more self-awareness and behavioural flexibility across your team, drop us a line at info@ambergroup.net.

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  Episode Eight: Calling all leaders – if you were a superhero, which one would you be and why?
  Part four in our Insights Discovery series where we look at how to use Discovery to build self-awareness; increase our understanding of others and develop the skills to adapt our interactions for greater success. We are looking at working with our opposite type;  why it can be both challenging and rewarding and how it can unlock a range of benefits you might not have considered!

Richard Baines

September 30, 2025

It might sound like a fun topic after a few pints at the pub (it is, try it…).  But what do superheroes and leaders have in common?  

Like superheroes, every leader has a unique superpower — a strength that sets them apart, energises their team and helps deliver results.  All good so far, right?  But hold on.  Every superhero also has a weakness.  A flaw or vulnerability (I’m looking at you, Kryptonite) that makes them fallible, relatable and ‘human’, despite their extraordinary abilities. 

As you can probably guess or even testify, leaders also have their weaknesses (yes you do!).  A shadow side that left unchecked, could be your downfall.  But fear not!  Just like every superhero movie ever made, you too can win the day with some super-helpful (sorry, couldn’t resist) tips to help you overcome the forces of evil and save the universe!  Or at least to be a great  leader, which is also good…

Welcome to part eight in our Insights Discovery Series where we look at how to use Insights Discovery to build self-awareness; increase our understanding of others and develop the skills to adapt our interactions for greater success.  In this episode, we take a light-hearted look at the synergies between super heroes and leadership styles and importantly, how embracing your ‘Kryptonite’ can be key to success.

Modelling our super powers 

As we have seen in previous episodes, Insights Discovery gives us a powerful framework for understanding our behavioural preferences through four colour energies: Fiery Red, Sunshine Yellow, Earth Green and Cool Blue. Associating the colour energies with superheroes is a fun and relatable way to reflect on the strengths and potential derailers associated with our own management or leadership style.  Let’s take a look:  

Fiery Red Manager

Superheroes:  Iron Man and Cat Woman  

Fiery Red Manager

Superheroes:  Iron Man and Cat Woman  

Hero style: Assertive, determined, action-oriented

Hero style: Assertive, determined, action-oriented

Leaders with strong Fiery Red energy are go-getters. Like Iron Man and Cat Woman, they charge ahead, cut through noise and make decisions fast. They lead with courage and confidence.

Superpowers:

Decisiveness & Drive.

Kryptonite:

Can come across as impatient, domineering or dismissive of others’ input.

Remedies:

Collaborate frequently. Sometimes ask the opinion of others before giving your own. Listen to understand, not just to respond. Beware of quick and wrong…

Sunshine Yellow Energy

Superheroes: Spider-Man and Harley Quinn

Sunshine Yellow Energy

Superheroes: Spider-Man and Harley Quinn

Hero style: Energetic, optimistic, inspiring

Hero style: Energetic, optimistic, inspiring

Leaders with strong Sunshine Yellow energy are charismatic connectors. They bring energy, positivity and collaboration, lighting up even the toughest rooms with conversation, ideation and humour.

Superpowers:

Innovation & Inspiration.

Kryptonite:

May make impulsive decisions without due qualification, struggle to follow-through on tasks and lose focus.

Remedies:

Team up with Cool Blue energy for balanced decision making. Use task tools to stay focus on the priorities. Develop feedback skills to handle those tricky conversations you know you should have! Give rational thinking and emotional feeling equal air time.

Fiery Red Manager

Superheroes: Superman and Wonder Woman 

Fiery Red Manager

Superheroes: Superman and Wonder Woman 

Hero style: Assertive, determined, action-oriented

Hero style: Assertive, determined, action-oriented

Earth Green leaders are values-driven team nurturers. They empower others to succeed, value different perspectives, foster collaboration and seek to create inclusive environments in which the whole team can thrive.

Superpowers:

Empathy & Collaboration.

Kryptonite:

Can over-resist change, avoid conflict or become passive in tough situations.

Remedies:

Develop courageous conversation skills. Take the tough decisions knowing it’s impossible and ok to not please everyone all the time. Balance the provision of support with building accountability in others.

Cool Blue Energy

Superheroes: The Batman and Black Widow

Cool Blue Energy

Superheroes: The Batman and Black Widow

Hero style: Analytical, precise, methodical.

Hero style: Analytical, precise, methodical.

Cool Blue leaders are organised, methodical thinkers and planners. They are logical and strategic, analyse every angle, prepare meticulously and rely on intellect and data-driven decision making.

Superpowers:

Strategy & Planning.

Kryptonite:

May be overly cautious, critical, perfectionistic and emotionally distant.

