Talk « Talk, Inc - Find Your Voice

Internet Marketing Services, Wilmington NC

Posts Tagged ‘Talk’

Study Says Dogs Improve Office Productivity

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

It’s nice to have an official University study confirm what we’ve know all along. Dogs in the workplace increase productivity and teamwork. The article below is reprinted from the August 12, 2010 issue of the Economist.

THERE are plenty of studies which show that dogs act as social catalysts, helping their owners forge intimate, long-term relationships with other people. But does that apply in the workplace? Christopher Honts and his colleagues at Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant were surprised to find that there was not much research on this question, and decided to put that right. They wondered in particular if the mere presence of a canine in the office might make people collaborate more effectively. And, as they told a meeting of the International Society for Human Ethology in Madison, Wisconsin, on August 2nd, they found that it could.

To reach this conclusion, they carried out two experiments. In the first, they brought together 12 groups of four individuals and told each group to come up with a 15-second advertisement for a made-up product. Everyone was asked to contribute ideas for the ad, but ultimately the group had to decide on only one. Anyone familiar with the modern “collaborative” office environment will know that that is a challenge.

Some of the groups had a dog underfoot throughout, while the others had none. After the task, all the volunteers had to answer a questionnaire on how they felt about working with the other—human—members of the team. Mr Honts found that those who had had a dog to slobber and pounce on them ranked their team-mates more highly on measures of trust, team cohesion and intimacy than those who had not.

In the other experiment, which used 13 groups, the researchers explored how the presence of an animal altered players’ behaviour in a game known as the prisoner’s dilemma. In the version of this game played by the volunteers, all four members of each group had been “charged” with a crime. Individually, they could choose (without being able to talk to the others) either to snitch on their team-mates or to stand by them. Each individual’s decision affected the outcomes for the other three as well as for himself in a way that was explained in advance. The lightest putative sentence would be given to someone who chose to snitch while the other three did not; the heaviest penalty would be borne by a lone non-snitch. The second-best outcome came when all four decided not to snitch. And so on.

Having a dog around made volunteers 30% less likely to snitch than those who played without one. The moral, then: more dogs in offices and fewer in police stations.

Tags: dogs, dogs in workplace, Talk
Posted in Talk | Comments

Beware of Brand-Bashing Badvocates

Friday, July 9th, 2010

I love it when PR folks coin a catchy phrase that succinctly captures a cultural phenomenon. “Badvocates,” attributed to Elizabeth Rizzo at Weber Shandwick, are people who stand on a virtual soapbox to criticize or detract from companies, brands or products. Simply put, they’re brand bashers. And left unchecked, they can unravel your company’s reputation — and bottom line — quicker than a jaguar in a yarn shop.

Thanks to the pervasiveness of the Internet and smart phones, consumers can voice their good and bad opinions about your company with just the touch of a button. And badvocates are passionate naysayers. They like to voice their criticisms early and often to whoever will listen. According to Weber Shandwick, badvocates represent 20 percent of adults online worldwide. And each badvocate reaches an average of 14 people. Yikes.

When people are unhappy, they vent their anger quickly — and most often, they vent online. Badvocates’ brand-bashing can get circulated around the globe within minutes. If your company is not actively listening to what’s being said online, you may be caught off guard by the media, customers and competitors who won’t hesitate to escalate the brand-bashing. Monitoring the online conversation can be educational as well. Badvocates often have legitimate gripes that if addressed, can help you strengthen your product line and maybe even turn that naysayer into a brand advocate.

The bad news about badvocates is that they typically control the conversation online and in mainstream media. Why? Because they are more proactive, passionate and prolific than their corporate targets. To mitigate badvocates’ impact, corporate America needs to step up communication efforts and prepare for disaster rather than wait for it to strike. Paul Barsch wrote a great blog for Marketing Profs in which he bemoans that too many businesses shelve or discard “’soft stuff’ such as brand management, press relations, crisis communications and the like . . . in favor of “just-in-time” strategies.”

The problem with the just-in-time approach is that it’s just too late. Restoring a reputation is significantly more difficult, expensive and time-consuming than protecting one. To make sure your business is well protected from the badvocates, consider launching a reputation “wellness” campaign. When it comes to reputation management, an ounce of prevention is worth at least a pound of cure.

Tags: badvocates, Crisis Management, Public Relations, Reputation Management, Talk
Posted in Issues Management, Talk | Comments

Toxic Talk is on the Rise

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

A blog posted today by Crisisblogger Gerald Baron attributed “Toxic Talk” as one of many reasons public opinion about BP and its handling of the oil spill response has been so . . . toxic.

