The Matrixx sytem is a testing method for determining differences in personality types. It breaks personalities down in to colors. In our LQ class they talked about the different personalities and how they tend to interact with their environment during good times and during stressful times. The information is primarily aimed at job performance, but relates really well to the personal life as well. I thought I’d try to take some of the information and put it together for some tidbits for thought.

The four colors are Blue, Gold, Green, and Orange. When you test you score in each color, with the highest being your primary color and on down from there. One gal in the class was practically even between the four. The instructor told her that meant she was completely flexible and would act according to her environment. I was very strong in 3, and got the lowest possible score in one – which meant simply that I don’t excel at the things that personality type is good at (organization, being on time, consistency). But because of my job I am forced to improve in that area all the time. And we CAN!! Just because we’re high in one function and low in another, does not mean we can’t learn new skills to do better – it just means it won’t come naturally.

In relation to the MBTI (Myers Briggs or Kiersey):

#1 color - #2 or #3 color
Blue – Gold-------------NFJ
Blue – Orange-----------NFP
Green – Gold------------NTJ
Green – Orange----------NTP
Orange – Green----------STP
Orange – Blue-----------SFP
Gold – Green------------STJ
Gold – Blue-------------SFJ


If you already have taken the Myers Briggs or Keirsey test (www.advisorteam.com) and know your personality type (ex. ENFP) you can get a pretty good idea of your color order by the guide above (ex. Blue-Orange). To really know what you score you’d have to take the test, however, and they aren’t available online at this time. The test has several sections, but the main scoring section I can include below, so you can get some idea of what your range would be.

The actual test has 4 cards in the colors. On one side of the card are pictures. You look at them and put the cards in order of 1st preference on down. (I can’t really include that here) The other side of the card has several paragraphs that you read through, and again, put the cards in the order that most fits, to least fits. I will include those descriptions with the color characteristics below (in italics). If you kind of skim them you should be able to pretty well determine which colors you feel fit you best, on down to least. Give yourself a score of 4 for the most, on down to 1 for the color that least fits you. Then take the survey questions below and score yourself.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Survey Questions:

1. I like to:
_____a. make quick decisions and impact people around me
_____b. Think about questions people usually don’t ask and develop solutions
_____c. Show empathy for the needs of others
_____d. Have others depend on me

2. The best way for someone to show me they love me is:
_____a. To surprise me with something
_____b. To allow me to be myself
_____c. To spend time with me, talking, listening and sharing feelings
_____d. To do the things I’ve asked them to do

3. In a relationship I like to provide:
_____a. Excitement and variety
_____b. Objectivity and independence
_____c. Love and compassion
_____d. Stability and security

4. I like to:
_____a. Be impulsive and act freely
_____b. Provide competent/intelligent input
_____c. Help maintain a sense of harmony and togetherness
_____d. Be responsible and dependable

5. The quality or strength I can be counted on to display is:
_____a. Courage
_____b. Intelligence
_____c. Understanding
_____d. Responsibility

6. When I look at things around me I seek:
_____a. Excitement
_____b. The reasons why/explanations
_____c. Peace and harmony
_____d. Order and structure

7. People who know me best would say I am:
_____a. Zealous and competitive
_____b. reserved and methodical
_____c. emotional and sensitive to feelings
_____d. dedicated and traditional

8. I have a great need (desire) to be:
_____a. Free and spontaneous
_____b. Competent and logical
_____c. Accepted and appreciated by others
_____d. In control of my surroundings

9. When I am feeling discouraged I most often:
_____a. Become defiant and rude
_____b. Withdraw or become sarcastic
_____c. Cry or feel sad
_____d. Feel a lot of self pity

10. In a social situation with friends or colleagues I usually:
_____a. Have fun and enjoy it
_____b. Talk quietly with one or two people
_____c. Make sure others are happy, accepted and having a good time
_____d. Pitch in and do what is needed to ensure a successful event


Above are 10 incomplete questions that describe people. Each sentence has 4 possible endings. Give 4 points to the phrase that is most like you, and on down to 1 point for the phrase that is least like you. After taking the survey, add up your scores for each letter. Oranges are A answers, Greens are B, Blues are C, and Golds are D.


Add your score to the one above and you should have a fairly close assessment of your color characteristics and how strong you are in each.


____________________________________________________________________________

ORANGE

Oranges are sensory, perceptive people. They must be free to act. Action or ‘doing’ carries it’s own reward. They do things for the joy of doing. They choose to be impulsive – to act upon the idea of movement. This is the free spirit who takes pride in his or her freedom beyond all else.

