Our Model
The Four-Colour Temperament Model ©, also known as the Four Temperament Theory – the human behavioural model of Lynette Beer of Seeds of Inspiration – forms the basis of our WIRED workshops. It is not a completely new invention, but rather an adaptation of one of the oldest personality systems in the world.
Hippocrates – the Ancient Greek Physician – who is considered the father of Medicine, lived by the philosophy “Know Yourself”. He referred to the four temperaments as: Sanguine (Yellow), Choleric (Red), Melancholic (Blue), and Phlegmatic (Green). General consensus exists that these four basic temperaments play a fundamental role in all human behaviour and personality traits.
What sets the Four-Colour Temperament Model © apart though, is that all people can be categorised into four natural personality types or temperaments, and that these personality types are captured in a way that is super easy to remember by using the four colours: Red, Yellow, Blue, and Green. Each person has a primary and secondary temperament colour, with a few remaining elements.
Anyone can understand the Four-Colour Temperament Model © to thereby gain better insight into themselves and others.
Extroverts and
Optimists.
Involve me.
Strong Personalities,
Natural Leaders.
Be brief. Be Bright. Be gone.
Introverts and Peacekeepers.
Show me you care.
Introverts and
Deep Thinkers.
Give me details.
Die Vierkleurige Temperament Model ©, ook bekend as die Vier Temperament Teorie – Lynette Beer van Seeds of Inspiration se menslike gedragsmodel – vorm die grondslag van ons WIRED werkwinkels. Dit is nie ‘n volkome nuwe uitvindsel nie, maar eerder ‘n aanpassing van een van die oudste persoonlikheidstelsels in die wêreld.
Hippokrates – die Antieke-Griekse Geneeskundige – wat as die vader van Geneeskunde beskou word, se lewensbeskouing was “Ken Jouself”. Hy het na die vier temperamente verwys as: Sanguinies (Geel), Choleries (Rooi), Melancholies (Blou), en Flegmaties (Groen). Daar bestaan algemene konsensus dat hierdie vier basiese temperamente ‘n fundamentele rol speel in alle menslike gedrag en persoonlikheidseienskappe.
Die uniekheid van die Vierkleurige Temperament Model © lê egter daarin dat alle persone volgens vier natuurlike persoonlikheidstipes of temperamente gekategoriseer kan word, en dat hierdie persoonlikheidstipes op ‘n maklik memoriseerbare manier vasgelê word deur die gebruik van die vier kleure: Rooi, Geel, Blou en Groen. Elke persoon het ‘n primêre en sekondêre temperamentkleur, met ‘n paar oorblywende elemente.
Enigiemand kan die Vierkleurige Temperament Model © verstaan om sodoende beter insig in hulleself en ander te ontwikkel.
Ekstrovert en
Optimisties.
Doen dit prettig.
Sterk eie wil en
Natuurlike Leiers.
Ons doen dit op mý manier.
Introvert en
Fyn Waarnemer.
Vind die maklike uitweg.
Introvert en
Diepe Denker.
Doen dit op die régte manier.
Temperament Combinations
The Popular Yellow/Powerful Red Blend
Yellow and Red as a primary colour temperament is forceful with a hint of playfulness and laughter. A child with this temperament blend is typically extroverted with strong leadership abilities. Both these temperaments tend to be outgoing, optimistic and energetic. But the Yellows use their energy to entertain people and to stay in the spotlight, while the Reds use their energy to work, work and work some more.
If Yellow is a child’s primary colour, that person is more of a people’s person and he/she is always looking for fun and fun ways to do things. Children with Red as their primary colour are also extroverts, but they do require some alone time when the job is done. They prefer to work on their own and are not half as loud and chirpy as a Popular Yellow.
This blend will do well in a team, but preferably as the leader, as the Popular Yellow doesn’t like to be micromanaged and the Powerful Red will only cooperate when in control. This blend should take care not to overpower the other personality blends.
A Red/Yellow child will focus on working hard and playing hard afterwards, while a Yellow/Red will probably incorporate the fun element while working hard at the same time.
This blend is usually popular among family and friends, unless the Red is too overpowering and domineering. This blend can easily persuade people to accept their way of doing and thinking. Their Yellow will make them fun, caring and creative, while their Red will ensure a strong willpower to succeed. The Yellow in them will start a project with much enthusiasm and bravado, but it’s the Red in them that will eventually see to it that the project is done on time.
This blend will be even more successful should they learn how to be a bit more patient and understanding towards others’ feelings, and by giving others a chance to share their ideas and opinions too.