Toxic Talk, as defined by Baron, is the lack of civility and decency in public discourse. “It’s a sad part of our culture,” he says, “but it contributes to an overall attitude of animosity, venom and cultural dis-ease.” Today, when bad and tragic events occur, the public - and by extension, the media - gets incensed and needs someone to blame, shame and crucify.

Weber Shandwick, one of the leading global PR firms with offices in 76 countries, just published a nationwide study entitled “Civility in America.” Of the more than 1,000 adults surveyed, 94% said they consider the general tone and level of civility in the country today to be a problem; 65% said it was a “major” problem. Here are some additional findings:

72% attributed the worsening of civility in recent years to the financial crisis and recession.
The top 5 uncivil elements in American society today are

Government/politics (72%)
Traffic on roads/highways (69%)
American public (61%)
Talk Radio (59%)
High schools (59%)

Who’s responsible for putting a stop to all this nastiness? Survey says:

American public (87%)
Political leaders (83%)
News media (81%)
Business/companies (79%)
Places of worship (76%)

So what impact does incivility have on Americans?

Unfortunately, it is causing people to tune out some of our most important sources of information, like government and the media. To address the issue, Weber Shandwick offers the following five solutions to employ both online and offline.

CEOs should set an example
Tame your “badvocates” by monitoring and mitigating
Be civil in your social media discourse; create and adhere to codes of conduct
Media needs to curb incivility in discourse and reporting
Use advertising to influence; punish uncivil ads with fines and withhold ad buys from uncivil programs and websites

According to the Weber Shandwick study, it appears that politicians, business leaders and the media all have a very important role to play in helping our country learn how to put the civil back in civilization. I couldn’t agree more. When, how and if this happens remains to be seen, but I doubt it will occur while the oil is still flowing into the Gulf.

Tags: BP oil crisis, civility, crisisblogger, Talk
Posted in Issues Management | Comments

Micah wins Top Dog honors in Talk’s Top Dog Contest

Friday, June 25th, 2010

Micah, a six year-old Shih-tzu owned by Kenny and Elizabeth Barnes of Wilmington, took “Top Dog” honors at Talk, Inc.’s first annual Top Dog Contest in celebration of today’s Take Your Dog to Work Day. The online contest was launched on Friday, June 18 with 16 entries ranging from couch potatoes to service dogs and secured more than 2,100 votes until the polls were closed on Monday, June 21 at 6:00 p.m.

The “Top Dog” contest was launched to celebrate dogs like Talk’s own Top Dog, Camden, who work tirelessly either at home or at the office to keep their loved ones happy and stress free each day. Winning dog Micah works at Kenny Barnes Studios and performs a wide variety of important jobs, such as enthusiastically greeting customers and making clients feel loved and welcomed.

“Micah comes to work every day with a great attitude,” said Kenny Barnes, Micah’s owner. “Along with the fun and friendly side of Micah, there is the serious, business side as well. It may look like he is asleep, but he’s not! Micah assures us that he thinks better with his eyes closed.”

Entrants in the online contest were asked to submit a photo of their dog and a brief explanation of why their pooch deserved Top Dog honors. The Barnes entered a custom portrait of Micah created by his “daddy,” portrait artist Kenny Barnes. The entries were posted online at Talk’s blog, which included a survey that allowed visitors to vote for their favorite Top Dog. The contest was launched and promoted via the Talk blog, Facebook, Twitter and e-mail marketing.

On Friday, June 25, Micah and his owners were presented with a basket of goodies for both dog and human. Prizes included goods and services donated by Zeetlegoo’s Pet & People Store, Port City Java, Coastal K9 Bakery, and Pedigree.

Tags: Kenny Barnes Studios, Take Your Dog To Work Day, Talk, Top Dog Contest, TYDTWD
Posted in Internet Marketing | Comments

Cast Your Vote for Top Dog!

Monday, June 21st, 2010

Welcome to Talk’s first annual Top Dog Contest! Each of these super stars is worthy of the hardest working “Top Dog” honors but only one will take home the glory on June 25 - National Take Your Dog to Work Day. Vote for your favorite - you can vote once each day through 6:00 p.m. on Monday, June 21. Thanks to all of our participants and their owners - you are all winners!

