Thinking in colors – on video

Five ways to deal with change

Léon de Caluwé, Hans Vermaak – Twynstra Gudde/Alcatel, 2008

Léon de Caluwé and Hans Vermaak present briefly five fundamentally different ways of thinking about change. Each of these represents a different belief system and conviction about how change works, the kind of interventions that are effective, how to change people, etc. They are labeled by color: yellow, blue, red, green, and white print thinking. Their color-model is based on their observations of current practices and existing theories about change.

The model is used to deal more effectively with change. It assists choosing the most viable change strategy for a specific issue. It also helps diagnose issues from different angles, which enables a better understanding. It is used by change agents to reflect on their own assumptions, competences and credibility. Most importantly, it supplies a common language between people involved in a change effort to do all this more consciously and collectively.

Underneath are seven small video’s, starting with an introduction, then outlining each of the colors and ending with applications. The ‘colors of change’ which are described in more detail in the handbook ‘Learning to Change’ as well as in articles, tests, etcetera. If you like to know more, look at those publications on this site.

Introduction

Yellowprint

Blueprint

Redprint

Greenprint

Whiteprint

Applications

 

TYPE

Video / audio

THEME

change colors of change

MORE PUBLICATIONS

  • Podcasts about the patchwork perspective

    NotebookLM based on Hans Vermaak, 2026

    Video / audio · change · change agents · complex issues · patchwork · systems thinking
  • The colors of change – revisited

    Hans Vermaak, Léon de Caluwé

    Contributions to books · change · change agents · colors of change · complex issues
  • Facilitating local ownership through paradoxical interventions

    Hans Vermaak – Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 2012

    My articles · change · change agents · complex issues · helping & learning
  • Collaborative transformation

    Joost Oorthuizen, Hans Vermaak, Carla Romeu Dalmau, Elea Papemmanuel - Wageningen Academic Publishers, 2018

    My books · change · complex issues · patchwork · systems thinking