Remedies:

Seek to win the hearts as well as the minds of the team. Beware of analysis paralysis, some decisions can be gut-feel. Don’t allow perfection to get in the way of good. Theatre and expression can be powerful tools.

The big finale

Just like superheroes, great leaders are not flawless — they are self-aware. Understanding your “Kryptonite” doesn’t make you weaker, it makes you more powerful because you can learn to manage it.

And this brings me to one final thing we can learn from the superhero genre, which is that superheroes rarely work alone! Batman has Robin (and Alfred). Iron Man has Poppy. Spider-Man has M-J (and the irreplaceable Aunt May!). My point is, they have people they rely on to help them navigate the perilous world of crime fighting. And great leaders do the same. They surround themselves with team members who each bring their own superpower to the mix that when blended together, make for an unstoppable ensemble.

Hopefully this had been useful food for thought for even the most experienced leaders out there. If not, at least you have a fun game to play on your next visit to the pub!

Until next time…

Richard. 

richard@ambergroup.net

Read the whole series so far…

Episode One: Introducing our new Insights Discovery Series 

Episode Two: Weaknesses can be our strengths overplayed  

Episode Three: Sell differently to sell more…

Episode Four: How to work well with your opposite type

Episode Five: Colour coding change

Episode Six: Building winning teams

Episode Seven: Manage interactions with colour

Episode Eight: Calling all leaders

Richard Baines

September 12, 2025

Have you ever found yourself thinking, ‘Why does my manager always want more data?’ or ‘Why do they expect an answer right now?’ or perhaps ‘Why don’t they read and respond to my emails?’. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. But the good news is that Insights Discovery isn’t just for understanding yourself, it’s also the secret weapon for working better with your boss.

Welcome to part seven in our Insights Discovery Series where we look at how to use Insights Discovery to build self-awareness; increase our understanding of others and develop the skills to adapt our interactions for greater success.  In this episode, we look at how Insights Discovery can help us tackle the enduring question of how to manage upwards.

We all have our preferred ways of working.  Those nuances, preferences and behaviours that make you, you.  Well, so do our managers and leaders.  And if you can decode their colour profile, you can tailor your interactions in a way that increases your chances of getting the outcomes you want, while reducing stress levels along the way!  If that sounds good, read on to discover three simple steps to success.

Step One: Identify the Colour Energies in Play 

Here is a quick refresher of the four Insights Discovery colour energies and their interactions style:   

🔴 Fiery Red – Direct, decisive and fast-paced.
🟡 Sunshine Yellow – Enthusiastic, social and visionary.
🟢 Earth Green – Supportive, calm and values-driven.
🔵 Cool Blue – Logical, precise and data-oriented.

While everyone has elements of all four colour energies, we tend to favour one or two colours over the others when it comes to our natural interaction style.  So as a first step, identify two colour energies from the list above that best match the preferred interaction style of your manager.

Step Two: Study the Formula

Now let’s break down how to ‘manage up’ with each type of manager. 

Managing a Fiery Red Manager

“Get to the point and make it fast.”

What they value:

Results, speed, confidence, initiative.

How to adapt:

Be concise and focused, no rambling. Come with solutions, not problems. Respect their time. Get in, get out, get on.

What to avoid:

Over-explaining or being indecisive. Appearing hesitant or lacking urgency.

Quick tip:

Mirror their pace. Think bullet points, not paragraphs.

Managing a Sunshine Yellow Manager

“Bring energy and sell your idea!”

What they value:

Enthusiasm, connection, big-picture thinking.

How to adapt:

Show excitement and optimism. Be expressive. Engage in casual conversation. Tie your ideas to vision and potential impact.

What to avoid:

Being overly serious or too detail-heavy. Rushing into tasks without connecting first.

Quick tip:

Build the relationship, then pitch the idea.

Managing an Earth Green Manager

“Reflect team spirit, empathy and equity.”

What they value:

Trust, reliability, fairness, honesty.

How to adapt:

Be respectful and calm in your tone. Focus on the people, not just the process. Give them time to process, don’t rush. Listen!

What to avoid:

Sudden changes, hard sells and last minute surprises. Ignoring team wellbeing or emotions. Interrupting or talking over them.

Quick tip:

Allow time for pleasantries.

Managing a Cool Blue Manager

“Reflect team spirit, empathy and equity.”

What they value:

Accuracy, logic, preparation, order.

How to adapt:

Come prepared, do your homework. Present clear ideas and structured thinking. Give them time to review and reflect. Be clear on deadlines and expectations.

What to avoid:

Being too vague or over emotional. Putting them on the spot or forcing a quick decision. Poor quality or accuracy.

