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SESSION 02
🎨 MMI in Colour
Influencing in 7 colours
Leadership = Influencing Behaviour
- People are wired differently — your style must match the colour of the person in front of you.
- Compliment in the colour that LANDS — recognition is not one-size-fits-all.
- First observe → then decide style → then act. Style follows person, not preference.
- If you only have ONE style, you only reach ONE type of person.
What Is MMI?
- MMI (My Motivation Insights) is a practical tool that shows what motivates people, how they communicate and what they need from others to perform at their best.
- It is NOT about putting people in boxes — it explains WHY people show certain behaviour and how their preferences shape the way they work.
- The most common leadership mistake: treating everyone the same. Your team members are different.
- Some need clear instructions, structure and predictability. Others want independence, quick decisions and freedom to solve problems their own way. Others again run on teamwork, recognition and helping colleagues succeed.
- The better you understand these differences, the more effective your leadership becomes.
The 7 MMI Colours
Quick reference — colour, driver, how to compliment
| Colour | Driver | Compliment that lands |
|---|---|---|
| 🟠 Orange | Competition · Winning | "You hit the target faster than anyone — clear win." |
| 🟣 Purple | Stability · Trust | "I can always count on you — the team feels safe with you." |
| 🔴 Red | Speed · Power | "You moved fast and decisive — that unblocked the whole line." |
| 🐬 Turquoise | Holistic · Future | "You saw the bigger picture — that connects to the next phase." |
| 🟡 Yellow | Logic · The WHY | "Your analysis was rock-solid — that's why the decision sticks." |
| 🔵 Blue | Rules · Risk | "You stuck to the procedure exactly — that prevented the issue." |
| 🟢 Green | Together · Sharing | "You included everyone — the whole team felt heard." |
Step 1 — Learn to Recognise Behaviour
- Effective leadership starts with observation.
- Pay attention to: what people focus on · how they communicate · what frustrates them · what motivates them · how they react under pressure.
Behaviour → possible need
| You observe… | Possible need |
|---|---|
| Asks many questions · wants to understand procedures · double-checks their work | Clarity · Structure · Security |
| Makes quick decisions · impatient with delays · strongly result-focused | Autonomy · Challenge · Efficiency |
| Frequently helps colleagues · guards the team atmosphere · avoids conflict | Appreciation · Cooperation · Positive relationships |
🗣️ Step 2 — Adapt Your CommunicationMany leaders communicate the way THEY prefer to be approached. Strong leaders communicate so the OTHER person can best receive the message. Ask yourself: "What does this person need from me right now?"
Example — giving feedback:
• Less effective: "You need to pay more attention." (vague, creates resistance)
• Detail-oriented employee: "I noticed the quality check was skipped three times today. Can you help me understand what happened?" (facts & clarity)
• Results-oriented employee: "This issue caused 20 minutes of downtime. What can we do to prevent it from happening again?" (impact & results)
• Team-oriented employee: "This created additional work for the rest of the team. How can we solve this together moving forward?" (cooperation & team impact)
The MMI Leadership Formula
- 1. OBSERVE — what behaviour do you notice?
- 2. UNDERSTAND — what might be important to this person?
- 3. ADAPT — adjust your communication and leadership style.
- 4. INFLUENCE — create commitment by connecting with what matters to them.
- Key takeaway: great Team Leads do not treat everyone the same — they adapt their approach to the person in front of them.
🎯 MMI × Situational LeadershipMMI tells you HOW people prefer to be approached. Situational Leadership (Session 5) tells you HOW MUCH support and direction they need. The most effective Team Leads use both.
Before every conversation, ask yourself:
• What motivates this employee?
• How does he/she prefer to communicate?
• What is their skill level on this task?
• What do they need from me right now?
When you can answer these questions, leadership becomes less about giving instructions and more about helping people succeed.
Quick Check — Which Approach Lands?
Tap the answer you think is right — you'll see feedback instantly.
1. An employee asks many questions, wants to understand procedures and double-checks their work. What do they most likely need?
2. You give feedback to a strongly results-oriented employee. Which opening works best?
3. A team-oriented colleague made a mistake that affected others. What is the best opener?
4. What is the correct order of the MMI Leadership Formula?
Full MMI Presentation
The complete Day-2 MMI deck (PowerPoint) — for offline reference.
Download MMI PowerPointWorksheet — Map your team in colour
Your answers are saved in this browser and included in your Training Journey PDF.
Worksheet — MMI Reflection
Your answers are saved in this browser and included in your Training Journey PDF.