Insights

So work provided an Insights Discovery training session today. It required me to wake up around 8am, which was exceedingly difficult. However, the session was really interesting and rather revealing. They were scarily accurate on their analysis of me based on just 25 questions. I also finally found out where everyone was getting those 4 colored Lego blocks.

Before I continue, here’s some background on the 4 types of energies:

• Cool Blue: Cautious, Precise, Deliberate, Questioning, Formal
• Earth Green: Collaborative, Encouraging, Mentoring, Patient, Relaxed
• Sunshine Yellow: Enthusiastic, Sociable, Dynamic, Demonstrative, Persuasive
• Fiery Red: Purposeful, Determined, Strong-willed, Competitive, Demanding

The above is just a small set of adjectives that described that particular energy. Each energy actually covers a lot more. All energies have strengths and weakness. Like anything, too much of a particular trait makes it a weakness. The training session was not only to inform us of what type of energies we utilize/prefer, but how to effectively communicate with others depending on their energy. That’s why there’s those 4 colored Lego blocks on my desk now and now I know to look for the 4 colored Lego blocks on others’ desks.

We did an interesting exercise where we had an energy circle taped to our back and had our colleagues rate where they think we are in the circle. Interestingly, 6 out of 9 people rated me as in between Cool Blue and Earth Green.

According to my report, these are my energy split:

• Cool Blue: 59%
• Earth Green: 86%
• Sunshine Yellow: 52%
• Fiery Red: 11%

Earth Green is definitely my dominant/primary energy as peace/harmony is something I valued highly. I didn’t realize my cool blue and sunshine yellow energy were that close. And it’s laughable that I have any fiery red energy.

There was a 2.5 pages which provided an overview of what type of person I am and it was accurate to the point that it was scary. Here are some statements I thought I shared:

• He is patient, flexible and usually easy to get along with, having little personal desire to dominate and control others.
• He will make an effort to remember names and birthdays and make his office or home a pleasant place in which to work.
• He tends to not show his private feelings, yet experiences a strong internal personal reaction to many situations and events.
• His strong sense of personal values may make him reserved around strangers whose values he feels may conflict with his own.
• He tends to take the things he does well for granted and usually underrates and understates himself.
• He may have a tendency to repress anger.
• Intent on keeping a low profile, he is quiet and reserved, especially around strangers.
• Building harmony, understanding and common acceptance is a life-long assignment for him.
• In conflict, he will listen to all sides before forming a conclusion and supporting a particular view.
• He will be deeply committed whenever he chooses to undertake a role or task.

These were some that I didn’t realize, but thinking about past experiences, it makes sense:

• His natural introversion does not prevent him from making critical and incisive comments with conviction and presence.
• He seeks to unite all parties in a controversy and can readily see the validity of alternative points of view.
• His quiet demeanor often allows him to get agreement to his alternative solutions.

If you disagree with any of the statements I’ve selected, please do tell. I’d be really interested in finding out what others think of me that do not match my view of myself.

The report contains a bunch of other interesting data like my possible strengths and weaknesses, do’s and don’ts on effectively communicating with me, and lots of other interesting data. Not everything stated really applies to me, but I didn’t even expect this much out of just 25 questions. I wonder if companies actually use these profiles to hire or even fire people.

One thing on the report that scares me is that it says he has a strong sense of duty and faithfulness, but little desire to impress or influence others. The statement is pretty true, but one of the things that Microsoft values highly is impact and influence. My lead has also reiterated that several times. Haha…