Quick tip:

Think spreadsheet first, story second.

Step Three: Put Your Approach into Action 

Revisit the dominant colour energies you identified for your manager.  Select two or three corresponding interaction techniques from the suggestions above and put them into practise over the coming weeks.  Take some time to reflect on your results and keep honing your approach.  Consider which ones work the best and why?  ‘Which ones didn’t and why?  Revisit the lists now and again and experiment with different approaches. Similarly, observe successful techniques adopted by others and borrow from them.  Applied regularly, you’ll quickly identify the blend that works best and then you can reap the benefits.

Final Thoughts: Managing Up, Colourfully

Managing up is about emotional intelligence in action. When you understand what makes your manager tick, you can flex your interaction style, not to manipulate, but to collaborate.  So next time you’re preparing for a meeting or pitching a new idea, take a moment to ask:  “What colour am I managing up to today?”.   The answer might just change your whole approach – and your results!

To learn more, visit our dedicated Insights Discovery web page.

See you next time. 

Richard. 

richard@ambergroup.net

Read the whole series so far…

Episode One: Introducing our new Insights Discovery Series 

Episode Two: Weaknesses can be our strengths overplayed  

Episode Three: Sell differently to sell more…

Episode Four: How to work well with your opposite type

Episode Five: Colour coding change

Episode Six: Building winning teams

Episode Seven: Manage interactions with colour

Episode Eight: Calling all leaders

Richard Baines

September 10, 2025

In team sports, victory is rarely the result of individual brilliance alone. It’s the culmination of the right players in the right roles working well together towards a common goal. Add some good coaching to the mix to unlock the potential of each player and you have a winning formula. The same is true with workplace teams and that’s where Insights Discovery becomes a game-changer.

Welcome to part six in our Insights Discovery series where we look at how to use Insights Discovery to build self-awareness; increase our understanding of others and develop the skills to adapt our interactions for greater success. In this episode, we take three lessons from the sporting world that can help us build winning teams in the workplace.

Lesson One: Play to Strengths 

Successful sports teams don’t win on a regular basis because they have a squad full of strikers.  They win because they have strength in depth.  They build a team that puts the right players in the right roles, not just based on talent but by temperament, instinct and preference.   

Workplace teams are no different.  Like a coach placing players in their optimal position, good leaders and managers assign roles and responsibilities that best align with the behavioural strengths and preferences of their team members.  As a result, winning becomes more likely. 

The graphic below shows strengths you might typically associate with each of the Insights Discovery colour energies (Fiery Red, Sunshine Yellow, Earth Green and Cool Blue):

As managers and leaders responsible for team performance, we can gain considerable competitive advantage by fully understanding the teams we have; matching roles and tasks to personal strengths and preference and recruiting future stars to strengthen, fill gaps and meet emerging needs.

Lesson Two: Feedback is Fuel 

Tactical coaching; halftime team talks; video replays…  Feedback in sports is constant, immediate and constructive.  It brings rapid and lasting improvements that can make the difference between winning and losing.  

Feedback in the workplace can deliver the same benefits.  Just like great sports coaches, effective leaders and managers recognise that any single approach to feedback won’t yield the best results with every player.  Instead, they tailor their approach to get the best results for each individual and Insights Discovery is a tool that can really help.  The graphic below provides suggestions on how best to frame feedback based on each of the four Insights Discovery colour energies (Fiery Red, Sunshine Yellow, Earth Green and Cool Blue):

Fiery Red Energy

Assertive  –   Results-Oriented  –  Direct

Frame in terms of improvement.  Direct, confident and concise delivery. Focus on outcomes. Set clear goals.

Sunshine Yellow Energy

Energetic  –  Social  –  Enthusiastic

Include positive reinforcement.  Link to recognition. Conversational dialogue.  Future focus.  Relatable examples and stories.

Earth Green Energy

Caring  –  Supportive  –  Relational

Empathic, calm and patient delivery.  Frame around values.  Be gentle but honest.  Allow space and time for reflection.   

Cool Blue Energy

Analytical  –  Precise  –  Cautious

Focus on facts and evidence.  Be specific and objective.  Be prepared.  Ensure a structured and logical delivery.  Allow time to process and ask questions.

Knowing someone’s preferred communication style helps tailor how feedback is given and received. What motivates one person may demotivate another. Great teams know this instinctively — or learn it intentionally.  Either way, feedback done well, is the breakfast of champions!

Lesson Three: Play as Team 

I’ve often heard under-performing sports teams described as a team of ‘great individuals’.  The talent is there but without unity, they fall short of more cohesive teams that might even have less individual talent.  The same can often be seen in workplace teams.  So here are five ways you can use Insights Discovery to build that all important team spirit that wins games.  