The Powerful Raving Red/Perfect Brilliant Blue Blend
This blend is a force to be reckoned with. The Powerful Reds and the Perfect Blues are both task-orientated, hard workers. If you want something done, ask this combination to do it. They are organised, purposeful and determined. The Red in them ensures that the task gets done and the Blue in them ensures that the task gets done correctly.
If you want to know if a child is Red/Blue or Blue/Red, ask yourself if the child is an introvert or an extrovert. A person whose primary colour is Red will be an extrovert, while a person with Blue as his/her primary colour will be an introvert. In fact, the Perfect Blues are known to be introverts who prefer to work alone and not be in the spotlight at all. The Reds, on the other hand, will take the lead in any situation and do not mind being the centre of attraction; at least until the work is done.
The Red temperament has the natural ability to make quick decisions and to implement workable plans to obtain the desired results. Things must usually be done immediately and urgently. In order to get immediate results, they know what to do and when to do it. The Blues plan for peace of mind. They take their time to make decisions and make use of detailed lists to organise their lives.
This blend can get so involved in the work and details thereof that they might forget to look after themselves, as well as the people around them. They would get better cooperation if they learn not to micromanage others and not to force their standards on others. The Red/Blue blend can improve if they learn to accept that others differ from them, that not all people work as hard as they do and that it’s okay. They should learn to have more empathy with others, by putting themselves in other people’s place.
The Peaceful Groovy Green/Perfect Brilliant Blue Blend
A natural temperament blend as both the Greens and the Blues are introverts who tend to see the glass as half–empty and to be very realistic and analytical. A lot quieter than the others, but in this case, it is a semi-permanent calm before the storm as emotions and thoughts run high in both these temperaments.
Both prefer solitude and peaceful surroundings. You can distinguish if someone has Blue as the primary colour by the fact that the child would be more task-orientated, while the Greens worry more about friends and relationships. The blend of these two colours into one temperament results in a cool, calm and collected personality, who has the drive of the Blues to keep on going without setting the standards too high or being too perfectionistic about it.
The Perfect Blue helps the Peaceful Green to stay focused and to complete tasks. The Peaceful Green temperament is naturally loved and accepted by the other temperaments. This temperament blend finds joy in helping others. The Peaceful Green in them makes them pleasant to be around, while the Perfect Blue in them makes them effective and productive.
This blend should guard against becoming too calm, for then they will get nothing done, especially if the Green in them reigns supreme. If this combination acts within their natural qualities, they will accomplish a lot without offending others.
The Peaceful Groovy Green/Popular Yuppy Yellow Blend
This blend is everyone’s favourite. It makes sense as it combines the fun-loving Yellow with the peace-loving Green into one temperament. Children with this temperament blend tend to be loving, kind and relationship-orientated. Their motto is “people first”. They don’t care much for setting and reaching goals and are usually quite satisfied to do what they do without being bothered by things like ambition.
However, because they are so popular among their peers, they sometimes get promoted to leadership positions which they don’t really enjoy. The Yellow in them wants to be liked by everyone and the Green in them hates conflict and confrontation. Therefore the idea of managing people and having to discipline them, is definitively not their cup of tea.
The Yellow/Green blend is usually extroverted with a love of attention, laughter and telling stories, while the Green/Yellow blend is more introverted, does not like to be in the spotlight, and is more realistic-orientated.
This blend can improve if they focus a bit more on the task on hand and less on having fun all the time. They also have to learn to say “no” and not allow anybody to overpower them. Their relationships are usually spot on as the Green in them really cares deeply about people and the Yellow in them knows how to entertain and keep everybody’s spirits up.
The Peaceful Groovy Green/Powerful Raving Red Blend
This is not a natural blend as Peaceful Green and Powerful Red are direct opposites of each other.
It can either mean that a person has purposefully learned so much of the other temperament that he/she now displays both colour temperaments’ natural strong qualities, or it might be that either the Red or the Green is worn as a mask and that the person is hiding his/her true temperament from the world.
You will not often find a natural Red wearing a Green mask, as the Reds usually have a strong self-esteem and personality. However, should a Red put on a Green mask it is because something went totally out of control (and remember a Red always wants to be in control) in their lives and they have decided they can’t win and have therefore given up.
Peaceful Green men tend to wear a Powerful Red mask especially if their dads had Powerful Red temperaments. Young boys are sometimes forced to be more outgoing, and to talk and act in a certain way, and forced to take on sports and roles that clash with their natural peace loving temperaments.
Because they don’t like confrontation, they will rather try to fit into the mould their Red dads want them to fit in, than confronting them. This can lead to a serious struggle on the inside and feelings of not being good enough. If only these “masked” Greens could realise that the world needs the peacemakers too and that there is a sense of freedom if you let yourself be what you were meant to be.