MEET ABBEY

Our dog Abbey Holdridge is not only New Hanover County’s “Top Dog”, but North Carolina’s, as well. She’s regal (a kennel owner’s word, not mine, thus aka Queen Abbey), pretty, smart, loyal, takes her responsibilities as a family member seriously (keeps the yard free of squirrels and other intrusive creatures), social, kind and loving, and gracious towards our two cats. Are there any other possible adjectives to describe a dog? She’s getting up there in years. We don’t really know how old she is, because we got her from the pound, where she was taken after found wandering on Shipyard Blvd, without a collar. She was such a special dog that the pound people couldn’t bear to put her down, even though her time was long past due. She was meant to be a member of our family. -Submitted by Diana Holdridge

MEET CUBBY

This is my Yorkshire Terrier, Cubby. He comes to work with me at Poplar Grove Plantation, every day. He weighs all of four pounds. And I love’m to bits. - Submitted by Jeanne Walker

MEET ENZO

I began fostering Enzo in October of ‘09 and knew within minutes of picking him up that he would not be leaving my home! He had been chained up 24/7 and a neighbor notified the rescue group Tails U Win, who I did fostering for, and the rest is history. He is such a love-pup, coming up and leaning into you for a cuddle. He has never met a stranger. I have three other larger dogs, all females, and he quite comfortably wears the pants in the pack!! Mr. Personality is always up to something. Enzo will throw a toy for himself and fetch it - if he is in the mood to play and no one is outside with him. He loves companionship. -Submitted by Kate Tomaselli

MEET HANNAH

Hannah gets the paper at the end of the driveway each morning and brings it into the house. Hannah is a Certified Therapy Dog, certified thru Carolina Canines, and she visits patients and families of patients at the Cape Fear Hospice Center. -Submitted by Joe & Nancy Stoner

MEET HUCK (FINN)

In addition to being very active Huck (Finn) exerts himself after a nap by draping himself over the sofa. He also walks from the couch to the office which has another couch upon which he rests. -Submitted by Kenneth Hall Epple

MEET (ACTION) JACKSON

It is my honor and joy to nominate (Action) Jackson, our Shih Tzu, for the Talk, Inc. Top Dog Contest. My business, Bec and Call, is in the business of providing a variety of services to and usually within other local businesses so Jackson really gets around! The majority of my clients not only welcome Jackson, they almost insist. If I ever show up without him the first words out of their mouths are “where’s Jackson?” Jackson is pretty laid back for a small dog and my clients (and their customers if it’s a retail establishment) get a lot of joy out of petting, scratching on and hugging Jack. I don’t think I have to tell you how much he enjoys it in return.

I feel very blessed to have him to share my days and even more blessed that my work allows me the opportunity to share with other Take Your Dog to Work type of businesses and people. -Submitted byRebecca V. Powell

MEET JAGER

Jager has been going to work with me for almost 9 years. I am a massage therapist and he is a such a Zen pup. He greets clients who know him at the door with a wag and if he really, really likes them he prances up and down the hallway. I don’t bring him in for a new client’s first visit because not everyone likes dogs. I feel sorry for them. He has a pillow in the back of my room where he sleeps during the session and he gets up and leaves with me when it is over. If for some reason he doesn’t come into the office with me, everyone wants to know why he isn’t there. Some days I think they would rather see him than me. But I don’t mind. It is such a joy to have him with me that on days when he doesn’t come, the car and the room seem very, very empty. -Submitted by Katrina Moncrief

MEET LEIA

My name is Leia. Actually, that’s Sweet Leia Landshark. My mom named me that after I landsharked a whole roasted chicken when her back was turned. Those were the days. Now, she keeps a better eye on me. As you can see from my name, I’m also sweet and I’m a princess - like Princess Leia. (My brother, Luke, passed away last year). It’s TOUGH work being a princess. People think it’s a breeze with servants managing everything, but seriously ruling a kingdom takes a lot of energy. You have to be constantly on guard lest someone try to upset the balance of power or take advantage of my kind nature. As Princess, I keep watch over my court, ensure the day’s schedule stays on track (meal times are particularly important), and give love to those who serve me well each day.Thank you for honoring us with the Top Dog contest. Even as a princess, it feels good to hear how awesome I am. -Submitted by Tracy Tuten

MEET LUCKY

I adopted “Trooper”, whom I later renamed “Lucky“ at the New Hanover County Animal Shelter on January 18, 2008. In my mind’s eye, I could picture my future dog: a medium-sized black lab girl. Looking at the dogs, I didn’t see my black lab but was reminded of how important it was for the dog to pick me (black lab or not). I was drawn to the one dog that seemingly paid me no attention, unlike the other dogs. He was listed as a St. Bernard/Collie mix and was definitely not my black lab girl. I took him out to test our rapport and that was it: he had picked me. We both knew. Lucky taught me a very important lesson the very first day I met him: that sometimes you don’t know that what you are looking for is not what you really want or need…and being open to that is the trick. So, I renamed him “Lucky” for the “lucky fin” in Finding Nemo.

