The Language of Colours and Symbols

Recently, a few people have asked me where the names, colours, and symbols came from in Personality Dimensions; there isn’t really an easy answer, but it does make for a good post! One of the things that sets Personality Dimensions apart, and makes it easy to remember, is the combination of colours and symbols with descriptors.  A lot of research and testing went into making it what it is. Personality Dimensions isn’t the creation of just one person, it’s the result of feedback from experts, facilitators, and end users, from a variety of backgrounds and fields. The goal was to create something different, and not just create another version of something that came before it. Several years of work went into Personality Dimensions before it was first published in 2004; and that’s on top of the decades of research on personality type and temperament theory that came before. As part of the research behind Personality Dimensions, we held focus groups; and a lot of them.

So, why Authentic Blue 🤲, Inquiring Green ❔, Resourceful Orange ✔️, and Organized Gold ❕  ?

Working with experts in personality type and temperament, the assessment was finalized, but the four different dimensions still didn’t have unique identifiers, so we turned again to focus groups. The authors and researchers presented different options based on previous models, as well as their own ideas.

Colourful Personalities

When making a short list of colours, the researchers and authors looked at characteristics that are often associated with individual colours. Many were considered, but it came down to the four you see today.

Blue is often associated with calmness and tranquility. It is reminiscent of the sky and the ocean, which can evoke a sense of peace and relaxation. Many businesses use blue in their branding because it is perceived as a colour of trustworthiness and reliability. In some cultural and spiritual contexts, blue represents depth and wisdom. It can be associated with introspection and the infinite, like the deep blue sea or the vast sky.

Green is widely associated with nature, plants, and growth. It symbolizes renewal, life, and energy due to its presence in the natural world. In some cultures, green is associated with money and wealth, particularly in the context of financial growth and stability. Green has also become a universal symbol for environmentalism and sustainability, representing efforts to protect the planet and promote eco-friendly practices.

Gold signifies power, authority, and influence. It is often used in insignia, medals, and regalia to show high rank and honour. It’s linked to excellence and achievement, symbolizing the highest standards; first place medals and trophies in sports are usually gold. It is considered a symbol of purity and perfection. Gold is often associated with unblemished and uncorrupted qualities. It also has a warm, radiant quality that can evoke feelings of comfort and positivity, and is used to create a welcoming and luxurious atmosphere.

Orange is often associated with energy, enthusiasm, and excitement. It is a vibrant and stimulating colour that can evoke feelings of warmth and motivation. It is linked to creativity and innovation, inspiring thinking and the generation of new ideas. It is often used in branding for companies that want to appear forward-thinking and creative. Orange conveys friendliness, sociability, and approachability. It is seen as a fun and inviting colour, often used in marketing to create an exciting atmosphere.

These, along with other options, were put on the table for the focus groups to give their feedback on, and the consensus was that blue, green, gold, and orange best represented the core values for each dimension. Fun fact, the runner-up for gold was purple! But Organized Purple doesn’t have the same ring to it.

What’s In a Name?

When deciding on descriptor names to go with the colours, the researchers and authors turned to the focus groups to see what was the best fit for each dimension. With the help of a thesaurus, and lists of keywords taken from the assessment, they came up with a variety of options. It was a tough challenge; how do you sum up core values, traits, characteristics, and strengths in a single word, and make it sound good with the colour? These are just some of the names considered for the four dimensions:

Blue – authentic, people, harmonious, sincere, caring, optimistic, relationship, concerned, encouraging, supportive.

Green – inquiring, logical, rational, analytical, investigative, inquisitive, strategic, thinking, problem-solving, knowledgeable.

Gold – organized, traditional, practical, responsible, prepared, trustworthy, orderly, dependable, loyal, planning.

Orange – resourceful, action, risk-taker, improvising, jack-of-all-trades, freedom, results, adaptable, resilient, competitive.

But wait, there’s more!

It’s always an energizing moment when people discover their dimensions, and can make reference to their colours at work, at home, and in all aspects of life. But what about six months down the road, or even a couple of years? Being able to remember your own dimensions, and the ones of others, can be a challenge with everything going on in life. That’s why it was decided to add symbols to the names and colours. Without going into details on Dual Coding Theory, the research shows that you’re more likely to remember a concept if there are images associated with it. (Inquiring Greens, you can come back and click on the link later!)

Like the colours and names, several options were presented to the focus groups, along with a rationale for the choices. This is what came with the symbols that were decided on:

Authentic Blue 🤲 – Two hands together symbolize unity, partnership, and collaboration. It signifies coming together in harmony and cooperation towards a common goal or purpose. It generally symbolizes equality and inclusion, emphasizing the importance of unity and cooperation among diverse groups or communities. The gesture of hands connecting symbolizes healing, comfort, and compassion. It signifies emotional support and reassurance during difficult times.

Inquiring Green ❔ – A question mark symbolizes a question or inquiry, representing curiosity and the desire to obtain information or clarification. It encourages exploration and open-ended thinking. It suggests that an issue or topic is open for discussion and not yet resolved. The question mark can create a sense of mystery and intrigue, suggesting that there is more to be discovered or understood.

Organized Gold ✔️ – In quality control and standardization processes, a check mark denotes that an item or procedure meets certain standards or criteria. It signifies compliance and quality assurance. A check mark is used to verify or validate information. It confirms that data or details have been reviewed and are accurate or valid. It indicates that something is correct, satisfactory, or has been completed successfully

Resourceful Orange ❕ – In informal writing, an exclamation mark is commonly used to convey joy, enthusiasm, or excitement. It can make the tone of the message more positive and lively. An exclamation mark can denote a command or an imperative statement. It suggests that immediate action or attention is required. It adds a strong emotional component to a sentence, indicating excitement, surprise, or urgency.

The tldr of it all, is that a number of people who are experts in this stuff, shared their ideas with even more people, and they determined what described them the best. Personality Dimensions, was and continues to be a collaborative project. It’s the input from people who use it and experience it that has been the most valuable part of making it what it is today. Personality Dimensions doesn’t completely describe everyone to a T; can you imagine how many colours there would need to be!? Rather, it honours that fact that we are all a blend of colours and dimensions, some like to call it plaid. Everything that has happened in your life, influences who you are today, and you don’t get there by being put into a little box.

Brad Whitehorn – BA, CCDP is a lifelong Introvert, and the Associate Director at CLSR Inc.  He was thrown into the career development field headfirst after completing a Communications degree in 2005, and hasn’t looked back!  Since then, Brad has worked on the development, implementation and certification for various career and personality assessments (including Personality Dimensions®), making sure that Career Development Practitioners and HR Professionals get the right tools to do their best work.