TODD CHERCHES — love good color

photo courtesy of Todd Cherches

I met Todd through my dear friend Ayse Birsel. She was kind enough to ask me to speak at one of her weekly Virtual Teas and afterward, Todd, a regular of the Virtual Teas, reached out to me to talk about his enthusiasm for color. What intrigued me most about Todd is his curiosity and passion for the visual. Todd is the CEO and Co-founder of BigBlueGumball, an innovative NYC-based consulting firm specializing in leadership development, management training, public speaking, and executive coaching. He is the innovative creator of the patented tool and book, VisuaLeadership, which helps you not only to see and communicate more clearly but enables you to envision a future you never imagined. He sees everything in new and exciting ways and I know you will enjoy what he has to say.

Laura Guido-Clark: WHEN I SAY THE WORD COLOR, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF?

Todd Cherches: Fun, beauty, energy, creativity, happiness.

LG-C: CAN YOU SHARE A SIGNIFICANT COLOR MEMORY OR YOUR FIRST COLOR MEMORY?

TC: One of my favorite times of the year as a kid – probably starting in first grade – was September “Back to School” shopping with my mother when we would pick out all my brand new school supplies for the new school year. I always color-coded everything, so we would pick out different color notebooks for different subjects, color stickers, and my favorite item: a four-pack of Bic four-color pens which I would use to visually color-code my notes.

LG-C: HOW DO YOU USE COLOR FOR SELF-EXPRESSION?

TC: I am always aware of color in and around me, as there are some colors I have extremely positive associations with, and others I have negative associations with. Probably the most prevalent answer to this question would be clothing. For example, most of my shirts are either black, blue, purple, grey, or white.

LG-C: WHICH ONE OF YOUR SENSES, ASIDE FROM SIGHT, DO YOU MOST ASSOCIATE WITH COLOR?

TC: Hmmm. Interesting question that I’ve never really thought about before! I would have to say “taste”…and the associated color would be red. Apples, strawberries, cherries, and watermelon come to mind. In terms of candy, since childhood, I always wanted the red licorice, the red Chuckle, the red M&Ms.

LG-C: HOW & WHERE DOES COLOR PLAY A ROLE IN YOUR WORK?

TC: I incorporate a lot of drawing in my work, and I still color-code everything. So I always have my 12-color sharpies, 18-color whiteboard markers, and highlighters in a variety of colors within arm’s reach. One example: I teach graduate courses in leadership at NYU and Columbia, as well as corporate training programs. When I am writing about “management” topics I write in blue marker. When I am writing about “leadership” topics I write in red marker. When I am explaining areas of overlap, I use purple. When writing about financial topics I use green. And I color code other topics as well. I’ve found that this consistent use of color dramatically helps to visually reinforce the topics, and enhances “attention” (focus), “comprehension” (understanding), and “retention” (memory). I also teach a number of visual models in which color is incorporated. For example, “Social Styles” and DeBono’s “Six Thinking Hats.” When I teach “Social Styles,” each participant gets either a color sticker or a color chip to remind them of their style. And when I facilitate “Six Thinking Hats” exercises, I have baseball caps in each of the six colors that the participants can wear to visually represent that particular type of thinking. And my PowerDial model uses colors (orange, green, blue) to represent three different sources of power. I also use a lot of props…which add both color and humor.

LG-C: WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU SAW LATELY THAT WAS COLOR CAPTIVATING OR REVELATORY?

TC: My wife – who is incredibly beautiful -- often has a tendency to wear neutral colors or pastels (which, honestly, I am not a fan of). But when we went out to dinner on Saturday night, she was wearing a simple cool blue t-shirt – I’m not even sure what shade of blue to call it (as I wrestle with differentiating color shades); but this shirt made her eyes sparkle like blue diamonds, and I couldn’t stop staring at her…even though we’ve been together for 19 years. So…that was both captivating and revelatory. She also looks amazing in black and red and bright pink (but she won’t wear purple).

LG-C: IS THERE ANYONE WHO HAS INFLUENCED YOU WITH REGARD TO COLOR?

TC: I would have to say, my mother. Both my parents had a good sense of style, but my mother was the greater influence going back to picking out my childhood clothing and being open to my color preferences.

LG-C: WHAT COLOR CHALLENGES DO YOU FACE?

TC: There are some colors that really bother me and I do everything to avoid them. If something –for example clothing or a sneaker— has even the slightest bit of orange or brown or green in it – even a single thread of it, I can’t and won’t buy it or use it. Even if it is an inner lining or a clothing tag that no one would see, I can’t do it. When I went to the dentist and they gave me a free toothbrush that turned out to be green, I gave it to my wife. I try to be flexible, and sometimes I have to be, but if/when given the choice, I do anything possible to stay away from any colors in the Autumn family. Which is hard to do sometimes, for example, in Autumn.

LG-C: DO YOU HAVE A PHILOSOPHY YOU WORK BY?

TC: I’m not really sure how to answer this question. But, I guess, relative to color, I am highly aware of, and attuned to, which colors make me feel relaxed, happy, creative, confident, etc., and which do the opposite. And just as I am very strategic and purposeful about every aspect of my life, color is just one more – and one highly important – factor that I always take into consideration.