Welcome to Promoting Brilliance Inc.'s Official Keyssential Blog

Our official Keyssential™ blog is dedicated to presenting easy to use learning and work related applications of the Keyssential communication and collaboration insights.

View the Keyssential Communications Facets animation site:
promotingbrilliance.com/facetcards.htm

Promoting Brilliance, Inc. is a career and collaboration development firm since 1995. Our services are fundamental to innovation and change initiatives. We work with individuals, groups, and organizations of all sizes; providing collaboration learning experiences and events, strategic off-site design and facilitation, career and leadership development, and individualized consulting services.

Beth Wellesley
(612) 824-0454
beth@promotingbrilliance.com

Linkedin Profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/bethwellesley
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We are located in the Minneapolis Southwest Neighborhood near Lyndale Farmstead Park, across the street from Theodore Wirth's historical home.

Promoting Brilliance, Inc.
4001 Bryant Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55409
http://www.promotingbrilliance.com

Keyssential: Style Related Solutions For Stress

Dealing with stress today can be unique to your personality facet strengths. Consider these stress types as a way to help you find new approaches for finding humor and a way to move your stress into productive alternatives. Here are some examples of overstressed Keyssential Facets and how to work with them differently:

Worst Case Scenario Imaginers
Let go of the worst picture or story you are creating in your highly active mind. Find new ways to relax using mediation, yoga, or walking. If traditional seated meditation make you fidget take try something that occupies your attention such as chess, dancing or imaging the best-case scenario. Breathing exercises can also help draw your attention away your stress.

Obsessive Observers
If you’re yelling at others—please stop. Try something different that is a healthy alternative to intensity you are experiencing. Use some of your competitive drive by participating in a sport or doing something physically active outside. You don’t have to compete just stay active and be lively. Perhaps you create something that you find visually attractive or beautiful by gardening, painting, decorating, or improving something for yourself and others like fighting hunger or improving your golf swing.

Disenchanted Explorers
When you stop running away the problems will stop chasing you. Take action now, perhaps you can find the support of a friend or expert to get you organized and ready approach things from a pragmatic view point. Brainstorming can be creative if you commit to taking action to carry out your plans. Switch gears and visualize your steps, write them down and follow your own steps with the map you’ve created.

Survival Thinking Experiencers
If you find yourself overwhelmed with concerns about the future or your ability to stay on top of things, stay positive and remember how talented you are, be confident that with your ability to cope in the past. Make room and time for your favorite stress-related activities such as: cooking, reading, napping, exercise, time with your family or friends. If you have slipped out of your healthy habits be kind to yourself and remember you can schedule time for self-care. It’s time to make yourself a priority by going back to the basics: get enough sleep, eat healthy and stay active physically.

Stress Solutions Using Keyssential Insights

Will we look back at 2009 as one of the most stressful years in our lifetime? So far this year, I’ve witnessed more situations involving symptoms that reflect people are under immense stress. I’ve termed these symptoms The Grip, describing an overuse of peoples’ strengths. When individuals or groups apply their strengths repeatedly to high impact situations our strengths over time do become inflexible and cannot function with the same capacity, flexibility and impact. This can lead to a one-dimensionality of our strengths, in turn producing more stress or an environment that accelerates and heightens ineffective pressures.

Leaders in business environments are using logic-based Keyssential Facet strengths at this time to the point of overuse. These include the Analyzing and Reasoning Facets, to create solutions, make decisions, and respond to the change that is required. An overuse of Analyzing and Reasoning strengths can produce more unnecessary stress as well as a lack of innovation and well-rounded decision-making. Read on to learn how to use Keyssential Facet strengths to alleviate or remove The Grip experience:

Analyzers often need Empathizers
This means letting your highly active mind rest and take a recess from the process of continuously assessing circumstances or dilemmas. Restore a creative state with relaxation. Apply Empathy to your current situation. Start by asking yourself what activity would be supportive of you at this time. You may want to invite someone you trust, who possesses the Empathizer strengths, to talk with you. Perhaps you can ask this Empathizer to help you empathize with others, specifically with people within your organization. Empathy does not require you to be emotional, it simply means putting yourself in someone else’s shoes and applying the insight gained from this experience.