The Perfect Blue/Popular Yuppy Yellow Blend
These two colours are also direct opposites of each other and thus when somebody scores high in both categories, he/she is either wearing a Blue or a Yellow mask. Popular Yellow want everybody to love and accept them. This can lead to feelings of rejection and of not being good enough, making them moody, depressed and seemingly perfectionistic.
Thus, looking like they could be displaying all of the Perfect Blue’s natural weak points. Hiding behind a Blue mask typically starts in childhood when a Yellow child wants to be accepted by a demanding Red or Blue parent. This can have a lasting effect on people’s lives, even as adults, with many people studying courses that do not fit their natural temperament or ending up in careers that they detest.
A natural Yellow, who wears a Blue mask for too long, can become seriously depressed and lose all his/her natural tendencies to have fun and to be happy.
Sometimes a Perfect Blue will put on a Yellow mask and start playing the fool. They think if they are as funny as the Yellows, it will help them to manage their lives. They usually display all Blue’s strong and weak points, as well as all the strong points of Popular Yellow and none of the Yellow’s weak points. For instance, a natural Yellow will have the tendency to be unorganised and undisciplined, while a natural Blue will never have such tendencies.
Blue people wearing Yellow masks are usually trying to camouflage bad or hurtful situations because they had a Yellow sibling that got all the attention.
The best you can do is to accept who you really are and embrace the temperament that you were born with. Learn from the other temperaments’ strong points, work on your own natural weak points, and you will see that you don’t need any masks to live a fulfilled and balanced life.
Die Gewilde Geel/Rasend Rooi Vermenging
Geel en Rooi as ‘n primêre kleur-temperament is vurig met ‘n tikkie lag en vrolikheid. ‘n Kind met hierdie temperament vermenging is ‘n tipiese ekstrovert met sterk leierseienskappe.
Albei hierdie temperamente is geneig om spontaan, optimisties en energiek te wees. Maar die Gele gebruik hulle energie om mense te vermaak en die middelpunt van belangstelling te wees, terwyl die Rooie hulle energie gebruik om te werk, werk en nogmaals werk.
Indien Geel ‘n kind se primêre kleur is, is daardie kind merendeels mensliewend (‘n mense-mens) en is hy/sy altyd op soek na pret en plesierige maniere om dinge te doen. Kinders met Rooi as hulle primêre kleur is ook ekstroverte, maar hulle het bietjie alleentyd nodig sodra die taak afgehandel is. Hulle verkies om op hulle eie te werk en is nie halfpad so luidrugtig en vrolik as ‘n Gewilde Geel-kind nie.
Hierdie vermenging sal goed werk in ‘n span, maar verkieslik as die leier, aangesien die Gewilde Geel nie daarvan hou om mikro-bestuur te word nie en die Rasend Rooi slegs sal saamwerk indien hy/sy in beheer is. Hierdie vermenging moet daarteen waak om nie die ander persoonlikheidsvermengings te oorweldig nie.
‘n Rooi/Geel kind sal daarop fokus om eers hard te werk en daarna hard te speel, terwyl ‘n Geel/Rooi kind moontlik die pret-element sal inspan en terselfdertyd hard werk.
Hierdie vermenging is gewoonlik gewild onder gesinslede en maats, tensy die Rooi te oorweldigend en dominerend is. Hierdie vermenging vind dit maklik om ander maats te oorreed om hulle manier van dink en doen te aanvaar. Hulle Geel dra daartoe by dat hulle vrolik, goedhartig en kreatief is, terwyl hulle Rooi sterk wilskrag vir sukses sal verseker. Hulle Geel element sal ‘n taak met baie entoesiasme en durf aanpak, maar dit is hulle Rooi element wat uiteindelik sal sorg dat die taak betyds afgehandel word.
Hierdie vermenging sal selfs meer suksesvol wees indien hulle leer om bietjie geduldiger en verdraagsamer teenoor ander se gevoelens te wees, en ander die geleentheid te bied om ook hulle idees en opinies te deel.
Die Rasend Rooi/Besliste Blou Vermenging
Hierdie vermenging is ‘n mag waarmee rekening gehou moet word. Die Rasend Rooie en Besliste Bloue is albei taak-georiënteerde, harde werkers. As jy iets gedoen wil hê, vra hierdie kombinasie om dit te doen. Hierdie kinders is georganiseerd, doelgerig en vasberade. Hulle Rooi element verseker dat die taak uitgevoer word, terwyl hulle Blou element verseker dat die taak korrek uitgevoer word.
