What the heck do Skittles have to do with team design? A lot, actually! A bag of Skittles may just be the best-kept secret to building a drool-worthy team.
Every Color Brings Something Special
Teams, like Skittles, are a mix of colors — reds, greens, yellows, purples, and oranges. Each one is unique and brings a different strength, style, or perspective.
The “reds” are your bold optimists.
They lead with confidence and encourage others to take action. Reds bring courage to the table and are the kind of people who rally the group when challenges seem overwhelming. Their positivity helps others see opportunities, not obstacles.
The “greens” are your detail-minded analysts.
They spot what others might miss. Greens thrive on accuracy, process, and structure. In accounting and finance, these are the people who catch the small discrepancies before they snowball into big problems. The team leans on them when precision matters most.
The “yellows” bring steadiness.
They’re calm problem-solvers when challenges arise. In busy seasons (month-end close, audits, year-end reporting) yellows keep everyone grounded. They don’t panic when stress levels rise, and their consistency creates stability.
The “purples” are the creative thinkers.
They challenge assumptions and spark new ideas. Purples might be the ones asking, “Why do we do it this way?” or spotting a new way to streamline processes. They often have a knack for storytelling, making them valuable in explaining complex ideas to others.
The “oranges” bring energy.
They’re upbeat, extroverted, and bring momentum to the team. Oranges are often culture carriers. They’re the ones who keep morale up, drive engagement, and create connections across groups. Their enthusiasm is contagious, especially during tough times.
One Color Gets Bland Fast
What happens when your team is made up of just one or two colors? Things start to feel repetitive, and eventually, cracks show.
It’s natural to hire people who think and work like you do. If you’re analytical, you may surround yourself with other “greens.” If you thrive on energy, you may gravitate toward “oranges.” That comfort feels good in the short term, but in the long run, it creates blind spots. A team made up of only one flavor ends up with the same strengths and the same weaknesses. If everyone is cautious and detail-oriented, innovation stalls. If everyone is bold and decisive, details slip through the cracks.
The better question for leaders to ask is: What’s missing here?
Finding the Sweet Spot in Team Design
So, how do you know if you’ve got the right balance of colors? Here’s a simple 3-part framework to help you figure it out.
Part 1: Take Stock of the Current Colors
Start by thinking about the personalities and strengths already on your team.
- Who drives ideas forward with confidence? That’s a red.
- Who catches the details that others miss? That’s a green.
- Who keeps everyone calm when stress runs high? That’s a yellow.
- Who sparks new ways of working and thinking? That’s a purple.
- Who brings energy and builds momentum? That’s a orange.
People are multifaceted, so some may fit more than one description. Choose the color that most represents their primary contribution. The point isn’t to label people permanently, but to see your team through a different lens.
Part 2: Spot the Bottlenecks
Once you’ve taken stock of your color mix, look at where work tends to get stuck.
- Do projects stall because most want to analyze, but few want to decide?
- Do things move quickly, but quality is subpar?
- Do big ideas flow, but execution lags?
These sticking points usually reveal the colors that are underrepresented. No team needs every color in equal measure, but too much of one and not enough of another creates friction. And because teams evolve as people grow or leave, it’s worth revisiting this balance regularly.
Part 3: Bring in What’s Missing
Is there a perfect quantity for each color on a team? Not really. The right mix depends on the work. A compliance-heavy team may need more greens and yellows. A project group tasked with implementing a new system may lean on reds and purples. What matters most is awareness — knowing where you’re heavy, where you’re light, and what the work requires.
| Example: you’re hiring a Senior Accountant. You’ve narrowed it down to 2 candidates who are equally qualified and have the technical skills you need. One is an orange and the other is a yellow. Ultimately, your decision comes down to which candidate has the color your team is missing and will round out the mix in a way that elevates everyone. |
Final Thoughts
The takeaway is simple: strong teams aren’t built on one color alone. They succeed because of the balance between different personalities and skills. When you design with variety in mind, you set the stage for better problem-solving, resilience, and long-term success.
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