What Color is your Birkman? - The Texas Annual Conference of the ...

How can the Birkman help Clergy and Churches be more effective?Churches succeed when they align their resources to support their strategic goals. The most complex and the mostdifficult resource for a church to align is its people. Each church member brings distinctive strengths and capabilities tothe team. The Birkman Method® identifies these strengths and capabilities in a framework of four general MinistryStrengths.Like points on a compass, these ministry strengths represent four kinds of individual focus, all critical to successful churchministries. Each ministry strength, represented by a different color of The Birkman Method®, identifies the basicmotivational direction that drives us toward our interests, overall approach and predispositions. These styles, or colors,filter our world view and determine how we choose to approach ministry assignments, solve problems and relate to peoplearound us. Combinations of these styles provide diversity and significantly increase potential for optimal solutions.The Birkman Method uses these colors to easily convey meaning of personality characteristics while also calling attentionto the differences found within these characteristics. The four colors act as convenient descriptions to help each personunderstand the major differences in personality.Many behavioral assessment tools often trap individuals by confining them to one type. The Birkman Method understandsthe unique traits that any one person may have might not conform nicely to an assigned category and takes into accountthe God-given diversity in each person.Listed below are the Four Distinct Behav ioral Descriptions, which combine to create a unique personality profile foreach person:Blue – PlanningFocus• Ideas & Innovation• Creativity & Intuition• Subjectivity & ReflectionCharacteristics of Blue• Considers new or unusual approaches• Uses creativity to produce imaginative results• Connects the dots and maintains a broad focus• Focuses attention on the inner world of ideasGreen – CommunicationFocus• Selling & Persuading• Promoting & Motivating• Counseling & TeachingCharacteristics of Green• Operates comfortably in social interactions• Demonstrates flexible and supportive behavior• Focuses attention on the external world or others• Relates to others instinctivelyRed – ExpeditingFocus• Solving Real Problems• Achieving Tangible Results• Working With the Physical WorldCharacteristics of Red• Decisive about the actions necessary to achieve tasks• Applies energy in a practical, hands-on manner• Emphasizes speed and action• Manages crises and gets the job doneYellow – OrganizingFocus• Rules & Procedures• Scheduling & Details• Consistency & CautiousnessCharacteristics of Yellow• Works with numbers and systems• Creates processes for implementing a task• Handles details and navigates bureaucratic waters• Closely controls work to avoid mistakesBenefits of Using the Birkman Method in Ministry• Team Building • Conflict Resolution • Diversity Awareness• Stress Management • Strength Building • Proactive Problem Solving• Counseling/Mentoring • Needs/Interests Insight • Identifying Blind Spots