Indien jy wil vasstel of ‘n kind Rooi/Blou of Blou/Rooi is, vra jouself af of die kind ‘n introvert of ekstrovert is. ‘n Persoon wie se primêre kleur Rooi is, sal ‘n ekstrovert wees, terwyl ‘n persoon met Blou as sy/haar primêre kleur, ‘n introvert sal wees. In werklikheid staan die Besliste Bloue bekend as introverte wat verkies om alleen te werk en glad nie in die kollig wil wees nie. Daarenteen sal die Rooie in enige situasie die voortou neem en nie omgee om die middelpunt van belangstelling te wees nie; minstens totdat die taak afgehandel is.
Die Rooi temperament besit die natuurlike vermoë om vinnige besluite te neem en uitvoerbare planne te implementeer om die verlangde resultate te verkry. Dinge moet gewoonlik dadelik en dringend gedoen word. Hulle weet wat om te doen en hoe om dit te doen, om onmiddellike resultate te verkry. Die Bloue stel gemoedsrus voorop. Hulle neem nie oorhaastige besluite nie en gebruik breedvoerige lysies om hulle te help.
Hierdie vermenging kan só betrokke raak by die werk en die besonderhede daarvan dat hulle mag vergeet om aandag aan hulleself en hulle maats te gee. Hulle sal beter samewerking verkry indien hulle leer om nie ander te mikro-bestuur en hulle standaarde op ander af te dwing nie. Die Rooi/Blou vermenging kan verbeter indien hulle leer om te aanvaar dat ander van hulle verskil, dat nie alle mense so hardwerkend soos hulle is nie, en dat dit in orde is. Hulle moet leer om meer empatie met ander te hê, deur hulleself in iemand anders se plek te stel.
Die Geruste Groen /Besliste Blou Vermenging
Hierdie word as ‘n natuurlike temperament vermenging gesien. Die Groen en die Blou kinders is albei introverte wat geneig is om die glas eerder as halfleeg te sien en om baie realisties en analities te wees. Heelwat stiller as die ander, maar in hierdie geval is dit ‘n semi-permanente stilte voor die storm aangesien gemoedere en gedagtes in albei hierdie temperamente baie hoog loop.
Albei verkies afgesonderdheid en rustige omgewings. Mens kan onderskei of iemand se primêre kleur Blou is, weens die feit dat die persoon meer taak-georiënteerd sal wees, terwyl die Groene meer besorg is oor maats en verhoudings. Die vermenging van hierdie twee kleure in een temperament het ‘n kalm en bedaarde persoonlikheid tot gevolg, met die dryfkrag van die Bloue om te volhard sonder om té hoë standaarde te stel of té perfeksionisties daaroor te wees.
Die Besliste Blou help die Geruste Groen om gefokus te bly en take af te handel. Die Geruste Groen word van nature deur die ander temperamente aanvaar en is geliefd by hulle. Hierdie temperament vermenging put plesier daaruit om ander te help. Hulle Geruste Groen element verseker dat hulle aangename geselskap is, terwyl hulle Besliste Blou element hulle doeltreffend en produktief maak.
Hierdie vermenging moet daarteen waak om te kalm te raak; omdat hulle dan niks sal uitrig nie, veral as hulle Groen element hoogty vier. Indien hierdie kombinasie binne hulle natuurlike kwaliteite optree, sal hulle baie vermag sonder om ander te benadeel.
Die Geruste Groen/Gewilde Geel Vermenging
Hierdie vermenging is almal se gunsteling. Dit maak sin aangesien die vrolike Geel en die vredeliewende Groen in een temperament saamgevoeg word. Kinders met hierdie temperament vermenging is geneig om liefdevol, vriendelik en verhoudings-georiënteerd te wees. Hulle leuse is “mense eerste”. Hulle heg nie veel waarde daaraan om doelwitte te stel en te bereik nie en is gewoonlik heel tevrede om te volhard met dit waarmee hulle besig is, sonder om hulle oor dinge soos ambisie te bekommer. Omdat hulle egter so gewild is onder hulle portuurgroep, word hulle soms tot leiers verkies, wat hulle nie werklik geniet nie.
Hulle Geel element wil geliefd wees by almal en hulle Groen element haat konflik en konfrontasie. Daarom staan die idee daarvan om maats te bestuur en te moet dissiplineer hulle glad nie aan nie.
Die Geel/Groen vermenging is gewoonlik ekstrovert en hou van aandag, lag en stories vertel, terwyl die Groen/Geel vermenging meer introvert is, nie van die kollig hou nie, en meer realisties-georiënteerd is.
