I Got My Insights Profile… and Didn't Stop Talking About It for Months

Matthew, founder of Adapt & Connect, shares the moment his Insights Discovery profile changed how he understood himself — and how it shaped the work he does today.

Hi, I’m Matthew — founder of Adapt & Connect Ltd.

I’m a terrible surfer. A very average golfer.

But when it comes to facilitation, self-awareness and team development using Insights Discovery, this is very much my thing.

And it all started with one profile.

The Moment It Clicked

I remember sitting with my Insights Discovery profile for the first time.

Reading it. Re-reading it. Highlighting bits. Laughing at the parts that felt uncomfortably accurate.

It wasn’t vague. It wasn’t generic. It felt specific.

The report described how I communicate, what energises me, what drains me, and how I’m likely to behave under pressure. It even captured the impact I might have on other people — both the positive effects and the moments where my strengths might unintentionally become weaknesses.

For weeks afterwards, I talked about nothing else.

Not because it was colourful — although the colours do help.

But because it gave me something incredibly valuable: language.

Language for things I’d always felt but never quite articulated. Language for strengths I’d probably underestimated. Language for blind spots I’d never fully owned.

And once you see yourself clearly, it’s surprisingly hard to go back to not knowing.

Why Self-Awareness Changes Everything

One of the things that struck me most was how much workplace tension comes down to misunderstanding rather than capability.

Most teams are full of talented, well-intentioned people. But those same people often experience each other very differently.

Someone thinks you’re abrupt — you think you’re being efficient.
Someone thinks you’re overthinking — you think you’re being thorough.
Someone thinks you’re disengaged — you’re actually reflecting before speaking.

Without a shared understanding of behaviour, these differences can quickly become personal. People start defending their approach rather than exploring how they might adapt.

But when self-awareness enters the picture, something shifts.

Instead of defending, people begin to reflect. Instead of judging, they begin to understand. And when people understand both themselves and each other better, collaboration becomes significantly easier.

That’s why self-awareness isn’t just a “nice to have” in leadership development. It’s the starting point.

The Power of a Shared Language

What makes tools like Insights Discovery particularly powerful is that they give teams a shared language to talk about behaviour.

Instead of describing colleagues as “difficult”, “overly cautious” or “too intense”, teams can start to recognise patterns in how people think, communicate and approach work.

A direct, fast-paced colleague may simply have strong Fiery Red energy. Someone who asks lots of questions before making a decision might be drawing on Cool Blue thinking. Someone focused on harmony and relationships may naturally lean towards Earth Green energy.

None of these styles are right or wrong. But when teams understand them, conversations change.

And that’s where development becomes practical.

Why I Started Adapt & Connect

Experiencing that level of insight personally — and later seeing the impact it could have inside teams — made one thing clear to me.

Many workplace challenges aren’t really about talent. They’re about understanding.

Teams don’t usually struggle because people lack ability. They struggle because people interpret behaviour differently, communicate in different ways and respond to pressure differently.

That’s why I started Adapt & Connect Ltd. When people understand themselves, each other, the impact they have, and the impact others have on them — they begin to adapt. And when people adapt, they connect.

That’s where better communication, stronger leadership and higher-performing teams begin.

The Work I Do Today

Today I work with organisations to help leaders and teams develop that understanding.

Sometimes that involves Insights Discovery profiles and team workshops. Sometimes it involves coaching, leadership development or helping organisations think differently about communication and culture.

But the starting point is always the same — helping people understand themselves and each other more clearly.

Because when that happens, teams stop wasting energy navigating misunderstanding and start focusing that energy on doing great work together.

Want to find out your own colour energy preferences? Try our interactive quiz.