Going Green: How to Tap Into Your Analytical Side

Are you good at collecting data, but bad at identifying what’s important about it? Do you struggle to see metaphors or connections that other people see? Do you find it hard to come up with ways to streamline processes?

Analytics, abstract thinking and creative problem-solving are all qualities of a particular personality type, which on the True Colors spectrum is called “Green.” But even if you struggle with these qualities, they are still inside you. In True Colors language, we might say Green is your palest color.

At times, you may find the need to tap more deeply into your Green qualities. Maybe you need to conduct research, identify ongoing problems or find new opportunities with a process at work. Or you may need to relate to someone who has a bright Green personality.

Whatever the need, you can be more successful in those situations if you learn how to better access your Green traits. Here are a few ways to do that.

• Consider when your Green is brightest. First, think about when you have been most analytical or innovative in your life. What were the surrounding circumstances? What was the outcome? Can you recreate that environment?
• Think about a bright Green person you admire. Think about a curious or creative person you respect. What do you like about them? What value do they bring to your life or work?
• Remind yourself to ask “Why?” Write it on a sticky note on your desk or on your bathroom mirror to remind yourself to dig past the task or the data, and ask why it’s important. How could it affect people? What kind of difference could it make? This will help you decide where to focus your efforts and find practical uses for the information.
• Research symbolism. Try doing an online search about symbolism in a favorite book, movie or painting. You could even pick a strange dream you’ve had and Google the psychological associations of objects that appeared in it. This can help you find meaning in things that previously seemed strange to you: Why does the color purple often appear in death scenes in movies? Why do you sometimes dream that your teeth are falling out? This in turn can sharpen your ability to make creative connections.
• Go cloud watching. Practice looking for multiple objects in a single shape. It doesn’t have to be clouds – it could be constellations, Rorschach inkblots or even random objects around you. Imagine that basket as a hat, a boat or a spaghetti strainer. This can help you both identify patterns and consider new possibilities.
• Play Charades, Pictionary or Taboo. Games like these challenge conventional communication methods, forcing you to create or identify connections between otherwise disparate things: a hand motion to represent a word, a drawing to represent an idea, or even a word that you don’t typically associate with another word.
• Hack your routines. Sometimes thinking outside the box starts with thinking outside the routine. Identify some of the most time-consuming things in your life (besides the necessities, like work and sleep). Now make a list of ways you can make those things more efficient. E.g., meal planning can reduce your trips to the grocery store; designated times to read and answer emails can give you more time to focus at work.
• Try mind mapping. Mind mapping is a great way to practice big-picture thinking. It’s a type of brainstorming or note taking in which, instead of writing on a page from top to bottom, you write the central idea or goal in the middle of the page. Around it, branches extend to supporting ideas or ways to reach that goal. From there, smaller branches can extend with even more detail. This helps you focus on your goal while seeing how different ideas or details might support or hinder that goal.
• Make an effort for the Greens in your life. Finally, even if you have trouble “feeling Green” yourself, you can help the Greens you know be more successful if you can allow them freedom to alter processes, praise their competence and ingenuity, and give them time to think and work alone.