From the corporate world to the school system, high Oranges are really misunderstood when it comes to the way they learn and study.
The largest Color group are Golds who need to study in a quiet space and alone (as do Greens). But that’s exactly the opposite of how high Orange tend to learn – and it can lead to real challenges, especially with high Gold parents “making” an Orange kid have that alone-time and long blocks of study time.
Orange are social by nature and learn best in short bursts, together with their friends. They also have no problem studying with a television or stereo playing in the background. Gold parents know their Orange child is bright and highly intelligent, yet their marks don’t always reflect this. But often, it’s a Color clash in the mindset of the “proper” way parents believe their child “ought” to study. After all, that’s how I did it and that should work for my kid, too. But instead of creating success, more often than not, it causes conflict, rebellion, stress, dropping marks and rule-breaking behavior.
The best way for high Orange to get their marks up, or to learn new material for work, is to study with their friends. The more time they’re forced to study alone, the worse it’ll likely get. High Orange are very verbal and social, as well as performers who learn best with the freedom to move around, talk something through with their friends while listening to music. Having friends over makes studying a competition and social interaction and allows them to use their great verbal skills.
And if you want to take it one step further – make it a game and a contest. Even the most successful Orange sales staff don’t get seriously motivated about a contest until they can see the finish line. In every sales seminar I ask this hugely successful and highly intelligent group when they get seriously motivated about a one-year contest. Without exception, they’ll tell you it’s about September, October or November and not on January 1st!
So, if you’re choosing to give your kid a reward for success, make sure it’s something for THIS week – not the end of the school year. That day is way to far off to generate any type of interest or motivation.
Oh, and one more thing: Ask a couple of high Orange at work or in your circle of friends how long a work meeting should last. They’ll always tell you it should be 15 or 20 minutes, tops. Yet think about how long classes are in high school, or even how long you’re asking a high Orange kid to sit still and do homework.