An Orange would say:
Some words to describe me are immediate, generous, witty, spontaneous, competitor, performer, trouble-shooter, optimistic, eager, charming, courageous, independent, willing, reactive, fearless, excitable, enthusiastic, adaptable, easy-going, mechanical, compromising, persuasive, wild, fun and crazy.

I am fun-loving by nature. I have lots of energy to try new and exciting things. I am comfortable performing in front of others and love the opportunity to show what I can do. I am talented and skillful.

I am easily bored and grow restless with routine and structured jobs or activities. I need the freedom to go and do what I want. I love to use tools that make my job easier. I have a hard time following rules and regulations or respecting authority. Neatness and tidiness are not my greatest strengths.

I love relationships where I can enjoy my favorite activities and interests and where we can explore new things together. I am bold and seek physical contact and competition. Physical relationships are very important to me. I love to surprise those I care about with extravagant, off the wall things. I especially love to be spontaneous and do things on a moments notice.

I learn by and through my experiences. I would rather figure it out myself than ask for help. I constantly look for excitement and I love to be in places where there are lots of exciting people. I see life as a big game or party and I want to make sure that I can take in as much excitement as possible.

An Orange:
• expects quick action.
• Assumes flexibility.
• Works in the here and now.
• Welcomes change.
• Institutes change quickly.
• expects people to ‘make it fun’.

You can value an orange person by:
• providing them opportunities for self expression
• being their audience
• providing them opportunities for quick action
• providing opportunities to defy risk
• giving them frequent change
• being their cheering section
• providing opportunities to challenge their imagination
• giving them a chance to experience things that are new, novel and exciting

To succeed with an orange friend:
• be active with them, don’t slow them down
• be spontaneous and fun, not a heavy
• compete in fun
• be adventuresome and optimistic
• be energetic and ready to go
• don’t ask them to do things that require a lot of detail planning.

When under stress an Orange will (or may appear):
• confrontational
• blame
• manipulative
• over eager
• impulsive
• inconsistent
• superficial
• unrealistic

Oranges are irritated or stressed by:
• too much responsibility
• redundance
• deadlines
• rules and regulations
• being stuck at a desk
• non-negotiable and imposed structures
• requirements to read manuals and ‘how-to’ directions
• too much attention to product and not enough to performance
• abstract concepts
• boredom
• routine

Behavior in times of high esteem:
• acts boldly and is direct
• risk taking behavior
• acts impulsively and spontaneously
• seeks adventure
• wants ‘hands on’ activities
• is assertive and to the point
• is extremely physical

Behavior when feeling at risk:
• acts rude or defiant
• breaks the rules on purpose
• runs away, drops out
• involved with drugs
• acts out boisterously
• lying and cheating behavior
• violent behavior

Ideas for positive reinforcement and reward:
• outcome based, SHORT TERM goals
• focus on behavior and performance more than the finished product
• reward by freeing them to act on their own initiative
• tangible rewards and competitive situations create stronger incentives
• set high expectations which challenge their skills so they know they have EARNED the recognition they received
• clearly identify the impact their performance has on the organization.

____________________________________________________________________

BLUE

Blues are intuitive, feeling people who value being genuine and real. They must be their ‘real selves’. They search for their unique identity and live their lives as an expression of it. For them, integrity means behaving in ways that are true to their inner beliefs.

A Blue would say:
Some words that describe me are peaceful, sincere, spiritual, subjective, sympathetic, insightful, caring, compassionate, personal, empathetic, romantic, humane, nice, poetic, sensitive, accepting, patient, giving and true.

I am nurturing by nature. I have a vivid imagination and love to talk with others about the way I feel and to learn about their feelings. I will do almost anything to avoid conflict or a confrontation. I am drawn to the helping professions where I feel I can have a greater influence on others and help them discover ways to live more significant lives.

I am a true romantic. I tend to follow my heart rather than my head. I believe in true love and living happily ever after. People are the most important things to me. I enjoy sending and receiving symbols of love, caring or concern such as flowers, poetry, and thoughtful notes. I look for the true meaning or real significance of life.

I respond well to encouragement and seek opportunities where everyone can be successful – where there are no losers. I’m not highly competitive. Spiritual things are very important to me. I have great motivational skills, but I am best known as a communicator. I am a deeply devoted and committed friend. I seek sincere people and value unity and integrity in my relationships.

A Blue:
• expects others to express their views.
• Assumes a ‘family spirit’.
• Works to develop others potential.
• Democratic, unstructured approach.
• Encourages change via human potential.
• Provides time for development of sense of security during change.
• Expects people to develop their potential.