The Final Whistle!

Sports teams and business teams have many parallels.  The best sports coaches don’t just select talent, they select the right talent, develop it to its potential and unite it in ways that make the whole greater than the sum of its parts.  

Borrowing from the best of the sporting world and applying those concepts to the workplace, can transition teams from a group of professionals into serial trophy winners!  So if you want to build a high-performing team with the chemistry of a championship squad, start by discovering your team’s colour energies and see what’s possible when everyone plays to their strengths.

To learn more, visit our dedicated Insights Discovery web page.

See you next time. 

Richard. 

richard@ambergroup.net

Read the whole series so far…

Episode One: Introducing our new Insights Discovery Series 

Episode Two: Weaknesses can be our strengths overplayed  

Episode Three: Sell differently to sell more…

Episode Four: How to work well with your opposite type

Episode Five: Colour coding change

Episode Six: Building winning teams

Episode Seven: Manage interactions with colour

Episode Eight: Calling all leaders

Richard Baines

September 1, 2025

‘The only constant in life is change’, to quote the Greek philosopher, Heraclitus. I’m sure many of us would agree that this statement is more relevant today than ever. Successfully managing change and actually capitalising on it can bring real competitive advantage. But organisations are, by nature, organic. Made up of living breathing people, all of whom respond differently to change. So how can we navigate this challenge and even turn it to our advantage?

Welcome to episode five in our Insights Discovery series where we look at how to use the Insights Discovery methodology to build greater self-awareness; increase our understanding of others and develop the skills to adapt our interactions for greater success. In this episode, we look at how differently the four colour energies – Fiery Red, Sunshine Yellow, Earth Green and Cool Blue respond to change and how this understanding can be a game-changer for leaders, teams and individuals alike when navigating change.

In today’s fast-paced world, change is inevitable. From flexible working and AI at a macro level to the myriad changes in systems, policies and procedures that teams and individuals face on a day-to-day basis. Insights Discovery provides a powerful framework to recognise how your teams respond to change and also the vital roles they can play in making change a success. Let’s look at each Discovery colour energy in turn.

The Four Colour Energies and their approach to change

Fiery Red Energy

People with high Fiery Red energy tend to be action-oriented, decisive and results-driven. When change occurs, they want clarity, direction and swift execution. They may respond well to change if it aligns with goals and shows quick wins.

Value in the change process:

• Ensures change doesn’t stall.
• Brings urgency, focus and determination to push change forward.
• Comfortable taking charge and making tough decisions quickly.
• Cuts through ambiguity and inspires others to act.

Sunshine Yellow Energy

Those with high Sunshine Yellow energy are enthusiastic, optimistic and people-focused. They often embrace change as an exciting opportunity. However, if they feel excluded from the process or if the vision isn’t communicated clearly, their energy can wane. Involving them early and encouraging creativity can help them thrive during transitions.

Value in the change process:

• Brings innovative and creative ideas to tackle change.
• Energises others with optimism, excitement and a positive outlook.
• Encourages collaboration and inspires buy-in through relationships.
• Champions new ideas and possibilities.

Earth Green Energy

Individuals with high Earth Green energy value harmony, relationships and stability. Change can feel unsettling for them, especially if it disrupts established connections or routines. They value time, reassurance and a strong sense of purpose to accept and engage with change. Involvement, showing empathy and emphasising shared values can make a big difference.

Value in the change process:

• Focuses on values, purpose and the human side of change.
• Promote inclusiveness, listen actively and ensure that people feel heard.
• Builds trust and ensures continuity in relationships.
• Provides emotional support and reassurance to others.

Cool Blue Energy

People with high Cool Blue energy are analytical, precise and detail-oriented. They tend to approach change cautiously, needing data, structure and logical reasoning before they can buy in. Sudden or poorly explained changes may create resistance. Providing clear rationale and involving them in planning helps build trust and confidence.

Value in the change process:

• Offers careful analysis, logical thinking and structured planning.
• Spots risks, asks the important questions and ensures details are considered.
• Brings discipline and rigour that avoids chaos and confusion.
• Seeks clarity and consistency in execution.

Set up for success

Recent research by management consultancy McKinsey found that engaging front line employees with the change process and empowering them to own and drive it, elevates the success rate by an eye opening 71%!  

When we understand how the different Insights Discovery colour energies react to change and the valuable role they can play in implementing it, we can manage change not just strategically, but humanely.  This leads to smoother transitions, stronger engagement, less resistance and ultimately, greater success.

If you’d like to find out more, explore our Insights Discovery web page.

See you next time. 