Reasoners often need Sympathizers
This means taking a break from talking or telling others about your opinions, current recommendations or vision. Allow your nature to shift gears and channel your advocacy abilities into something new—creating quiet for yourself. If this is difficult write down your thoughts and aspirations. Find a trusted Sympathizer to share the quiet and after some time ask this person if they would be wiling to read your writings and interview you, asking questions about your current circumstances. Ask them to help you find your values related to these situations and discuss what this means. Let your Sympathizer partner play back what they have heard. This will help you greatly. If you do not have access to a Sympathizer read your writings out loud to yourself, afterwards ask yourself how your values impact your view points and opinions.

If you are interested in learning more about Promoting Brilliance’s Keyssential™ Communication Programs featuring individual coaching and workshop formats contact Beth Wellesley at (612) 824-0454 or beth@promotingbrilliance.com

Connecting Conversational Hues with Keyssential™

Is it time for a blue conversation?

This does not mean lacing invectives or vulgar words into a conversation to get your point across. In the Keyssential world, this question can be easily translated into: Isn’t it time to discuss how values are impacting people’s choices and decision-making?

A blue discussion means connecting to the situation at hand by asking what matters or what do we really care about. These conversations are based on subjective qualities or perspectives.
Adding the awareness of this dimension of color to your dialogue will support the gathering of other perspectives and necessary ingredients into your decision-making.

Here are additional questions to consider when it’s time for a blue talk:

• What values are you aiming to actualize, experience, express or demonstrate?
• Consider what matters to everyone involved by asking each person to share it in one or two sentences. Have each person write out their response before sharing them.
• How can each perspective be included into a decision or process?
• Do these differences cause people to have a value-based conflict?
• Are value-based commonalities between colleagues or clients strengthening the level of trust or goodwill within the relationships?


What about a red conversation?

Red is not an indicator that people are angry like the old saying, “I saw red.” In Keyssential terms, a red talk means people can discuss different opinions about the logic or mental assessments of a situation. When it’s time for a red discussion consider asking these questions:

• What are the logical priorities? Can we agree to these priorities?
• What are the pros and cons of this situation?
• What logical outcome is required?
• Have each person involved write down their assessment of the situation. Ask people to write down their logical recommendation and afterwards read each one out loud.
• Ask the group to find a way to connect their logical recommendations into a conclusion or decision. If this not possible return to the original list of logical priorities.


What entails a green conversation?

In this case a green talk does not mean you will be learning about sustainability or eco-friendly topics. It does mean reviewing what is needed or what is going on in physical terms. A green conversation relates to who, what, where, when and the how of any given situation. Simply put it is the literal and sensory related tones that are involved. Ask these questions during a green discussion:

• How are we impacting people’s physical wellbeing?
• Are we giving people enough factual information?
• What else do we need to share relative to facts and linear processes?


Don’t forget the orange conversation.

Keyssential identifies this hue as the conversational connection with the possibilities and questions for what or how we are creating? It links us to the vision and expectations. It is necessary to share any differences in a way that will honor individuality and authenticity.

An orange discussion may begin with the questions that are provided below. They can continue to flow from the collaborative exchange between people. Allowing for brainstorming and opportunities to expand imagination. Orange talk questions include:

• What vision do you have for this particular topic or situation?
• What do you expect or wish for related to what we are focusing on at this time?
• Paint a picture of the ideal outcomes?
• How can we be more creative or innovative with these current circumstances?
• Where’s the hope?
• How do you want to change this to make it work?
• What big ideas do you have?
• Write down what is blocking you from having a big idea if you don’t have one.

Color Coordinate The Communication of Your Business Case

With The Use of Keyssential™ Insights

The art of effective communication starts with knowing and understanding your own communication style and strengths. Using this learning process leads you to an understanding of the alternative needs of differing communication styles.

The Keyssential Business Case Strategy provides frameworks for supporting your recommendations and directives. It requires an inclusive strategy for combining the various needs of different communication styles in your presentations to make your business case. The use of this empathetic approach will demonstrate leadership to your audience.

This uncomplicated system comes from my many years of teaching and utilizing our Keyssential™ Communication Tools.

Begin by developing a concise written summary of your vision that provides an outcome based deliverable statement for your business case. Use the Orange Keyssential Facets to paint a picture of the overall focal point for your business case. Write it down and practice saying it out loud as this will help you understand if more words or less are needed to express the key concept and vision.