Hierdie vermenging kan verbeter indien hulle bietjie meer op die taak op hande fokus en minder daarop om die hele tyd pret te hê. Hulle moet ook leer om “nee” te sê en nie toelaat dat enigiemand hulle oorweldig nie. Hulle verhoudings is gewoonlik baie goed omdat hulle Groen element werklik innig besorg is oor mense en hulle Geel element weet hoe om mense te vermaak en almal op te beur.
Die Geruste Groen/Rasend Rooi Vermenging
Hierdie is nie ‘n natuurlike vermenging nie, aangesien Geruste Groen en Rasend Rooi direkte teenoorgesteldes van mekaar is.
Dit kan óf beteken dat ‘n kind doelbewus soveel van die ander temperament aangeleer het dat hy/sy nou die natuurlike sterk kwaliteite van beide kleurtemperamente vertoon, óf dit mag wees dat die Rooi of die Groen as ‘n masker gedra word en dat die kind sy/haar ware temperament van die wêreld weerhou.
Dit is nie ‘n algemene verskynsel dat ‘n natuurlike Rooi ‘n Groen masker sal dra nie, aangesien die Rooie gewoonlik ‘n hoë eiedunk en sterk persoonlikheid het. Indien ‘n Rooi egter ‘n Groen masker opsit, is dit omdat iets in hulle lewens heeltemal buite beheer geraak het (onthou ook dat ‘n Rooi altyd in beheer wil wees), en hulle besluit het dat hulle nie kan wen nie, en dus tou opgegooi het.
Geruste Groen mans is geneig om ‘n Rasend Rooi masker te dra, veral as hulle pa’s Rasend Rooi temperamente gehad het. Jong seuns word somtyds gedwing om meer spontaan te wees, en om op ‘n sekere manier te praat en op te tree, en om sport en rolle aan te durf wat teen hulle natuurlike vredeliewende temperamente indruis. Omdat hulle nie van konfrontasie hou nie, sal hulle eerder probeer inpas in die vorm waarin hulle Rooi pa’s hulle wil giet, as om hulle te konfronteer. Dit kan aanleiding gee tot ‘n ernstige innerlike stryd en gevoelens van ontoereikendheid. As hierdie “gemaskerde” Groene maar net wil besef dat die wêreld die vredemakers ook nodig het en dat daar ‘n gevoel van vryheid is as mens jouself toelaat om te wees wat jy veronderstel was om te wees.
Die Besliste Blou/Gewilde Geel Vermenging
Hierdie twee kleure is ook direkte teenoorgesteldes van mekaar, en indien iemand dus ‘n hoë telling in beide kategorieë behaal, dra hy/sy óf ‘n Blou óf ‘n Geel masker. Gewilde Geel wil hê dat almal hulle moet liefhê en aanvaar. Dit kan aanleiding gee tot gevoelens van verwerping en ontoereikendheid, en hulle buierig, depressief, en oënskynlik perfeksionisties maak. Dit kan dus voorkom asof hulle al die natuurlike swakpunte van die Besliste Blou vertoon.
Skuiling agter ‘n Blou masker begin tipies tydens die kinderjare wanneer ‘n Geel kind die aanvaarding van ‘n veeleisende Rooi of Blou ouer verlang. Dit kan ‘n blywende impak hê op menselewens, selfs as volwassenes, deurdat baie mense studierigtings onderneem wat nie by hulle natuurlike temperament pas nie of in beroepe beland wat hulle verafsku. ‘n Natuurlike Geel, wat te lank ‘n Blou masker dra, kan ernstig depressief raak en al sy/haar natuurlike neigings na pret en geluk verloor.
Soms sal ‘n Besliste Blou ‘n Geel masker opsit en begin gekskeer. Hulle dink dat dit hulle sal help om hulle lewens te bestuur as hulle so snaaks soos die Gele is. Hulle vertoon gewoonlik al Blou se sterk- en swakpunte, asook al die sterkpunte van Gewilde Geel en geen van die Geel se swakpunte nie. Byvoorbeeld, ‘n natuurlike Geel sal geneig wees om ongeorganiseerd en ongedissiplineerd te wees, terwyl ‘n natuurlike Blou nooit sulke neigings sal hê nie.
Blou persone wat Geel maskers dra, probeer gewoonlik slegte of nadelige situasies kamoefleer omdat hulle Geel broer of suster al die aandag geniet het.
Die beste ding wat mens kan doen, is om te aanvaar wie jy werklik is en die temperament waarmee jy gebore is te omhels. Leer uit die ander temperamente se sterkpunte, werk aan jou eie natuurlike swakpunte, en jy sal agterkom dat jy nie enige maskers nodig het om ‘n vervulde en gebalanseerde lewe te lei nie.