Richard. 

richard@ambergroup.net

Read the whole series so far…

Episode One: Introducing our new Insights Discovery Series 

Episode Two: Weaknesses can be our strengths overplayed  

Episode Three: Sell differently to sell more…

Episode Four: How to work well with your opposite type

Episode Five: Colour coding change

Episode Six: Building winning teams

Episode Seven: Manage interactions with colour

Episode Eight: Calling all leaders

Richard Baines

July 31, 2024

Let’s face it, working with someone who has an opposite personality type can be challenging.  It can in fact be infuriating or, as a recent attendee at one of our Insights Discovery workshops put it, even terrifying! However, it can also be incredibly beneficial if we just approach it correctly.

Welcome to part four in our Insights Discovery series where we look at how to use Discovery to build self-awareness; increase our understanding of others and develop the skills to adapt our interactions for greater success.  This week we are looking at working with our opposite type;  why it can be both challenging and rewarding and how it can unlock a range of benefits you might not have considered!

Why a clash?

As we saw in part one of this series, the four colour energies (Red, Yellow, Green and Blue) have very different behavioural preferences.  These differences are most apparent when comparing opposite colour types (Fiery Red v Earth Green and Sunshine Yellow v Cool Blue). The more different the preferences, the greater the potential for friction.

If we’re honest, in the workplace these might be people we gravitate away from rather than towards. But the truth is, if we can understand, value and embrace (not literally) our opposite type, the benefits can be huge.

When opposites attract

I’ve worked with many teams over the years that have faced exactly this challenge. Frictions within the team that lead to a lack of cohesion and collaboration or in worst cases, confrontation and resignations. However, with a little training, I have seen those same teams change their perspective and seek to understand their opposite type; value their differences and most importantly, leverage them for greater success.

So, what are the benefits?

Actively engaging with our opposite colour energy (and encouraging your teams to do the same), has a range of benefits:

• Balanced Decision-Making: Opposite types bring complementary strengths to the table. For example, a Fiery Red (decisive, action-oriented) working with an Earth Green (measured, empathetic) can result in decisions that are both bold and well-considered.
• Enhanced Creativity: Diverse viewpoints stimulate creative thinking. Sunshine Yellow (enthusiastic, creative) combined with Cool Blue (realistic, analytical) can generate innovative ideas that are seamlessly executed.
• Higher Performance: As the mantra goes, ‘play to your strengths, outsource your weaknesses’. Aligning the colours to what they do best can significantly improve team performance and success. Fiery Red goal-setting matched with Sunshine Yellow innovation, further coupled with the collaboration skills of the Earth Green and the planning-prowess of the Cool Blue can be quite the winning formula.
• Personal Growth: Engaging with someone different from yourself requires self-awareness, understanding and adaptability. It challenges you to step out of your comfort zone and develop new skills. The more we do this, the broader our comfort zone becomes!

So how do we do it?

Here are some essential ingredients for success:

Self-awareness is the starting point: As we saw in part two of this series, our weaknesses tend to stem from our strengths overplayed. Being aware of this ‘tipping point’ and able to control it means we are more likely to add value to any given interaction than derail it.

Recognise and respect differences: Acknowledge the value that your opposite type brings. Understand their strengths and how they complement your own. Respect their approach even if it differs from yours.

Effective Communication: Adapt your communication style to bridge the gap (see article one in this series). For instance, when a Cool Blue interacts with a Fiery Red, they should aim to be concise and action-oriented, while the Fiery Red should appreciate the need for thoroughness and detail.

Play to strengths: As highlighted above, allowing the colours to apply their natural talents where they have the greatest impact will make any project less arduous, shorten the timeframe for delivery and yield better results.

Seek Common Ground: Focus on shared goals and objectives. This common ground can help smooth over differences and keep the team aligned.

Does it work?

Yes! And here’s a genuine example from a recent Insights Discovery workshop we delivered for a creative agency.

Kath, a Sunshine Yellow company director, had been planning to introduce a client engagement survey for her business to support client retention and growth.

During the Insights Discovery workshop, Kath realised the reason she hadn’t progressed the project was partly down to the inevitable planning, design and logistical elements involved (not Kath’s forte by her own admission) and partly because she traditionally found working with someone who would bring these skills to the mix, quite challenging.

Both reasons meant Kath hadn’t moved the project forward and as a result was missing out on the benefits the survey would deliver.

So the following week, Kath engaged Tom, a fellow Director with dominant Cool Blue energy.

Kath introduced Tom to the Discovery model to show why their respective strengths would make them a good team. Tom’s planning, analytical and design skills together with his methodical approach blended with Kath’s passion for innovation, communication and client engagement.

