PROF 1303 Due Week 4

Personality Dimensions in Action

32 Marks

State your Plaid: [2 marks]

1. ____Green_______ (strongest colour)
2. _____Blue______ (next strongest colour)
3. ____Orange_______ (next colour)
4. ____Gold_______ (colour least like you)
Consider the strengths of each colour (whether it is ‘strong’ in you or not).

1.
a) In a brief paragraph for each colour, describe the typical times (roles) in your life you
use each colour.

Green: I love to go on adventures, such as hikes and neighborhood walks, and my

inquisitive and curious green personality is well suited for this.
Blue: I find that I tend to naturally lend support to those I know or work with, and I remain
optimistic in my daily life.
Orange: Orange suits me because it is both easy going and can be prone to not following
through. This relates to me, in that I have been called easy going by coworkers, and I also
sometime forget to follow though fully with some work tasks.
Gold: The characteristics of gold to be reliable and trustworthy come into play in my job. I
have been given access to information that other coworkers are not allowed, as my
employer considers me trustworthy and honest.

b) In what circumstances would you draw on the skills, talents, traits and/or qualities
from ‘Blue’, ‘Gold’, ‘Green’ and ‘Orange’.
c) What strengths or skills of that colour are you calling on in that role or situation?
[4 marks]
I would draw on the organizational skills of gold to improve my time management skills
when it comes to getting assignments done in advance.

When faced with a lack of public speaking confidence, I will draw on my orange nature, to
boost my confidence in my ability to inspire, motivate and make a good impression.

If I need to deliver criticism or feedback to a coworker, I will draw upon my blue traits to
ensure it is done kindly, appropriately, and isn’t delivered rudely.

When faced with criticism, I will need to use more of my green traits, in order to refrain from
getting overly emotional where it is not warranted.

2.
a) Explain what traits in your strongest colour energizes you or that you have the
strongest connection to.

My strongest colour is green, and one of the associated traits is a love of exploring the
unknown. I have a love for adventure, and I express it currently by going for walks,
countryside car drives, or hiking. I plan to go camping frequently in the future as well. I find
that even revisiting my memories of past trips is refreshing.

b) What traits in your weakest colour exhausts or frustrates you (traits that are least like
you)? Provide examples.
[4 marks]

My weakest colour is gold. I find that the gold trait that is the least like me is that of
‘always being prepared’. There have been many times I have been caught off-guard
by a phone call, and suddenly found myself wholly unprepared for the conversation,
despite knowing about the subject discussed.

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 I also find the strength of gold to be a group organizer and manager to be unlike me,
as I tend to prefer the role of background worker instead.
“That Really Pushes My Buttons!”

3.
a) Briefly describe the area of your work (present or past) that you enjoy the most. If
you’ve never had a job, what subjects at school did you most enjoy or sport did you
enjoy most and why? [2 marks]

I enjoy sending emails at work the most, as I can take the time to eloquently and
appropriately type out my message, and I enjoy learning from the responses I receive. I also
see other examples of business emails, which I may incorporate into my own email writing
style.

b) Briefly identify any connections you see between a career as an office administrator
and the strengths and preferences of your primary (strongest) colour.
Now that you are preparing for a career as an office administrator, what traits or
characteristics, of your primary colour, do you think will help you in this career? How
and why? [4 marks]

My green traits of setting high standards, gathering information and usage of precise
language are all essential in an office administrator job. With high standards, I will ensure
my approach ensures the highest quality of assistance to those I work for, and those I work
with or interact with. Gathering the correct information to input into records and charts is
vital to do in such a job. I will need to ensure I use the proper medical terms and input the
exact names as well.

c) Now that you have your Personality Dimensions colour blend, in an interview, when
an interviewer asks you to share some of your strengths, what strengths, qualities or
characteristics would you share with them in response to this question? How would
you support these traits with real world examples? [3 marks]

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 I would mention that I am trustworthy and honest, and because of that, I was given
unique work tasks. I would highlight my ability to handle sensitive and confidential
information in my current workplace. I would also let them employer know that I have
been told multiple times that I bring a calm atmosphere with me, and it has led to
coworkers feeling more comfortable in the workplace, and reduced their feelings of
stress during busy work days.
4.
a) Briefly describe any professional responsibility or situation you don’t like and identify
any connections you see between this situation/responsibility and your Personality
Dimension plaid. Why do you think you don’t like it or become frustrated? [2 marks]

I don’t like being a manager for my fellow coworkers. This is something that those with
strong gold traits would enjoy. I scored lowest in gold, and as such, I don’t enjoy this
type of job role. I believe I dislike this role because I have little experience in it and am
often uncertain of how best to direct them. I would prefer to pass on the tasks to them,
rather than be the source of them.

b) Briefly describe how you respond when an interviewer asks you to share a
weakness (consider you lowest colour); now that you have completed Personality
Dimensions, what challenges or characteristics would you share with them?
Once you have indicated the weakness or challenge, how would you show that you
have strategies or skills to compensate/minimize this weakness?
[2 marks]

My main weakness is a lack of completion with certain long-term tasks, due to simply
forgetting about them. I would compensate for this by setting helpful and timely reminders
as needed, so that long-term tasks are fully completed.

5.
a) Briefly describe a situation in which you have experienced conflict with someone, or
experienced difficulty understanding/communicating/relating with someone within a
work/academic/team setting. [2 marks]

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I encountered a conflict in a previous college program, where someone wished to borrow a
textbook from me and not buy their own. They wanted me to lend mine to them, whenever
they needed it for their assignments.

b) What do you think the primary colour of the person might be? [1 mark]

I believe they might have been a compulsive orange. Bending or breaking rules is also
listed as a weakness of orange.

c) Consider your response to 5b) and your own Personality Dimensions primary colour.
Using what you have learned so far about distinct personalities and other ‘colours’
needs and values (refer to the booklet in your package), identify three steps you
could take which could help to minimize the conflict between you and help to engage
the other person (reflect on their colour needs).

I would ask them to slow down and consider if they can afford to buy their own textbook.
I would let them know that if they have their own textbook, they have more control over their
ability to complete their assignments.
I would point out that the immediate result they are focused on is not the same as the long-
term result. (They were able to borrow my textbook once, but after that I told them they
would have to purchase their own, as they showed no concern for my schedule.)

d) Include an explanation of why, or how, these steps could be helpful. If you wish, you
may ask for ideas or advice from a peer or classmate who has identified as the same
primary colour as the person you indicated in 5b. [4 marks]

These steps would prevent them from needing my textbook, as they would purchase their
own copy. If they understand that I may at some point refuse to lend my textbook, they
would hopefully be less likely to ask for it or would cease their request altogether. It would
also hopefully dissuade any similar requests in the future.

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6. What is your biggest take away from participating in the Personality Dimensions
activities this week during class? [1 mark]

It has reinforced some thoughts I had about my strengths, weakness and traits that I
only suspected before. I have a better idea of areas I may need to improve in.