My life has changed in that he has taught me about a higher level of responsibility and generosity. I enjoy taking care of him, of making sure is comfortable and happy, and letting him share everything that I have. I love Lucky very much. I love taking him for walks and taking him on vacation with me. I love sharing my life with him and want him to be happy. This is why Lucky should be the “Top Dog”. -Submitted by Danielle Wallace

MEET LUNA

Luna deserves the “Top Dog” title because she is such a great example of her breed (Pit Bull). She is super sweet and great with kids. I wish I could bring her to work with me everyday, but I can’t! She always brings a smile to everyone’s face - and is more than willing to give out puppy kisses. Luna love to catch frisbees and run around the backyard with her two sisters, Sadie and Mollie. She is known to all our friends as a serial snuggler - just one big love bug!!! -Submitted by Tanya Szulak

MEET MICAH

Micah deserves the hardest working dog honors because he is a vital part of Kenny Barnes’ Studio. As the top dog, he considers it a privilege to enthusiastically greet anyone who comes to the studio. He makes clients feel loved and welcomed. Micah comes to work every day with a great attitude. He’s never in a bad mood. He smiles all the time. When it comes to being a team player, he is very encouraging to the other people who get to work with him at the studio. Along with the fun and friendly side of Micah, there is the serious, business side as well. Many days, he is not available to see the clients because he has very important business issues that he has to attend to in his “office.” On these days, he stays in his office and lays really still so he can think clearly. It may look like he is asleep, but he’s not! Micah assures us that he thinks better with his eyes closed.

Just to further prove that Micah should win the Top Dog honors, this portrait shows that he stands behind the work of the studio by having his own portrait done by his daddy, Kenny Barnes. He is such a dedicated little guys! -Submitted by Kenny Barnes

MEET REBEKAH

This is Rebekah at work in her dad’s accounting office. Rebekah was 9 weeks old on this work day. She is now 9 months old and preparing to take her Canine Good Citizen test so she can become a Certified Therapy Dog with her sisters, Hannah and Sara. -Submitted by Joe & Nancy Stoner

MEET RORY

I am nominating Rory for top dog because not only is he the most friendly shop dog, he is an all round caring guy. When his Uncle Finn lost the use of his hind legs, Rory would coax him along on his daily walks, and helping to keep his best friend mobile. He is a champ! -Submitted by Mary Holst

MEET SPARKY

Sparky works tirelessly day and night to make our lives safe, happier and more efficient. His “title” of “house pet” is quite simple, but he willingly accepts many tasks without whimpering or complaining. He excels in being a team player, but also works well independently. His many jobs include the following:

Physical trainer - Without Sparky, we would not regularly exercise. He walks with us everyday, multiple times, and we always walk further than we planned, because of his exuberance and love of the outdoors.
Kitchen Assistant - He is always willing to clean all plates before they go into the dishwasher.
Entertainer - Sparky always keeps us in stitches with his tricks, good disposition and his enthusiasm.
Therapist - He always puts a smile on our faces, no matter what kind of day we have.
Greeter - He greets our guests at the door with great excitement. Everyone feels welcome.
Security Advisor - He alerts us to any out-of-the ordinary noise in or outside of the house.
Military Intern - He will “leave no man behind”. While walking, he will always wait for the last person to catch up, and he will not enter the house until everyone is home.
Communication Facilitator - Our family is always contacting each other, day or night, to talk about “Sparkisms”, such as:
Sparky not eating his breakfast when it was placed in the bathroom - he is normally fed in the kitchen. He sat perfectly still and stared at me, as if to say “I am not eating in the bathroom”, so naturally, the food was moved and he ate.
Sparky running to the refrigerator if he hears someone getting string cheese out of the drawer. He can be fast asleep or playing ball - nothing keeps him from the cheese.
Sparky closing drawers, when you tell him to “push”.
Sparky jumping up to drink water from the bathroom faucet, after I brush my teeth.

