Four colours, plenty of personalities – dbstructural insights workshop
The dbstructural squad exchanged calculations for team development as part of a recent Insights Discovery and Neurodiversity Awareness workshop.
Led by Lindsey from Clarity People, the workshop allowed the team to step away from doing the do and learn more about each other and the different ways people approach work.
The four colour model
Insights Discovery uses a simple four colour model to help people understand their own preferences and how they interact with others.
For the team, it was an interesting way of looking at how people show up at work. From the person who wants to get straight to the point, the one who talks through every possibility, the one who spots the detail and the one keeping everyone moving when a deadline is approaching. None of these approaches is necessarily better than another. They each have their strengths, and understanding those differences can make working together a lot easier.
It also gave provided a few opportunities to recognise ourselves and our colleagues, in the descriptions, which made for some good natured discussion and a few laughs.
Looking at neurodiversity differently
The second part of the workshop focused on neurodiversity. We explored some of the common myths and perceptions around neurodivergence, as well as the discrimination and barriers that neurodivergent people can experience.
For a team working across complex projects, with different clients, consultants and contractors, being able to communicate clearly and work effectively with different people is an important part of what we do.
Taking it back to the workplace
Darren Ball, owner of dbstructural said: “The workshop gave us plenty to think about, but the real value comes from putting it into practice. Whether that’s considering how we communicate a technical issue, how we approach a colleague, or simply recognising that not everyone works in the same way we do, there are plenty of lessons we can take forward.
“It was great to see the team getting involved and being open to looking at how we work together. The Insights Discovery session gave us a different perspective on our individual personalities, while the neurodiversity session provided some really practical things we can take away and use. There was plenty of discussion, a few laughs and some useful lightbulb moments along the way.
“Thanks to Clarity People for running an engaging and practical session. We’re looking forward to putting what we’ve learned into practice.”