Importantly, they also used the Discovery model to understand how to adapt to each other’s working styles. Kath recognised that Tom would require a clear set of S.M.A.R.T. objectives for the programme; a timeline to launch; milestones to reach along the way; diarised meetings and autonomy to select the best platform for the survey.

Likewise, Tom recognised the need for Kath to work collaboratively; brainstorm ideas; make the odd change along the way and receive ‘headline updates’ rather than detailed reports.

One month later the system had been launched, results returned and a series of corresponding initiatives introduced to act on the findings!

Conclusion: Embrace your differences

Working with your opposite type can be challenging but also incredibly rewarding. By recognising and valuing differences, communicating effectively and leveraging each other’s strengths, you might just be able to unlock some dynamic and productive partnerships within your team!

If you’d like to know more, visit our dedicated Insights Discovery web page

Read the whole series so far…

Episode One: Introducing our new Insights Discovery Series 

Episode Two: Weaknesses can be our strengths overplayed  

Episode Three: Sell differently to sell more…

Episode Four: How to work well with your opposite type

Episode Five: Colour coding change

Episode Six: Building winning teams

Episode Seven: Manage interactions with colour

Episode Eight: Calling all leaders

Richard Baines

July 3, 2024

Although most of us are not trained sales people, many of us have to sell.  It might be formal new business pitching or perhaps the more organic ‘up-sell’ of products or services to existing clients.  Either way, the process can be time intensive and the results, unpredictable.

But what if you could increase your success rate for little or no extra effort?

Welcome to episode three in our Insights Discovery series where we look at how to use the Insights Discovery methodology to achieve success in the workplace.  This week, we focus on selling and how adjusting our approach to meet buyer preferences can significantly increase our chances of winning business.

The fact is, most of us have a particular ‘selling style’.  Unsurprisingly, this is directly linked to our preferred ‘buying style’.

For example, when selling or buying, someone with lots of Cool Blue energy will likely have undertaken thorough research and follow a methodical process.  They will also probably request proof of value or go to great lengths to demonstrate their competence and have a detailed set of questions at the ready.

These traits are important because they go a long way to establishing the trust and confidence required for Cool Blue energy to feel comfortable making a high value purchase.

All good so far…  Except, what if that same Cool Blue energy is selling to a buyer with high levels of Sunshine Yellow energy?  The result is likely to be quite different. This is because the Sunshine Yellow buyer looks for a different set of traits to establish the same level of trust and confidence when buying.

For them, an element of ‘chemistry’ with the seller will be important.  In addition, good story-telling around previous successes; connecting the purchase with recognition for them and a simplified, painless procurement process are likely to help you clinch the deal.  Different indeed to our Cool Blue buyer.

Now imagine how much more successful we could be if we match our selling style to the buyer’s preferences each time rather than simply selling in our own style!

So how do we do it?

Try this two-step process:

Step One: Identify the buyer’s preferences.
This is done right from the start of the relationship by listening and observing.  From the outset, the buyer will give clues to their dominant colour energies.  The graphic below matches the four Discovery colours with their typical buying preferences.

Step Two: Adapt your selling approach to reflect buyer preferences.
Simple but effective adjustments help you connect with the buyer; put them at ease and make them more likely to buy from you.  The graphic below provides tips on how to adjust your sales approach for each colour energy:

Give it a try…

As the saying goes, the best way to learn is to do.  Over the coming weeks, follow this two-step process with a range of new and organic sales opportunities.  Don’t forget to consider the top two colour energies in play for each buyer and select prompts from the corresponding lists.

Keep a record of the results and compare them to your previous win-rate over the same period.  I’m confident you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Of course, there are multiple factors at play when selling. However, adapting your selling style to match the preferences of the buyer will make you more successful, more often.  Now that’s a compelling sales pitch!

If you’d like to know more, click on the link below to visit our dedicated Insights Discovery web page

Read the whole series so far…

Episode One: Introducing our new Insights Discovery Series 

Episode Two: Weaknesses can be our strengths overplayed  

Episode Three: Sell differently to sell more…

Episode Four: How to work well with your opposite type

Episode Five: Colour coding change

Episode Six: Building winning teams

Episode Seven: Manage interactions with colour

Episode Eight: Calling all leaders

Richard Baines

June 18, 2024

Have you ever experienced the manager who is lightning fast at decision-making but sometimes fails to collaborate and take others with them on the journey?  Or perhaps the colleague with exceptional powers of empathy and collaboration, who may struggle to make a decision at all? 

We all know it’s important to recognise and use our strengths in order to succeed. However, overplaying our strengths can be counterproductive and actually make us less effective.  This is something that can be easy to see in others but not so easy to see (and manage) in ourselves. 