Sparky is definitely the “Top Dog” because, not only is he a hard worker, but he is a big, fuzzy 60 pound sweet heart. His only goal in life is to make everyone happy - what a task that would be for most humans. -Submitted by Amy Sanders

MEET STORM

I’d like to nominate my dog Storm, an 8-year-old Belgian Malinois. He doesn’t know I’m doing this and he would be mad at me if he found out, so don’t tell him. As a K-9 member of the all-volunteer Brunswick Search and Rescue, Storm trains almost every weekend of the year - and sometimes more often - to be ready to work with law enforcement officials if needed. He’s certified to search for missing people in the wilderness by following their scent through the air. He also is certified to find human remains, either on land or in the water. And he does all this for no greater reward than a handful of kibble or the joy of fetching a stick. Yes, Storm is “my dog,” but he also is my partner as we train, travel and work throughout southeastern North Carolina. When we’re at home, he likes nothing better than to play fetch with his Kong toy or curl up in the living room while I relax. Thanks or the opportunity to recognize Storm’s hard work and dedication. -Submitted by Jim Ware

MEET WRIGLEY

Wrigley is the hard working Sales Manager for Glynne’s Soaps. As Sales Manager, Wrigley’s responsibilities include but are not limited to drawing a crowd to the Glynne’s Soaps booth at the Carolina Beach Farmer’s Market every Saturday morning; acting as a model for the Glynne’s Soaps dog soap advertisements; and being the tester for new dog soaps ideas. Wrigley is a frequent blogger on Glynne’s Soaps blog and he is a twitter hound @wrigleysoapguru. His presence lowers blood pressures and his goofy personality is sure to bring a laugh to the entire office.

While Wrigley is a hard working dog, he is also a dog who knows how to cut loose and have fun. He loves playing fetch on his breaks (or anytime) and is into taking classes and participating in agility and rally. You can read about his adventures on his personal blog Agility Spot. -Submitted by D Gayle Tabor

How to Vote:

On the left side of our Blog page is the Top Dog Voting Poll. Please read all candidates and select the bubble next to the name of who you think is Greater Wilmington’s Top Dog. Then click Vote at the bottom of the voting poll.

Thank You for participating in Talk Inc Greater Wilmington Top Dog Contest!

Tags: Take Your Dog To Work Day, Talk, Top Dog Contest
Posted in Talk | Comments

Top 10 Reasons to Take Your Dog to Work

Thursday, June 17th, 2010

Tags: Take Your Dog To Work Day, Talk, Top Dog Contest, TYDTWD
Posted in Talk | Comments

Nominate Your Dog in Talk’s Top Dog Contest

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

Is Your Dog a Top Dog?

On Friday, June 4, Talk launched our first annual “Top Dog” Hardest Working Dog Contest as part of our month-long celebration of Take Your Dog To Work Day on Friday, June 25^th. The contest celebrates dogs like me who work tirelessly and faithfully to keep our loved ones happy and stress free each and every day.

I invite all dog owners – both those who take their canine companions to work and those who don’t – to nominate their pup for “Top Dog” in Greater Wilmington. To enter, just e-mail a photo of your dog to topdog@talkinc.com with a brief explanation of why your furry friend deserves the hardest working dog honors. Only my fellow canine residents of New Hanover, Pender, and Brunswick counties are eligible.

All entries will be posted right here on Talk’s blog on Monday June 18^th and visitors can vote for their favorite “Top Dog” once a day through Monday, June 21. The winning dog will be announced on Friday, June 25^th – National Take Your Dog To Work Day – and presented with a Top Dog certificate and a gift basket full of goodies for both dog and dog owner. The winner will also be profiled on Talk’s blog and Facebook page.

As the Top Dog here at Talk, I invite you to share your “working like a dog” stories so we can honor your dog for making your day just a little bit brighter.

For more information check out our group page on Facebook, and stay tuned into my “Talk To The Paw” blog.

Tags: Take Your Dog To Work Day, Talk, Talk Inc. Dog Contest, Top Dog Contest
Posted in Talk | Comments

CEOs Prefer Magenta. Bodes Well for Talk Pink.

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

Reprinted from USA Today article published on February 8, 2010

By Del Jones, USA TODAY

Ask CEOs to pick their favorite color and what they select will often be very different than what most people would pick.

For example, when 877 members of USA TODAY’s CEO panel took an online personality color test, they were three times more likely to favor magenta than the public at large, three times less likely to select red, and 3½ times less likely to choose yellow.

