Coupa Colors: Unlocking Effective Communication and Self-Awareness at Coupa
In today's globalized world, it is increasingly common for teams to be composed of multi-generational individuals from different cultures and regions. While this leads to diversity of thought and innovation, it can also present challenges in communication and collaboration and it’s one of the reasons we use Coupa Colors.
By using Coupa Colors, Coupanians are categorized into four color energies: Blue, Red, Green, and Yellow. Each color represents a unique set of personality traits, preferences, and tendencies. That said, the aim is not to put someone in a box. While we typically have a default color energy preference we revert to naturally we are not just ‘one color’ and everyone has a blend of color energies and people can also flex into each of the color energies depending on the situation or person they are dealing with.
By understanding our own primary and secondary color energies and those of our colleagues we can improve communication, build stronger relationships, and foster a more compassionate and inclusive culture at Coupa.
Colleagues who lead with blue tend to be analytical and detail-oriented, preferring to work with data and facts. They are logical and organised and excel at implementing systems and processes. Those who lead with red are more assertive and action-oriented, they focus on results and drive to push things forward. They like to move fast and like to get things done! Team members leading with green are empathetic, relationship-oriented, valuing harmony, collaboration and teamwork while people who lead with yellow are generally enthusiastic and creative, valuing fun and spontaneity. They are big picture thinkers and are considered to be charismatic and sociable.
One benefit of using Coupa Colors is it helps our employees become more self-aware. By identifying our own color energy, we can gain insights into our strengths and development areas, as well as our communication style and preferences. This self-awareness can lead to improved self-management and more effective communication with others.
In addition, Coupa Colors can help individuals be more compassionate. By understanding the color energies of our colleagues and teammates, we can appreciate their unique perspectives and communication styles. This can reduce misunderstandings and conflict, leading to a more harmonious and productive environment.
Coupa Colors is especially useful in a multicultural and global environment like Coupa, where communication and cultural differences can pose challenges. By recognizing and valuing the different color energies of our colleagues from diverse backgrounds, we can build trust and respect, and foster a more inclusive and supportive workplace culture.
Here are some of the benefits we have found by using Coupa Colors:
- Self-awareness: We encourage employees to take a short Coupa Colors assessment and reflect on their own color energy and communication style. This can help them understand their strengths and areas for improvement, and develop strategies for more effective communication. They are encouraged to share their Coupa Colors on the internal directory and add it to their email signature.
- Builds a common language: Coupa Colors is pervasive across Coupa and is a common language for discussing personality traits and communication styles. This helps team members understand and appreciate each other's differences, and reduce misunderstandings and conflict.
- Foster compassion and inclusivity: We encourage employees to recognize and value the different color energies of their colleagues, and to appreciate the unique perspectives and communication styles each brings to the team.
- Team building: We use Coupa Colors as a tool for team building activities and workshops. This can help team members build trust and understanding, and develop strategies for more effective communication and collaboration.
Coupa Colors is a powerful tool for improving communication and self-awareness, especially in Coupa’s multicultural and global teams. By understanding our own color energy and those of others, we can build stronger relationships, reduce conflict, and foster a more compassionate and inclusive workplace culture.
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Before working at Coupa, I was extremely dissatisfied with my job for nearly a decade. I felt trapped, imprisoned, frustrated to the point of not knowing whether to burst out bawling or laughing (and did both over the years), and nearly desperate. Why did it take me so long to leave and find Coupa? Before Covid and the social norm of using Zoom or Google Meets, I knew there were no other companies nearby my small, Wisconsin town that could provide a similar income without an hour commute, and as the breadwinner of my family with my husband an elementary school teacher along with our two high school girls, I could not justify trading my happiness to diminish theirs. Being a midwesterner as well as a GenXer, I talked myself into “sucking it up” and grinding for the next 20 years until I could retire for them to have stability. Covid, Zoom and then Coupa changed my life. With the global pandemic changing the way business worked, it was like my eyes were opened up to the entire world of possibilities. I made it my second job to read job descriptions and attend virtual interviews, refusing to settle for a company I wasn’t obsessed with. My obsession with Coupa started before even my first conversation with Talent Acquisition, from the very beginning when I read the job description that included Coupa’s Core Values. Not only did I fully embody and believe in all three values from the start, but I was obsessed with a company that would even have values like this! I had no idea how important and embedded these values really were to this company at the time, but it was the first reason I wanted to work here.
