It's not easy being green

I went to this big church meeting yesterday morning that was kind of like a cross between a leadership retreat and coffee hour. The first half was a review of leadershippy things and the second half was the beginning of a conversation around long range planning and Molly was shuffled around the room the entire time. To people I didn't even know. This one guy wanted to hold the baby and five minutes later he asked, "Whose child am I holding?" And I was all, "Hey, I'm Maggie, nice to meet you."

(Jack stayed home with one of my sainted sisters, if you're dying to know. People probably would have shuffled him around too, but he's quite a bit heavier. And noisier. And rather reluctant to sit still.)

Anyway. I came home from this meeting brimming not with Churchy Vim and Vigor, but wanting to talk all about this personality test thing we did, which was BEYOND FASCINATING.

Okay, it wasn't a test. The woman leading the meeting put up descriptions of three types of people on the projector: red, green and blue. You were supposed to figure out which description best matched the kind of attitude or style you have when when making decisions in a group.

RED people are Do-ers. They act. They see the best solution and go for it. They don't like to sit around debating the pros and cons, they don't like to hash out all the options because OBVIOUSLY there is a RIGHT WAY TO DO SOMETHING and LET'S JUST DO IT. They are efficient and energetic, but they sometimes forget to consider impacts, effects, the future. They are thinking about Right Now and what needs to be done Right Now.

BLUE people are Visionaries. They looooove to dream out loud. A Blue can come up with a scenario for every possible outcome. They are slow to make decisions because they're thinking about every aspect of every choice. They like to discuss. They like to wonder. Certain things need to be weighed and tested and pored over.

GREEN people are Detailed. Green people think about how to implement a Red person's idea. Green people help Blue people make their ideas concrete. Green people often find themselves between an impatient Red person and an annoyed Blue person and attempt to help the group avoid conflict. They are people-oriented and seek harmony. Green people are people who can't commit to being Red or Blue.

On my own I am a Blue. On account of Phillip being true Blue in every way, I am a big fat flaming Red in my marriage. And in nearly any kind of group, I am greener than Kermit the Frog. I'm really good at figuring out how to do the things we want to do, but often pretty nervous to open my mouth lest I step on a Red's toes or interrupt a Blue's process. Can you say CONFLICT AVOIDANT?

So you decide who you are and then you go stand in the section of the room designated for your color. Then you talk to the other Greens (or Reds or Blues) about what it's like to be that color and what it's like to work with the other colors. It's SO! INTERESTING! I've done this exercise before, but this was the first time I knew a lot of the people doing it with me. I scoped out where my friends were and where the priest was and other people in my particular group. I have to say, it explains a lot.

For example! I'm an INFJ (oh yeah, busting out the hard core personality stuff now!) and one 'thing' about INFJs is that they tend to pluck a person's motivation out of whatever they're saying or doing. While you're talking to me I'm thinking, "Okay, what are they REALLY saying." (Honestly. I'm sorry. I don't MEAN to do this. It just HAPPENS.) When a Red person stood up yesterday and said he finds it annoying when a Green or Blue person "reads into" something he said, a couple of things clicked. I looked at the handful of people I knew in the Red group and thought, "OH." THAT'S why that interaction was off. Or weird. Or felt unfinished. Or something.

I don't know. It's entirely possible all this stuff is bunk and yes, of course we are hardly ONLY Red or Green or Blue, but it's STILL INTERESTING. And useful, for me anyway.

What color are you? Can you still be friends with a wishy washy Green?

Comments

[Arwen]

I am a total green, no question.

I am also, incidentally an NFJ (and usually show up on tests as just barely an E, but I think it depends on the circumstances).

Perhaps this is why I like you so much!

[Jen]

I think I am green too. But I am never good at analyzing myself on these sorts of things. I usually have to ask my husband what I am.

[Corey]

I'm a blue. Also, apparently, an INFJ. I had never heard of either, but wow, so me!

[Elizabeth]

I am the type that thinks I am all of the types and so I can't pick whichever one I am supposed to be. The uptight anal retentive one, that's the one I am.
But I am whatever type it takes to be friends with a wishy washy green, no doubt about it :)

[Sarah in Ottawa]

I LOVE personality tests, but I am having trouble slotting myself into this one. Perhaps a combination of blue and green? I think I am taking the "wishy washy" title!

I do know Myers-Briggs, though, and I am an ENFP (though J and P are close). My Dad, to whom I have always been close, is a textbook INFJ, and we spend HOURS about people's motivations in situations. My Mom (and my husband, to a certain extent) are Reds and do NOT enjoy these conversations.

[Charlotte]

I suppose I'm a red with blue tendencies. A thoughtful red. With Myers-Briggs/Kiersey I always end up as either an INTJ or INFP, no other combinations, it just depends on the day. I suppose I'm just odd. Greens are awesome.

[Wendy]

I worked at Myers-Briggs for a short while! Too short to have been give a free personality test (rats!) so I don't know what alphabet soup I am. But I think on the colors, I'm a red with a trim of green. I'm all about Christmas!

[Tara]

In most situations I think I'm green. In group settings I often find myself trying to be the diplomat, and on my own I take forever to make decisions. Last time I took a Myers-Briggs I was INFJ, but so was my husband, and that makes no sense to me whatsoever. :) Maybe he copied me.

[Kate P]

I'm a blue, and I get that from my mom, and it drives my dad (red) totally crazy. He always wants us to shut up and deal with stuff instead of sitting around questioning and analyzing it.

Yet another INFJ here--it's the only result I get consistently. It always baffles me that the results say it's a rare personality type--maybe we all just manage to find each other?