Spiral Dynamics refer to awareness development at personal as well as at the collective level like organizations, associations etc. The theory of Spiral dynamics was co-authored by Christopher Cowan and Don Edward Beck which has been implemented by several organizations and world leaders for creating better collaboration, cooperation, and harmony among their people – working with their values and views as opposed to disagreeing or having a conflict with them.
Spiral Dynamics defines eight levels which are expressed in the value systems each having their own distinct color. The levels climb from a simpler structure to increasing intricacy and complexity. In other words, Spiral Dynamics describes to organizing people behavior values into 8 different colors which signify 8 value systems. Spiral Dynamics is used for personal as well as organizational development.
The Eight Levels
Below is the brief description of those eight human developmental levels provided in the theory of Spiral Dynamics.
Level 1 - Beige
In the Spiral Dynamics space, beige is the first level and is the human need. A person who is self-expressive and whose thought patterns are instinctive and automatic. The basic need of such person is to survive while mostly focused on food, shelter and companionship and warmth.
Level 2 - Purple
The second level and the color is Purple. This person finds comfort within a group and also has a close bond with such a group. The core values of any person from this level include safety and security. Such a person is self-sacrificing for the benefit of his own group. And they live for their group, their clan, tribe or kinship.
Level 3 - Red
The third level or the color is Red, someone who is predominantly focused on himself with the mere desire of joining any community. Such person views the world filled with threats and the need for dominating each and every situation for his own perceived survival.
On a positive side, this level is also where a person learns to stand up for himself, as opposed from the tribe mentality in the preceding level.
Level 4 - Blue
The fourth color in the Spiral Dynamics Theory is Blue. Blue represents someone who is looking for order in this perplexing world. Such individuals understand that there are a purpose and order in one’s life. They find it important to establish laws, rules, order, and structure for maintaining their existence.
Level 5 - Orange
The next color in the Spiral Dynamics space in Orange. This level represents people who are entrepreneurial and self-reliant risk takers in nature and are always strive to achieve personal success in life. Such people are willing to tweak rules for gaining success. Their key power lies in their knowledge which they use to obtain success in their life.
Level 6 - Green
The sixth level or color is Green which is group focused. Such people tend to find comfort in a community. Such individuals are people who have met their objectives in life and therefore their thinking is ‘we-centric’ again. Such individuals strive towards balance and harmony among everyone. Divisiveness and greed are never tolerated.
Level 7 - Yellow
The seventh color is the color Yellow that emphasized on being considerate about the differences in other people and finding ways to cope with it. Such people value knowledge most of all and they find that the world is a diverse, exciting and paradoxical curiosity which is required to be analyzed, studied and understood.
Level 8 - Turquoise
The final level and color in the Spiral Dynamics spectrum is Turquoise which again views the world as one big picture but concentrates on how we live, survive and interact through all the turmoil and chaos. A person who has reached this level observes the world in the danger of geopolitical breakdown as the outcome of adopting short-term strategies.
