GREENVILLE — Everyone was given a blank sheet of paper and a set of instructions. They could ask no questions only draw with the information provided: A round bug with eight paired legs, four on each side of the body, one leg longer than the other, two eyes on top of the body with a round mouth.
The bug had two peapod shaped wings, a spot next to each, and a triangular stinger on the bottom.
While the task was met with chuckles and declarations of an inability to draw, it was an eye-opening exercise. When complete, everyone held up their drawing, each one unique and showcasing different personalities.
“Understanding people and what makes them tick is a very valuable asset,” said Rhonda Williams, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, for the Darke County extension office. She was the guest speaker for the Greenville Public Library’s monthly lunch and learn program on Wednesday. Her topic a look into the Real Colors workshop she offers for both area youth and adults.
Real Colors is similar to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, a psychological tool to assess personality types. However, where MBTI will split the individual into a Sensing (S) or Intuition (N), Extraversion (E) or Introversion (I), Thinking (T) or Feeling (F), and Judging (J) or Perceiving (P), Real Colors utilizes only four color combinations: Gold, blue, green, and orange.
Gold refers to the highly organized individual who tends to be detail orientated, makes a list, and is dependable and punctual.
Orange is an energizer. They are generous and witty, fun-loving, but not neat or tidy, tending towards spontaneity.
Blue is the peacemaker, someone who is nurturing, spiritual, sympathetic, and tends to avoid conflict. They follow their heart more than their head and love to talk.
Green is a pragmatist, rational, independent, avoids feelings, considers the big picture, and will argue both sides of the point.
Knowledge of these colors and the temperaments that tie to them, said Williams, can be transferred to the workforce, school, and other environments.
“Understanding and knowing your temperament helps you work better with others,” continued Williams. It helped her assess a room full of teenagers, 48 to be exact. Learning their colors and thus their personalities provided the information necessary on when to break up a meeting before they became too fidgety or listless.
It also helps to understand the misconceptions tied to personality and what the individual is trying to achieve. For example, a gold personality is assumed to want all the power. When, in fact, they simply want to do their best.
According to Williams, about 40 to 45 percent of the population has a gold personality, with orange composing 30 to 35 percent, blue 15 to 20 percent, and green at 5 to 10 percent.
She stressed that individuals may have one color but gravitate between two, such as a primary gold personality gravitating into blue. She shared how she was once blue but after some difficulties became green.
Williams, who holds a BS, Human Ecology; MS, Human, and Community Resource Development offers a Real Colors workshop. It runs three to fours, is interactive, and perfect for groups to understand behavior, how we communicate and interact with one another. Contact the Darke County Extension Office at 937-548-5215 for more information.
The next Greenville Public Lunch and Learn will be held at noon on Wednesday, Oct. 16. Contact the library at 937-548-3915 for more information.