Consider what facts are involved in this business case. Summarize the solution or approach you are taking. Answer why, who, what, when, where, how, how much, as well as timing and budget related questions as it relates to your topic. The Green Keyssential Facets will help you mine necessary information for your presentation. Since 75-80% of the population have these Keyssential communication strengths it is important that you include a visual presentation of the facts and data. Be sure to write this down on paper, as it will help you streamline this information.

Make an objective assessment of the strengths, weaknesses, pros and con’s within your approach. Use the Red Keyssential Facets, in other words your logic and rationale to make this assessment. Write this assessment down in as few words as possible. Talk through the alterantives with someone you trust, debate the in’s and out’s of your recommendations before coming to a conclusion. Write out your conclusions for each solution. In some situations, it may be wise to share alternative solutions and conclusions within an actual presentation. This can make an effective and powerful impact for your business case.

Demonstrate the value proposition of your solution. Use the Blue Keyssential Facets to help show a match of value between the solution or deliverable and the people or organization involved. It may be a match of values between the business case recommendations and the issue at hand. Write out as many values and matching of values that you can identify. Perhaps specific values match with specific solutions but not others as addressed during the assessment process outline within the Red Keyssential Facets.

When making your presentation consider these KEYS ordered to support your strategy:

• Orange Facets: State your vision and resulting deliverables
• Blue: Connect the values to this vision and deliverables
• Green: Present the related facts and data
• Red: State your objective assessment for options uncovered
• Green: Link the facts and data back to the optimum option
• Blue: Restate the value proposition of this option
• Orange: Restate your vision and resulting benefits

10 KEY Questions That Will Help You Collaborate

1.) Pick the Keyssential™ Facet(s) that most resemble your communication strengths at work, what do you want your colleagues to know about how these Facets? How do they impact your ability to collaborate? Explain your response.

2.) Which Keysential™ Facet(s) would improve your ability to collaborate with others? Explain.

3.) What Facet(s) help you make a contribution when collaborating with others? Explain.

4.) What Facets(s) challenge your ability to collaborate with others? Explain.

5.) What Facet(s) would help you collaborate more effectively with your direct report? Explain.

6.) What Facet(s) would help you collaborate more effectively with your customers/clients? Why?

7.) Which Facet(s) do your customers/clients expect from your organization or group of collaborators? Explain.

8.) Which Facet(s) best describe the strengths of a specific collaborative group of which you are a member? Explain your response.

9.) Which Facet(s) would help the group mentioned in question #7 be more effective or successful? Explain your response.

10.) What Facet(s) are most respected within your collaborative group? Explain.

Launch Quality Solutions with Keyssential

“Life always burst the boundaries of formulas,” from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. When solving problems too often we stick to our usual way of thinking. This limits our perspective as well as the quality needed for an effective approach and resolution. Keyssential tools can provide a framework for changing your perspective.

The following abbreviated Keyssential questionnaire will illuminate new strategies and approaches that you can apply to your current dilemma. Beth Wellesley of Promoting Brilliance can provide you with further consulting and learning programs to address your career and collaboration development.

Apply these Keyssential strategies at work or in your personal life:

1. Draw on the Imaginer and Explorer. (The Orange Facets)
Imagine and explore something better. Define greatness in your current circumstances. What would be the ideal outcome in this situation?

2. Utilize the Experiencer and Observer. (The Green Facets)
Describe your experience and observations. What are the physical needs of this situation? List your current observations of this situation. What physical limits are you up against?

3. Engage the Analyzer and Reasoner. (The Red Facets)
Analyze and reason through the different aspects of this situation. Try to step out the situation and write down a neutral statement about this situation as if it were happening to someone else. Articulate the pros and cons of the ideal outcomes you’ve considered in Step #1.

4. Apply the Sympathizer and Empathizer. (The Blue Facets)
Ground yourself in your values by applying sympathy and put yourself in the shoes of another through empathy. Ask yourself which values are being challenged? Which values are needed to resolve this problem? What approach will impact people productively? Now link this back into your vision of greatness.

Try this process again in reverse order to find alternative solutions. Remember to build accountability into your application strategy by scheduling a time to check back with your progress.

A Message from the Creator of Keyssential

By Beth Wellesley
People are complex. No two people are exactly alike, and yet we are connected in many unique ways. This is a key to the paradox of life, which applies to utilizing Keyssential™ communication insights.