Welcome to part two in our Insights Discovery Series where we look at how to use Insights Discovery  to build self-awareness; increase our understanding of others and develop the skills to adapt our interactions for greater success. This week we are looking at the vital link between our strengths and weaknesses and how to avoid one becoming the other!

Understanding the relationship between our strengths and weaknesses AND developing the skills to avoid one overplaying into the other is key to personal effectiveness, no matter what your role. 

So how does it work and how can Insights Discovery help? 

The starting point is self-awareness, quickly followed by self-control. Coincidently, these are the first two ingredients of emotional intelligence (EQ). Let me explain…

We can use the Insights Discovery colour model to better understand our likely strengths and possible weaknesses based on our preferred mix of the colour energies as shown below: 

The key here is to notice the relationship between the strengths and the weaknesses of each colour. The weaknesses all tend to relate to the strengths being overplayed!

For example:

• Fiery Red confidence may be seen as arrogance. 
• Sunshine Yellow flexibility may lack discipline and focus. 
• Earth Green democracy may result in indecision. 
• Cool Blue analysis may turn to action paralysis. 

So there is a virtual ‘tipping point’ in any given situation and/or interaction where our strengths may overplay and start to work against us. This self and situational awareness is an important first step in managing our strength/weakness relationship.

Recognising your possible weaknesses

If you already have a Discovery Profile, you can review the page highlighting your possible weaknesses and see if you can recognise when they occur, why and what the implications might be. 

If you don’t have a profile, you can easily do the same exercise using the graphic above. Just pick one or two weaknesses that resonate under your dominant colour energies and do the same exercise. (You can of course also use team/colleague feedback to further inform this exercise!). 

OK, I recognise where my strengths might become weaknesses in certain situations, what can I do about it?

Now we have the self-awareness element covered, we need to deal with step two. Self-control. 

Unchecked, we tend to be at the mercy of our behavioural preferences.  Our emotions and preferences control us, as opposed to us controlling them.  Sometimes this is fine.  Other times it works to our detriment.  Either way, what will be, will be… 

To take our personal effectiveness to the next level, we need to be able to control (rather than be controlled by) our behavioural preferences.  However, adapting behaviours can be tricky so here are a few tips for success:

1. Identify the trigger or scenario where you are most likely to overplay a given strength. (This helps you to be ready!). 
2. Identify one alternative behaviour that will stop the ‘overplay’ scenario happening   and consciously work on that until it becomes comfortable. 
3. After applying the alternative behaviour, reflect on the outcome. Ask yourself, ‘what did I do differently?’.  ‘Was it effective?’.  ‘How can I do it better next time?’. 
4. For further guidance, ask for feedback from others. After all, they are your target audience!

Let me share a personal example:

• My dominant energy is Earth Green. 
• One of my strengths is listening. 
• When I ‘over-listen’, I can fail to contribute, be ‘crowded out’ by louder personalities or even be seen as passive.
• To counter this, I actively push myself to share a thought, an idea, a question or a comment as early as possible in any situation where I might ‘over-listen’.  Interestingly,  once I’ve contributed, I tend to keep contributing (within reason of course but you know what I mean). 

So, in summary:

☑️ Our potential weaknesses often stem from our strengths being overplayed. 

☑️ Recognising when this is happening is the starting point (self-awareness).

☑️ Adopting simple strategies to ‘counter the overplay’ is the key to success (self-control).

☑️ Practise makes perfect – behavioural change takes time but the rewards are great.

If you’d like to know more, click on the link below to visit our dedicated Insights Discovery web page

Read the whole series so far…

Episode One: Introducing our new Insights Discovery Series 

Episode Two: Weaknesses can be our strengths overplayed  

Episode Three: Sell differently to sell more…

Episode Four: How to work well with your opposite type

Episode Five: Colour coding change

Episode Six: Building winning teams

Episode Seven: Manage interactions with colour

Episode Eight: Calling all leaders

Richard Baines

June 4, 2024

Have you ever wanted to understand why you find it easier to connect with some people more than others?  Or how to work effectively with that challenging colleague? Or perhaps you’d like to build stronger client relationships that lead to more business?  If so, then our new Insights Discovery Series could be just what you’re looking for! 

What is the Insights Discovery Series?

A bi-weekly series of five-minute reads using the Insights Discovery four-colour model to help you increase self-awareness; deepen your understanding of others and learn how to adapt your interactions to get the results you’re after. 

Why are we doing it?  

Having delivered hundreds of Insights Discovery workshops over the last 15 years, we’ve seen the incredible impact this development tool has on personal effectiveness and success in the workplace. 

