True Colors – Know yourself Know your team

1. Increasing your understanding of one another, appreciating differences and ultimately becoming a higher functioning team. … Russ Facione Principal Bingham Farms Elementary School Birmingham Public Schools rf03bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us True Colors – Know yourselfKnow your team Royal Oak High School November 2012

2. Today’s Agenda • Personal Note- Who is this guy?? • Goal of Today- • True Colors – What is it, how can it help? • A little about who we are, how others understand us and how we understand others.. • A Framework for Approaching new challenges as a highly effective team.

3. A little about me… Personal Note- Who is this guy?? Russ Facione- Born and raised in Metro Detroit. Wayne High, Western Michigan Taught in Wayne Westland, then Birmingham Administrator for past 12 years. Married for 17 years, 4 Daughters. Softball Coach, Parrothead, “Drama Dad”, Camping.

4. Connector- Start every meeting with one (that’s related to goal) *Pick your Sports Friends: * Pick a “Tigers Friend” and a “Lions Friend” Since our goal is building trust and increasing our understanding of one another, our connector is: • Time to find a Friend : • Do you need connector ideas with your team meetings? • http://russfacione.wikispaces.com/file/view/connectorextras.pdf • Question #1 “Who would play you in the movie about your life?” Discuss with your Tigers Friend • Question #2 • “What songs/CD/I-pod List is in your car right now” Discuss with your Lions Friend

5. Our /my group norms • You are in charge of yourself and your needs. • Be an Active participant today. • Keep an open mind to items discussed. • Multi-tasking is an individual preference. • Anything that comes up but not be tied directly to this goes in Parking Lot to be covered at the end. http://www.todaysmeet.com/RoyalOakHigh • We will maintain our schedule and agenda • Everything you see here and more is on my wiki at http://russfacione.wikispaces.com

6. 1st Step- Staff Relationships = Communication & Trust TRUST & Effective Communication • These are the KEY! • So, then…..how can we grow our mutual collective trust? That is today’s GOAL!

7. Trust = Open and Honest Communication • When in a time of change there needs to be a feeling or mutual “we’re-in-this-together” • You can achieve this by: • Knowing yourself as a teacher leader • Know the OTHERS you work with to problem solve • Know those in your class as well. That is where our journey begins….

8. Know the people in your neighborhood • Mr. Rogers had it right… you need to know who you are in the trenches with, building the mutual trust works only when you look inside yourself. Won’t you be my neighbor?

9. Know the people in your neighborhood • What can you do? • My favorite example is TRUE COLORS. • Book is Showing Our True Colors, Mary Miscsin. • TC based on Lowry’s work on personality analysis. • What is it, how do you do it, and what do you do with the results? • Fill out a quick sheet which has you match up trios of words that best describe how you would most naturally approach something…

10. Why True Colors?? • Need to know each other to work together; • To understand ourselves, • How we seem to others and • How they seem to us; GOLD, BLUE, GREEN, ORANGE

11. TRUECOLORS • When you know what your core values are, you can perform at your highest level – and when you understand others, you have the basis to communicate and achieve common goals. • Four COLORS- GOLD, BLUE, GREEN, ORANGE • How do I determine my color spectrum? Dominant Color to a lowest color? • You could have a pair--- you could have a more even spread, or one slam dunk dominant.

12. Questionnaire Directions: Let’s find out our Colors!! 1. Read each trio of words across 4 = Word list that most describes you to 1 = Word list that least describes; You will have five rows filled out, with 1234 in different sequences reading across.

14. Questionnaire Directions: 2. Then, take the four color sheets on the table, look at the picture on the front and the description on the back, see which one fits you best and rank them left to right: Orange Card, Gold Card, Blue Card, Green CardLabel Under Notes left to rightOrange, Gold, Blue, Green

15. ORANGE BLUE GREEN GOLD Card ranks go here

16. Questionnaire Directions: • 3. Now we will add each column going down… • MAX is 24 for any one area—MIN is 6 • Fill out your four color spectrum: • Highest to lowest with totals;

17. GREEN GOLD BLUE ORANGE Total up all to get four number spectrum

18. Your 4 Colors- A Little more…. • Primary Color What does it tell you? • This indicates what you are MOST comfortable doing. • Sometimes people order their cards in order of what they MUST do instead of what they PREFER to do. • Example of the Ele School Principal who THOUGHT she was a GOLD but was really an ORANGE.