You can value a blue by:
• accepting them for who they are
• reassuring them of their self-worth
• providing personal recognition for accomplishment
• providing opportunities to please those in authority
• creating a harmonious environment with opportunities to maintain it
• providing opportunities to use their communicative abilities
• providing opportunities to motivate and add enthusiasm to group situations

To Succeed with a Blue friend:
• spend quality time one-on-one with them
• be aware they wear their heart on their sleeve
• listen to them as they listen to you
• be supportive
• share your thoughts and feelings
• praise their imagination and creativity

When under stress a Blue will (appear):
• submit
• submissive
• passive
• dependent
• hesitant
• defensive
• indecisive

Blues are irritated or stressed by:
• broken promises
• too much negative criticism
• talking behind backs
• paperwork as priority
• clock watching
• conflict
• insincerity
• lying
• lack of social contacts
• compared to others and not evaluated on their own merits

Behavior in times of high esteem:
• appreciates everything and everyone
• behaves with honesty and integrity
• likes team work and communicates easily
• creates things to make life better
• contagiously enthusiastic; expresses feelings
• is cooperative and encourages others
• is calm and strives for peace and harmony

Behavior when feeling at risk:
• attention-getting behavior
• withdraws
• fantasizes, daydreams excessively
• cries and appears depressed
• behaves in passive, resistant ways
• expresses emotion by yelling and screaming

Ideas for positive reinforcement and reward:
• clearly outline your expectations for performance in a friendly way
• recognize their contributions often
• identify rewards for achievement, individually and in teams. This builds cooperation and excitement.
• express comments in feeling terms
• provide physical and personal contact through pats on the back or light touch of approval
• recognize their creativity and the depth of feeling that they put in to their work

_____________________________________________________________________________

GREEN

Greens are intuitive, thinking people. They seek competence in themselves and others. They need to understand and control life.

A Green would say:
Some words that describe me are complex, curious, abstract, exacting, independent, ingenious, intellectual, research-oriented, inventive, logical, scientific, cool, calm, collected, theoretical and analytical.

I am non-conforming by nature. I think in abstract terms and I am always curious. I take time to analyze things. I ponder and struggle over decisions to be certain I don’t make a mistake. I am inventive and like to explore new ways to do things.

I am independent and because of this people often think I am impersonal. The truth is that I am more comfortable with things than people. I do not like to talk about feelings. I strive to keep my head in charge of my heart. When my emotions begin to control me, I become uneasy. Relationships are important, but once they are established and my feelings are expressed, it is time to move on to the more important business of life. (I told you I loved you when I married you, why would I need to tell you that again? I’ll let you know if it changes.)

I love to work as long as I am constantly challenged. I’m often referred to as a workaholic. When I have developed a concept or an idea in to a working model, I prefer to move on to new challenges and leave the maintenance duties to someone else.

I question authority and have to respect someone before I value their advice. I am impatient with routines. I can get hooked on acquiring and storing knowledge. When I look at problems I don’t see black and white answers, only endless possibilities.

A Green:
• expects intelligence and competence.
• Assumes task relevancy.
• Seeks ways to improve systems.
• A visionary.
• Analytical approach.
• Encourages change for improvement.
• Constantly ‘in process’ of change.
• Expects people to follow-through

You can value a green by:
• assisting them in choosing tasks that are difficult, challenging and potentially successful
• providing feedback on the quality of their work
• providing opportunities to increase knowledge and build competence
• recognizing their successes
• providing opportunities to build logical processes
• providing opportunities to display their competency
• allowing patient answers to many questions from a curious mind
• giving them a chance to seek options to situations

To succeed with a Green friend:
• be aware of the curiosity about life
• give them things that challenge their problem solving abilities
• know they care even though they may not show their feelings easily
• respect their invention and ideas

When under stress a Green may:
• withdraw
• appear over-reliant on data
• resists change
• appear slow to act
• appear slow to being work
• unable to meet deadlines
• appear resentful

Greens are irritated or stressed by:
• lack of control
• lack of independence
• incompetence
• emotional displays
• lack of options
• routine
• small talk
• social functions
• elaborate use of adjectives
• subjective judgment
• surprise
• unpredictability
• redundance

Behavior in times of high esteem:
• questions and explores ideas
• considers others ideas
• works independently
• pleasant but not very involved socially
• thrives on own work and ingenuity
• strives for improvement
• has high expectations

Behavior when feeling at risk:
• behaves indecisively
• refuses to comply or cooperate
• extreme aloofness and withdrawn
• ‘snobbish’ put downs and sarcastic remarks
• refusal to communicate
• perfection tied to performance anxiety
• highly critical attitudes towards self and others

Ideas for positive reinforcement and reward:
• give clear expectations of outcomes with the latitude to figure out how to accomplish them
• provide sincere recognition only when warranted. This group does not appreciate ‘hooplah’.
• assign tasks requiring designing new models or thinking up new approaches
• compliment relating to his/her intelligence
• reinforce them by allowing their contributions and knowledge to help provide in completing projects.

