Conference Keynote Presentation and Workshop
This workshop and keynote conference presentation is great fun and really practical - and, as you can guess from the pictures, is delivered with a sense of humour!
The Keynote and activities seeks to energise, engage and entertain your conference participants in a model of communication that they can immediately apply. One Senior head of department said that the activities involved were the "most affirming" she had ever experienced. Our colour-shape system, based on Dr Susan Dellinger‘s popular Psycho-Geometrics and Insights Colour Energies, will help participants understand themselves and others better, and develop the insights necessary to adapt their style to those of others. The system celebrates the richness of human diversity whilst recognising the irresistible power of tuning in to someone else‘s wavelength. It‘s great to understand, and to be understood!
As a result of engaging in this interactive presentation, participants will walk away with two important additions to their repertoire:
Moments are a way of calling for a new mode of behaviour or flagging up the fact that you wish to be in a certain mode. There are four moments:
Codes are a way of indicating to a colleague who is "in the know" what mood or tone they feel a meeting is in. There are four codes:
Having this new language will help greatly enhance the quality of our interactions with others.
Participants (where there is budget for this) also walk away with a laminated set of summary cards to help them integrate, personalise and apply their skills from this moment forwards. They will also develop an empowered sense that they can really - "Choose the Shape They Are In" - thus taking responsibility for "The Shape of Things to Come."
When someone is having a "Square Moment" or giving off a "Code Blue" message, their body language will always look thoughtful. You may even see the tell-tale furrowed brow of inner reflection. When they talk, it will be with the emphasis on a measured pace and with a great deal of thoughtful detail. Careful, considered, sensible - a Code Blue, Square Moment is clearly broadcast for all to tune in to. To say to a colleague that you are recognising a "Code Blue" situation is to say to them that the meeting needs to be at a steady pace, with thorough attention paid to detail and due process. To call for a "Square Moment" in a meeting or conversation is to signal clearly to your colleagues that we need to respect the requirement for detailed analysis and research. In fact the joy of the Square is that it has literally "all the right angles" - and Squares like to "tick boxes" and get everything "just right". Squares are very aware of the lessons of history, and will often refer to what has been tried in the past. Square Moments are often accompanied by a movement away from risk or danger. "Cautious" is the Blue Square Moment‘s middle name.
When someone is having a "Triangle Moment" or giving off a "Code Red" message, their body language will be driven and forceful. They have a "presence" that demands action - and may appear fidgetty, keen to get or, or even impatient! This is because when we are in this mode of communication, we have a dire need for a sense of progress and movement towards our goals. To say to a colleague that you are recognising a "Code Red" situation is to say to them that the meeting needs to refocus on outputs and also needs to pick up the pace. To call for a "Triangle Moment" is to signal clearly that the conversation needs to stick to or get to literally "the point" - because the Triangle has all the key points. Triangles tend to live for the "Now" and want results "yesterday". They are strategic, and will think about their future plans and aspirations, but are most interested in what they can do, right here, right now to make a difference. They are Change Agents - or "Change Catalysts" to be more specific. "Danger" is the Red Triangle‘s middle name - and it‘s interesting that the Red Triangle is almost universally used for warnings on road signs.
Circle Moments are characterised by reaching out to others. Circles have "a circle of friends" or "a circle of influence" and they tend to "move in circles". This means that having a "Circle Moment" or noticing a "Code Green" signal (whichever you prefer) is often linked to "kind" gestures in body language and soft words in both tone and pace. When we are in Circle mode, we are very obviously respectful of others, polite and often self-effacing. Circles don‘t boast, they are not rude, they are not envious, they are not easily angered - they are very loving, loyal and great at listening. To say to someone that you are having a "Circle Moment" means that you either need a hug, or that they need to listen more deeply to your true feelings and concerns. Code Green meetings usually have more doughnuts and biscuits, good coffee and tea (Fairtrade) than any other kind of meeting! "Respect" and "Kindness" are the Green Circle‘s middle names - they love the Planet, value quality of life - and love and value you too. Circles like stability, harmony and safety.
Only someone having a "Squiggle Moment" would dare to pull a face like this! A Squiggle Moment is where you give yourself permission to release your "inner child" and have fun. It is the naturally creative state - and can be the life-force ("life and soul") of any party. "Code Yellow" situations are easy to spot - there‘s lots of noise, energy, activity - and usually not much focus! To say you‘re having a "Squiggle Moment" is to say that you need the meeting to "lighten up" and "chill out" a bit more. It says you want to play - to be a team contributer - but that the word "play" is key to the meeting‘s success - it needs to be fun. If you call for a "Squiggle Moment" it means that we need more inspiration, innovation or out-of-the-box approaches to the task before us. Squiggles have their eyes firmly on the future. "Adventure" is the Golden Squiggle‘s middle name.
The key learning for us as communication professionals is that we can choose the shape we‘re in. Once we‘ve learned to spot the tell-tale signs, we can then adapt ourselves to the needs of every situation. This promotes rapport, excellent team spirit and is very satisfying.
Disclaimer The opinions expressed herein are my own personal opinions and do not represent my employer's view in any way.