19. Your 4 Colors- A Little more…. • Second Color - Quite important, often forgotten • It has a major influence on your first. • If you are introverted, it may be hard to tell which is 1 and which is 2. • The first one may be processing things while the 2nd color is what the outside world sees…so take that into consideration if you are confused about yourself or others. (Ex: Myself GREEN & ORANGE)

20. Your 4 Colors- A Little more…. • Third Color - May come in handy. • If the first color is very dominant the 2nd and 3rd will be closely related to each other. • Fourth Color - Significant, too. • Your least natural soooo: • You may admire them in others. • You may conflict with them the most (esp. in others) • This lack of understanding results in us criticizing instead of appreciating. • We often tend to condemn what we’ve haven’t experienced or what we lack most in.

21. Your 4 Colors- Four, not One… • It’s important to remember we have ALL 4 colors. • Some have the rare Rainbow- All 4 spread evenly. • HOW? • Lots of life experiences that leads to a balanced temperament. • They’ve intentionally worked at lesser colors over years. • Also, they may be in a transition period in their life trying to figure themselves out. • Maybe they’ve seldom had a chance to BE themselves and can’t remember what comes naturally. • They are really a green and over-analyze things. • Most of all, you are born with one temperament stronger than others it’s just a matter of finding it.

22. Blues Golds Greens Oranges • Famous Folks in your color • Your characteristics • Your strengths • Others may see you as: Time to Share !!

23. GREEN- Logical Frame • Characteristics- • Problem Solver, “Why” Mentality, Very Complex, • Standard Setter, Cool Calm Collected, • Work = Play, Play = Work, Intellectual • Competence Driven, Analytical, Global, • Visionary Relationships through Logic Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, 30+ Presidents

24. GREEN- Logical Frame • Organizational Strengths- • Analyzing, Conceptualizing, Designing, • Developing, Diagnosing, Intellectualizing, • Inventing, Mapping out, Problem Solving, • Reasoning, Researching, Thinking

25. GREEN- Logical Frame • Others may see you as: • Intellectual Snob, Arrogant, Heartless, • Unrealistic, Eccentric / Weird, Unfeeling, • Anti-Social, Cool, Aloof, Sarcastic, • Critical, Lacking Mercy, Unappreciative

26. BLUE- Empathy & Relationships Frame • Characteristics- • Caretaker, optimistic, Passionate, • Dramatic, Enthusiastic, Imaginative, • Cause Oriented, True Romantic, Unique, • Cooperative over Competition, Spirituality, • People Oriented, Peacemaker Robin Williams -Dead Poets’ Society

27. BLUE- Emotional Frame • Strengths: • Accepting, Communicating, Cooperating, • Counseling, Creating, Guiding, Imagining, • Intuition, Leading, Listening, Mentoring, • Motivating, Recruiting, Speaking, Supporting, • Teach, Tolerate,

28. BLUE- Emotional Frame • Others may see you as: • Mushy, Over Emotional, Other-Worldly, • Smothering, Unrealistic, Wishy-Washy, • Bleeding Heart, Nosy, Talkative, • Groveling, Manipulative,

29. Orange- Freedom Frame • Characteristics- • Energetic, Desires Change, Playful, Master Negotiator, • Natural Entertainer, Pushes Boundaries, “Just Do It” • Accepts Challenges, Impulsive, Spontaneous, • Immediate Feedback, Self Confident, Unstructured Winnie the Pooh (Intraverted) Tigger (Extraverted)