To think there is one simple way to understand everyone is overly idealistic. Labeling people by their facets is a simplification of our creativity. Keyssential translates core insights from Carl Jung’s Psychological Type Theory into patterns for understanding
communication differences.

My intention is to wake people up to the natural differences and similarities which exist between people. The key word is natural. This tool supports self-directed development. It is not intended to put people in boxes or provide an excuse for non-
productive communication or choices. Keyssential™ insights expand consciousness and acceptance. With acceptance the opportunities for meaningful collaborations between people are possible.

With Keyssential 1 + 1 = 8

Identifying your own Keyssential™ Facets will help you understand your communication strengths and weaknesses. It provides valuable insight into other Facets of your self that you can access to develop new communication strategies.

Understanding each Facet allows you to choose more than one or two Facets when making a presentation, developing a plan or process, and negotiating with a colleague, client or even loved one. Exercising each of the eight Keyssential™ Facets provides clear perspectives into communication dilemmas.

Remember with Keyssential: 1 + 1 = 8

Keyssential Facet Fundamentals
1. There are eight Communication Facets.

2. These eight Facets are grouped into four common approaches and illustrated by color:
- Two Orange Facets that help people create ideas and possibilities.
- Two Green Facets that help people craft and refine facts.
- Two Blue Facets that help people make decisions which are caring or value based.
- Two Red Facets that help people make decisions by way of challenging logic.

3. These eight Keyssential Facets combine in a variety of ways to help you grow and stretch your communication possibilities.

BEGIN WITH THIS EXERCISE:

Step 1
Review the 8 Keyssential Facet Cards. You can locate a Facet Card animation link at:
promotingbrilliance.com/facetcards.htm

Step 2
Ask yourself the following questions:

a. Which Facets most appeal to you?
b. Which Facets do you prefer?
c. Which Facets best describe your style? Write down your responses.

Color Coding Your Timeframes

What time is it in your workplace? Is it a red time? Maybe it’s blue? Perhaps it’s mostly orange with a little bit of green?

Using Keyssential™ Facets and their colors can help you consider the meaning of the timeframe in which you are working. This simple process is constructive and can inspire you to utilize a broader pallet of colors when working independently or collaborating with others.

If you are having a mostly red time within a project or team you are engaged in logical decision-making and analytical assessments. During these red times, it is crucial to incorporate the blue keys of decision-making with your logical conclusions.

Blue reminds us to consider what benefits our decisions will bring people or how our logic combines with our values. It asks us the questions: What values (blue) are we combining with our logic (red)? What value will these decisions bring to the people involved? How can these two (blue and red) work in partnership to create an effective solution?

Red time inspires a challenge to form rational, sensible conclusions, while blue time inspires care and regard for humanity.

A green time is one that is focused on facts, physical resources and needs, details and even project management. It is focused on what is here and now, and what methodologies or experiences have worked in the past or have proven useful. It inspires order, responsibility, safety, reliability and security.

An orange time is focused on possibilities and future ideals. It helps people create a vision for what is possible or even what is needed to accomplish a project. Orange inspires risk-taking, new experiences and an exchange of ideas. Often it is associated with brainstorming, innovation and creative exchange. Because of its imaginative nature orange can be perceived as impractical and unimportant, which is not true if it is given a fair chance to combine with it’s green complementary partners.

Coloring Outside The Lines

It seems in order to choose future paths in life, employers and organizations often survey people into a box: introverted, extroverted, giver, taker, etc. Many surveys and aptitude tests have been strategically designed to help find the best fit and place potential employees in careers that will suit their strengths and disguise their weaknesses. That was until Keyssential, an insight tool, which allows people to paint themselves, outside the box.

Keyssential™ is designed to help individuals not only learn about their stronger personality traits it also helps people learn about the personality traits of their co-workers. This creates understanding and an acceptance, which can deliver the message: just because someone isn’t on the same road you are, doesn’t mean they’ve gotten lost.

Instead of being placed into a box, there is now a choice of four different colors that serve as our personality canvas. Do I need to incorporate more red (logic)? Or more blue (values) in my decisions at this time? Is my co-worker looking at this from the green (factual) point of view and how can that compliment my orange (idea generating) traits? By painting yourself with these colors you will have a better visual of what people’s personalities look like, not what box they fall into.