_______________________________________________________________________


GOLD

Golds are sensory, judging people. Above all they must belong. No matter what social unit is involved, they must earn a place of belonging by being useful, fulfilling responsibilities, by being of service. They give and care for others instead of receiving themselves.

A Gold would say:
Some words to describe me are sensible, practical, organized, provider, parental, stable, thorough, punctual, dependable, painstaking, conservative, detailed, solid, hard-working, consistent, structured, positive, predictable, and reliable.

I am stable and dependable by nature. I can stick to detailed tasks and see them through. Because of this, I am the person others come to when they need a job done. I am highly responsible and believe that work comes before play. I am neat, orderly and well organized.

I follow rules and procedures and have a deep respect for regulations and authority. I am not comfortable in unstructured situations. I am serious-minded and have traditional and conservative views of love and marriage. I show my love for others through the security I provide and practical things that I do. I am dedicated and hard working. I have a definite sense of what is right and wrong and I like things to be done the right way.

It is important to me to be punctual. I am uncomfortable with change. I am often motivated by feelings of guilt or what ‘should be’. I am loyal and faithful in my relationships.

A Gold:
• expect punctuality, order, loyalty.
• Assumes there is a ‘right’ way to do things.
• Seldom questions tradition.
• Is rules oriented.
• Detailed, thorough approach.
• Threatened by change if not proven ‘right’.
• Prolonged time to initiate change.
• Expects people to ‘play their roles’.

You can value a Gold by:
• providing clear and specific feedback on behavior and endeavors
• setting definitive rules, regulations, and constraints
• honoring evidence of success with concrete rewards
• providing opportunities to demonstrate responsible conduct
• providing opportunities to demonstrate leadership qualities
• providing opportunities to organize people or things
• accepting them as an important part of the group

To succeed with a Gold friend:
• remember to be on time
• try to be extra organized an efficient
• return things you borrow
• do what you say you will do
• be dependable and loyal
• respect their need for security

When under stress a Gold will:
• dictate
• appear restless
• be blunt
• appear intrusive
• be irritable
• appear pushy and aggressive
• appear uncooperative

Golds are irritated or stressed by:
• incomplete tasks
• ambiguous answers
• disorganization
• people who don’t follow through
• irresponsibility in others
• too many things going on at the same time
• haphazard attitude
• changing details
• inefficiency
• indecision

Behavior in times of high esteem:
• task and structure focused
• serious attitude
• likes to do things to help
• cares for own body and health
• direct but cautious
• cooperative and obedient to rules
• respects authority
• is dependable and reliable

Behavior when feeling at risk:
• complains and behaves with self-pity
• exhibits anxiety and worry
• is depressed and acts fatigued
• malicious in judgment of self and others
• authoritarian in manner
• exhibits phobic reactions

Ideas for positive reinforcement and reward:
• clearly established expectations in short and long term goals
• give specific measures of their performance and achievement
• tangible rewards
• provide clear, specific feedback regarding the work accomplished and its contribution to the organization
• tradition, rituals, and ceremonies are meaningful. When preplanned they provide incentive for performance
• hierarchical structure and clearly defined roles aid a Gold in performance

I took this test years ago (decades really) when I was in grad school!

I cannot remember what my color was back then... but I recall the test was useful.

I wonder, does one's color change with gray hair? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

Pep

"I wonder, does one's color change with gray hair?"

Maybe not, but you might get 'contrastier'!

-ol' 2long

Nope. The gal who gave us the test said that while you may become less 'extreme' in your scoring between one area and another and although you can learn skills to better adjust to different situations - you're basic personality will still stay the same.

Orange was my primary color - but I am positive I am more blue. And my Myers Briggs matches the Blue-Orange profiling as well - so I was a little off on my scores. Maybe I was just feeling really 'orange' that day! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

I am a green now. There was a mere 2 point difference between green and blue... significant?

Pep

<small>[ May 27, 2004, 10:20 AM: Message edited by: Pepperband ]</small>

My W would probably be an orange.

I'm a deep aquamarine blue

I've got a Hawaiian shirt that combines those colors!

<small>[ May 27, 2004, 10:29 AM: Message edited by: 2long ]</small>

i did it and i am an orange first, then 2 points behind is blue. green was the lowest.

as a master colorist i find it funny that im an orange/blue---in colorists lives these two colors cancell each other out. i allway knew i was neutral!!!!!

**BUMP**

Hope4future,

Thanks for this, I love personality tests etc. and found this thread very interesting! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" /> I’ve received the highest score for Blue and then Gold was a view points behind. Where can I find descriptions for “mixed” colours like Blue-Gold etc? If possible can you also post it here? Thank you,
Suzet