COLOR TEST: Take the free aptitude test

This, it turns out, is more than a curiosity. Psychiatry professor Rense Lange, an expert on tests for everyone from students to job hunters to those with early signs of Alzheimer’s disease, has been looking hard at color tests and he has reached the conclusion that the results all but prove that CEOs are wired differently.

They are often wired in counterintuitive ways. For example, the color test shows that the typical CEO is more sensitive and private than the typical person and is less likely to be a perfectionist or to be dominant and more likely to be emotionally unstable. CEOs, it turns out, are not as self-assured as the public at large, and they are more cooperative and less forceful than the typical person, says Dewey Sadka, who has spent the last 15 years refining the color test completed by the 877 current and retired CEOs and chairmen. The heavy response from USA TODAY’s CEO panel provided a significant database that was then examined against 750,000 others who have taken the online test.

A 60-second test

The test takes about 60 seconds. It is almost entirely visual and asks people to click on colors, sometimes ordering as many as 15 colors from favorite to least favorite. The results turn out a personality profile that is far from perfect, but is proving to be as valid as more established and lengthy verbal tests such as Myers-Briggs and the Gallup StrengthsFinder. The results can steer people toward a career that matches their personality and strengths with jobs they might find enjoyable.

Unsurprisingly, the CEOs as a group were suited for jobs in upper management, but they also were better suited than the average person to be social workers, artists and teachers. Lange said that made sense because the ability to motivate is important to both teaching and running a corporation.

“CEOs see the big, bold and colorful picture and help others see the vision as well,” said test-taker Edward Jennings, CEO of Copanion, which provides tax professionals with Web-based applications. “Leaders are storytellers, teachers and investors.”

Administrative assistants might be surprised to learn that the color test indicates that the typical CEO is well-suited to be an administrative assistant. Jake Geleerd, CEO of Chicago real estate company Terrapin Properties, offers an explanation: It’s because CEOs probably had their assistants take the test for them, he jokes.

But Marion Sandler, a former Fortune 500 CEO at Golden West Financial, took the test for herself and learned that she might enjoy a job as secretary, paralegal, clerical worker or bank cashier.

“It made me laugh,” Sandler said. “When I was 8 years old, I aspired to be a sales clerk, but then I grew up.”

If CEOs might make good teachers and administrative assistants, might teachers and administrative assistants make good CEOs? “I wouldn’t be surprised,” Lange says. However, the test warns that people will find job recommendations below or beyond their capabilities.

Lange says no one knows why so much can be learned about a person by the colors they choose. Those answers are buried deep in neuroscience, he says, but it’s just a matter of time before marketers will be able to target products to consumers based on color preferences. Color tests are much easier to administer than something like Myers-Briggs, and color tests aren’t easy to influence. For example, someone applying for a job as a police officer might attempt to game a Myers-Briggs test by guessing the correct answers, but they would have no idea how to rank colors.

Color tests can also be quickly expanded worldwide. Vijay Eswaran, the Malaysian executive chairman of QI Group in Hong Kong, took the test for USA TODAY and said that it accurately described his personality, though he was taken aback by potential jobs he would be good at: mechanic, emergency room supervisor and telephone technician.

“The suggestion that I might have made a good dental assistant made me pine for lost opportunities,” said Phil Libin, CEO of technology company Evernote.

CEOs were promised that their individual results would remain anonymous, and it’s unknown what percentage believe the test accurately reflected their personalities. Some who volunteered comments said they were unconvinced. Bruce Clarke, CEO of consultancy Capital Associated Industries, likened the color test to a “horoscope or astrological sign analysis.”

Some CEOs sold on results

But most CEOs who provided feedback said the test was eerily accurate, including Greg Babe, CEO of Bayer, and Hamish Dodds, CEO of Hard Rock International. “I was floored,” Dodds said.

“I must say I was very skeptical, but it does a darn good job of summing me up,” says David Haffner, CEO of manufacturer Leggett & Platt. “I wonder what I’d be like if I liked lime green and purple?”

“It identifies the tension in my personality between facts and creativity,” said James Fugitte, CEO Wind Energy.

Of the CEOs who took the test, four men and one woman said they are colorblind or partially colorblind. Those include former Southwest AirlinesCEO Howard Putnam and Brian Scudamore, who founded 1-800-Got-Junk 20 years ago and now has 300 locations in three countries. “I’m colorblind, yet the results were still bang on,” he said.

Tags: CEO, color tests, Personality tests, Talk
Posted in Branding | Comments