As we looked at ways to incorporate True Colors® into our daily work at the University Unions, the value of sharing that experience with our student leaders was clear. It would help guide our interactions, streamline event planning and help us all navigate difficult conversations. Additionally, it was a great reminder for our students that learning is a lifelong process; no matter how much you know or how long you’ve been working there is always more to learn about yourself.
While we had already shared our brightest colors with each other, being able to do so with our students gave them a better awareness of our personalities. That awareness provided insight into what made us all tick. It also made the staff seem more “real” when they learned that we too color-coded our closets (or, had never considered it, depending on our colors). The common language that we had been developing as a staff around our colors could now be shared with our students and it provided everyone with a stronger foundation for communication.
Introducing the program opened the door for students and their individual advisors to discuss expectations of each other using their new True Colors® lens. What do deadlines mean when an advisor is a bright orange and all of her advisees are bright gold? Who will make sure that the group is checking in with each other emotionally when there are no blues? What practical applications will this information have throughout the course of the year? Being able to start all of those conversations from the same framework and with the knowledge that we all approach our work from our own unique color perspective has been invaluable.
Interested in learning more about True Colors® for your student leaders? Request a workshop.
Jennifer Zamora
Director for Student Programs, University Unions