For those familiar with Insights Discovery, the series continues your learning journey through practical tips, guides and case scenarios. 

For those new to Insights Discovery, it’s a perfect introduction to the model and how it can help you achieve greater success through your interactions. 

For everyone, it’s a chance to learn; be part of our Insights Discovery community; share ideas and experiences and steer the future direction of the series through topic requests. 

In this first post, we’ll introduce the Insights Discovery model, how to use it and some immediate tips for application. 

Surrounded by Idiots!

If you’ve spent any time browsing in WH Smith over the past few years, you’ll have seen the book of the same name. Written by Thomas Erikson, it uses the Insights Discovery colour model to understand the four types of human behaviour and how best to interact with them.  The book permanently resides in the best seller list and for good reason!  It’s because, while we all share many similarities, when it comes to our interactions and behavioural preferences, we are very different. 

Some situations and interactions we find easy.  Others can be challenging,  infuriating and even terrifying!  But why?  And what if we could crack the code to better understand and manage our own behavioural preferences; to recognise those of others and to adapt our interactions at will, to achieve the best outcomes?  Well, that’s where Insights Discovery comes in. 

What is Insights Discovery?

Insights Discovery is a powerful development tool based on the psychology of Carl Jung. It uses colour as a common language to build self-awareness; gain an understanding of others and adapt our interactions for success in the workplace.

We all have a unique blend of these four colour energies (Fiery Red, Sunshine Yellow, Earth Green and Cool Blue).  It’s likely we will have one or two energies in dominance and these will have the greatest bearing on our behavioural preferences. The remaining colour energies will be less prevalent and therefore less influential. Recognising your possible weaknesses

Our unique colour blend informs who we are, how we behave, our likely strengths and weaknesses and so on.  See this as your starting point. Your ‘natural self’ at your most comfortable. While you can flex, this will be you around 95% of the time. 

OK that’s me, what about everyone else?

While we mustn’t make assumptions, we can usually recognise the dominant colour energies in people we work with. 

For example, someone with a real eye for detail, a calm demeanour and an analytical approach to things might well have Cool Blue energy in dominance. By contrast, someone who is gregarious, talkative and dynamic by nature, might well lead with Sunshine Yellow energy. 

It’s a good idea not to think ourselves or others as a single colour energy, but rather a blend of colours with a focus on the top two most visible energies.

So how can we better connect?

Naturally, we all tend to interact with others in the style we like to be interacted with. This can work well sometimes but certainly not all the time.  In fact, more often than not, subtle changes in our style can yield far better outcomes. 

Let me give you an example.  Two people with a lot of Earth Green energy will favour a similar interaction style.  This will likely be centred around listening, mutual respect, empathy, steady pace and a supportive nature.  To put it another way, they are ‘speaking the same language’. 

However, speaking this language when interacting with the opposite colour type, the Fiery Red in this case, is less effective.  They will favour a more assertive, opinionated, fast-paced and independent style of interaction.

The key to successful interactions is the ability to move beyond our own preferred style (or language) when connecting with different colour energies.  Adopting some of the preferred traits of the person you are communicating with does three things.  1. It puts them at ease.  2. It makes it easier for you to engage and influence them. 3. It increases your chances of a successful outcome.  To conclude the analogy, by speaking their language, you can better connect, build stronger relationships and gain greater success.  A genuine win/win! 

Tips for adapting to each colour energy.

The graphic below shows six top tips for connecting with each colour energy:

We don’t have to adopt all of these tips all of the time. It’s about selecting the right ones at the right time to get the outcomes you are after. 

Give it try by using this exercise:

1. Select an individual you find quite challenging to interact with. 
2. Identify their likely dominant energy(ies). 
3. Select one or two of the corresponding tips provided in the graphic and apply them in your next series of interactions with that person. 
4. After each interaction, reflect on what you did differently and what the results were. 

While adapting isn’t easy, particularly to your least dominant colour energy, with practise you can become quite fluent, quite quickly. And I guarantee you’ll see the benefits by way of successful outcomes. 

Later in the series we’ll be looking at more specific applications such as selling to the different colour energies and their preferred management styles. 

For now, I hope you’ve enjoyed this introduction to Insights Discovery and if you’d like to know more, click on the link below to visit our dedicated Insights Discovery web page. 

Read the whole series so far…

Episode One: Introducing our new Insights Discovery Series 

Episode Two: Weaknesses can be our strengths overplayed  

Episode Three: Sell differently to sell more…

Episode Four: How to work well with your opposite type

Episode Five: Colour coding change

Episode Six: Building winning teams

Episode Seven: Manage interactions with colour

Episode Eight: Calling all leaders