30. Orange-Freedom & Flexibility • Strengths: • Take Charge Ability, Care Free, Dealing w/ Chaos, • Determination, Multi-task, Flexible, Hands-on, • Negotiating, Direct Communication, Risk-Taking, • Trouble Shooting, Welcome New Ideas

31. Orange-Freedom & Flexibility • Others may see you as: • Rude, Irresponsible, Not Serious, Selfish • Self Centered, Ignoring the Rules, • Manipulative, Impatient, Flaky • Easily Distracted, Unprepared, Flirtatious, • Taking Advantage of Others

32. Gold-Loyalty & Responsibility • Characteristics- • Prepared, Loves to Plan, Details Oriented, • Punctual, Strong Sense of Duty • Policies, Family Values, Traditions, Conservative • Stable, Well Organized, Strong Right & Wrong • Comfort with Structured Environment General Patton

33. Gold-Loyalty & Responsibility • Strengths- • Accounting, Belonging, Caretaking, • Collecting Data, Contributing, Coordinating, • Dispatching, Family, Follow Directions, Guarding, • Handling Details, Organizing, Planning Ahead, • Securing, Supervising

34. Gold-Loyalty & Responsibility • Others may see you as: • Rigid, Restricted, Stubborn, Boring, • Self Righteous, System-Bound, Unimaginative, • Judgmental, Bossy, Uptight, • Rigid Idea of Time, Married to Task

35. What we all need! When working together, be cognizant of needs… • Oranges Need- Action, Activity, Freedom, Flexibility, Variety, Fun & Play • Blues Need- Acceptance, Harmony, Expression, Meaning, Understanding, Contribute, Validation • Greens Need- Intellectual Stimulation, Time to Ponder, Information, Objectivity, to Question • Golds Need- Consistency, Reliability, Structure, Timelines, Clarity, Closure, Respect, Rules

36. Trivia Question- Why use it with staff? Here’s a good one.What about kids and teachers? • Student Population vs. K-12 Educators WHAT DO YOU THINK? Kids Staff • Blue _____ % ______ % • Orange _____ % ______ % • Green _____ % ______ % • Gold _____ % ______ % * Important reminder- a person’s full color spectrum doesn’t take hold around 18-24 yrs. *

37. What about kids and teachers? • General Student Population vs. K-12 EducatorsANSWER KEY- FOR TYPICAL SCHOOLKids Staff • Blue 38 % 20 % • Orange 38 % 5% • Green 12% 5 % • Gold 12 % 70 % • 38 % OF KIDS ARE ORANGE WHILE 70% OF STAFF ARE GOLD- THEY ARE OPPOSITE

38. What to do with this info… At my school we have stickers on our mailboxes to subtly remind us. You could have a TC Spirit Day, staff wear their “color”. Make it a part of your building conversation. • Celebrate your differences! • Be open about working on your lowest. • Stickers on mailboxes for instance, leads to a more open appreciation. • Make it a risk-free part of the culture.

39. A moment to recap, reflect and reconnect.. • Reflect and Reconnect: • What can you do to enhance the relationships you have with those you work with or lead? • How could you use this True Colors information to help with that? • Find your TIGERS Friend- Promise- Name 2 changes you will make with your team this school year in regards to colors. • Then monitor it and check in with yourself by December break.

40. Colors & Your Meeting • Now that you’ve connected, you’ve laughed you’ve deepened relationships… • Meaningful Meetings with COLORS: Have an agenda, goal, and norms (GOLDS need this) Have an opportunity to talk, share & connect (BLUES need this) Have flexibility built in, activity, variety (ORANGES need this) Have research, articles, process time (GREENS need this)

41. Let’s go to the Parking Lot… • You must address parking lot concerns at the end of all meetings. Remember especially your BLUES need that validation and open communication. • So what’s in our Parking Lot. • http://www.todaysmeet.com/RoyalOakHigh

42. Final reminders • This is all available on my Wiki- • http://russfacione.wikispaces.com Please contact me and I’d be happy to help. Russ Facione- Principal Bingham Farms Elementary School 248 203 3388 Office rf03bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us