The Colour Purple

Alison Love Limited and Mediation at Work have now come together under one brand; Resolution at Work. This is due to the evolution of the two businesses, reflects more accurately all that we do and recognises that we have pooled our expertise and are working together in a consistent way.

As part of the rebranding process we needed to develop and choose a new brand logo and design. We wanted something that brought together elements of both companies and that was fresh and new. We quite quickly agreed on the name, Resolution at Work. The name confirms that we do much more than mediation by offering a number of options to enable resolution of conflict in the workplace from training, coaching and team facilitation to neutral assessments.

Next came the difficult decision of colour. When considering the blue/purple that we agreed on, I recalled that purple has a number of specific meanings or physiological impacts which relate to conflict resolution. So here are some that particularly resonated with me as being relevant to the work that we do and who we are.

• Purple is a powerful colour; it’s rarity in nature and the expense of creating the color has given purple a significant symbolism and history that has evolved over time. Mediation is a powerful solution for individuals and businesses. It is a relatively new concept; its use and the principles of conflict resolution are also evolving and becoming more widely adopted than previously. Much like the development of the colour purple.
• Purple is said to uplift and calm the mind and nerves. Part of a mediator’s role is to maintain calmness and to create an environment where those in conflict can do likewise. Conflict almost inevitably causes a state of stress or anxiety for individuals. Whilst this continues, it will be more difficult for people to engage in a constructive dialogue and to understand other perspectives; if the mind is calm then this encourages listening and rational thinking rather than emotional responses and reactions. These will aid resolution and understanding and increase the likelihood of resolution.
• Purple encourages creativity. The options for resolution are infinite and limited only by the parties’ creativity. Again, it is part of the mediator’s role to encourage new and creative thinking.
• Purple has many links to peace and reconciliation; one example is that catholic priests wear purple vestments before performing Reconciliation.
• Purple is linked to tansformation which is a key concept in mediation and conflict resolution. Firstly, purple is the colour of the highest chakra located at the top of the head. It is believed that it is the color of true awareness and consciousness brought about by transformation, newfound knowledge and profound change. It is a unifying color and the energy of this color is very healing. Similarly, on researching the meaning of the title of the book “The Colour Purple” , it is clear that this is also linked to transformation. Commentators link the title to the psychological and spiritual growth in the novel and the main character, Celie’s, transformation throughout the book leading ultimately to her liberation and transformed relationships with those who have previously caused her great harm. Mediation or conflict resolution aims  to create an environment where learning and transformational change can take place. In many cases this will improve health and well being and relationships.
• Finally, apparently, the message you send by driving a purple vehicle is that you are creative, individualistic and original. We don’t yet have purple cars, but we do have a purple logo which we would like to think reflects our personality.

We hope you like the new name and the new brand; please do let us know your thoughts and comments and we look forward to doing transformational work with you in the future.

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