Big Sky Big Leadership Focused On Real Colors

By PR Extension Office

Participants at the March session for Big Sky Big Leadership (BSBL) learned more about their personality type through a Real Colors workshop led by Tara Andrews, retired Custer County Extension Agent.

"Understanding the preferences of prospective employees is very helpful in providing the correct job or task," explained Andrews. "It can be the difference in setting up someone for success or failure," she added.

Real Colors, a temperament theory designed by David Keirsey, is a methodology for helping people understand human behavior. It helps people recognize, accept and learn to value the difference in others. It is a tool to increase understanding, empathy and communication.

"I found the 'Real Colors' to be more useful than some of the other personality tests that I've done in the past," stated one participant.

Self-care with an emphasis on mental health was explored during the Community Based Experience in the afternoon. A panel of health professionals shared their mission and methods of connecting to people in our community. The panelists included Laura Wetherelt with Two Rivers Wellness, LLC; Dani Draine, Behavior Intervention Specialist for Eastern Montana Mental Health Center and Darlynn Williams, Powder River Public Health Nurse. Following the panel presentation, participants toured the High School and Elementary School to gain a better understanding of the safe spaces and personnel resources available to the students.

"There is no such thing as a 'bad kid'," said Draine. "What I try to determine is what they are trying to tell me by their behavior; what has happened to them," she explained. "The safe places allow students to reset and gain a better understanding of the emotions they are feeling," stated Draine. When asked how to change the stigma about mental health in our community, Draine suggested sharing the struggles we all have with others, and to seek professional therapy.

"We have all experienced trauma in our lives," said Draine, "and can benefit by working through that trauma with therapy. We think nothing of going to the doctor for a broken bone; why wouldn't we see someone when our brain isn't working properly?"

Participants reported that learning about the resources at school was truly enlightening.

The group also brain stormed ideas for a group project focusing on community beautification which resulted in several suggestions. Further development of the most popular ideas will be explored at future BSBL sessions.

Big Sky, Big Leadership is sponsored by the School/Community Development Council, the Powder River Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture and the MSU Extension Service – Powder River County. Steering committee members are Julie Riley, Missy Billing, Kate Copelan and Mary Rumph.