Q&A Interview with True Colors CEO Robert Cook

The following is a Q&A interview conducted during the 2019 SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition by Brett Farmiloe.
View the original Q&A here.

Who is True Colors!? Tell us everything, just as you would someone approaching your booth and asking you this question at #SHRM19 in Las Vegas.

True Colors is a global consulting and training company with a proven model for maximizing organizational performance through better people performance. For more than 40 years, True Colors has helped millions of people find personal success and dramatically improve their interpersonal relationships. Our user-friendly temperament and personality assessment program has helped people of all ages understand and recognize differences that lead to miscommunication and conflict.

We teach individuals and organizations how to identify and recognize different personalities, and to better understand themselves and others. By embracing each individual’s personality type and valuing their differences, teams can significantly improve communication and ultimately-performance.

The True Colors methodology has been used globally by corporations, non-profits, education, government and military institutions. Our clients include many of the most respected Fortune 500 companies and our methodology has also been seamlessly applied to smaller companies, individuals, and in family settings.

True Colors provides a myriad of choices as to how you can experience our unique system. From simple self-discovery utilizing online assessment to more in-depth insights through our workshops and certifications, there is a True Colors product to help you and your team achieve greater awareness and effectiveness through better communication.

Let us in on the magic. What’s the team building process like at True Colors? How do you utilize your own tech and processes to ensure communication and teamwork?

We TEACH Team building!

We are a relatively small team of committed coaching and consulting business veterans that are consistently in the weeds with our customers and facilitator network. We leverage closed network communications, email and social media to communicate with our network. Shortly, we will have a new True Colors App so that we can control our own network and better our specific messaging.

What are the biggest challenges companies face when establishing a new culture? How do they overcome those challenges?

Worker decentralization, increased mergers and acquisitions and managing newer generations of workers all present their own unique challenges to cultural unity and

engagement. Employee reward systems are changing every day. If organizations aren’t focused on effective communication cultural evolution becomes impossible.

What do you wish more HR professionals knew about team building and communication?

HR professionals and all upper management need to realize that today’s employee value more than ever being recognized as an individual who has unique value to the team effort. There cannot be a single “management style” put upon the organization. Every individual has a unique communication and learning style.

Does team building play a role in employee retention?

It is estimated that an average of 85 percent of the workforce day is spent in teamwork. If you believe that happy employees who feel respected are important to collaboration and retention like we do- then talk to us about the True Colors methodology, consulting, workshops and training.

For anyone who won’t be able to make it to the True Colors booth in Las Vegas, what do you want them to know?

We are a phone call away at 1-800-422-4686 and undoubtedly have a training near you this year. Reach out to us- your employees are your most valuable resource and we will help drive a culture of understanding, appreciation and respect. Please also visit us online.

Bonus: When did you first take the True Colors assessment? What color are you?

We revised and improved our assessment only a few years ago and have had rave reviews on its accuracy and ease of use. The 25 plus page individualized report is written and priced for ALL levels of the organization. Team and Leader reports are also available.

I am a Primary Orange who is esteemed by action, adventure, fun, spontaneity and diversity. My full spectrum is orange, blue, green, gold. I don’t like rules !