Purple dots are everywhere…you know the people. They are constantly talking – even to themselves in the supermarkets. There doesn’t appear to be any stopping and thinking. And actually that is exactly right – purple dots don’t stop to think as they don’t need to. They process information by talking about it. We don’t feel quite so self conscious at the lights now talking to ourselves…as people assume we are talking on our hands free mobiles.
These are the family members or work colleagues that you might send to the workshop to get you a hammer. Three hours later they return without the hammer, having half done 7 other jobs… they have every application on their computer open at once, to other people they don’t seem to be very organised or focused when completing tasks and have the habit of being late to meetings. We just process information in a different way from you other dots.
(Note from the purple dot author – yes I have 7 applications open at the moment, I’m halfway through getting dinner prepared, doing internet banking and have stopped to make 3 phone calls – this is me focusing on getting this article done!)
Red dots – hang in here. If you’ve made it past the extremely purple opening paragraph you deserve a big gold star. You are superbly organised and you do process information by thinking everything through. In fact you will not open your mouth until you’ve thought everything through. It will be rational, logical and add up. You have a craving for facts.
You don’t like waffle and can find those purple dots incredibly irritating. They always seem pretty over the top to you. You’d probably concede that they have the odd really excellent idea, and to their credit they are fabulous at getting projects kicked off, people motivated and things happening… however you find it highly annoying when they don’t complete the last 20% of those projects. In your eyes you think that they have the attention span of a goldfish.
Thank goodness for the yellow dots of this world. They love to organise people and complete projects on time. Yellow dots can naturally spot typos from 30km away (a small purple exaggeration – maybe 3km away then!). To the other dots, yellow dots can appear to be fussy and perfectionist in their tendencies. This isn’t the case at all. They just like things to look the way they like things to look.
If a yellow dot sets a table or organises their office in a certain way, then move things at your risk! Yellow dots process information by creating complex colourful pictures in their mind. They almost have a photographic memory. It pays not to change plans with a yellow dot at the last minute and always be on time when meeting them.
Finally we have the blue dots. These are the strong, hands on people who will ensure that the jobs actually get done. Our blue dots are intuitive – they can size up a situation by how it feels to them. They process information by getting a feel for it. This is hard to explain as the process is a feeling process. If you are blue dot, you don’t need to read this article closely and distill the facts, think it through or create a picture in your mind, you just need to get a sense or a feel for the information presented. Blue dots tend to do more listening than talking. They sense what is really happening in situation.
All communication breakdowns occur when one or both parties expect, assume or demand. If you have an understanding o f how the different dots process information, you are less likely to expect, assume or demand. This means clearer communication, less confusion, lower stress levels, happier staff, greater efficiency and improved client service. (Also sets you up for a happier family life too!)
Of course we are all a mix of all 4 dots, but predominantly work out of 1 or 2 dots. It certainly helps to identify what combination of dots you are, as well as what dot your boss is, your staff, team members and also your family members.
It is pointless asking a purple dot to work on something that requires detailed analysis. They’ll drown in detail – just give them the big picture of what is required and leave them to it. The yellows not only love detail, but they need to know when it is required. The reds need to know where they fit in the scheme of things and want the facts and figures. The blues need to know the why behind the project or task. Whether we are chief executives or truck drivers, parents or teachers, accountants or stock agents or business owners or employees.
New Zealander David Dickson spent 20 years researching communication models and personality profiling systems from around the world. In true kiwi spirit, he distilled the nuts and bolts from the fluff and developed “Get Dotted!” – a simple yet meaningful effective communication tool. “Get Dotted!” is being embraced by corporates, organisations, businesses, communities, schools & families throughout New Zealand & Australia.
