On this episode of The Greater Life, Brian talks with Shannon Ward about what it takes to be a good parent.

Shannon Ward has been helping people build stronger relationships at work and at home for more than 25 years. She earned a Master’s Degree in Communication with a focus on Organizational and Family Communication Research in 2002 from Western Illinois University.

She was certified as a parenting course instructor for ten years; has five years of experience as a Corporate Training Manager and over 15 years of expertise as a Leadership trainer and Executive Coach; and received more than 100 hours certification training in personality types, temperament theory, and its application in different settings including stress related situations. Utilizing her education, diverse training, and vast experience, Shannon worked for five years to research, create, design, test, and teach a set of research-based family communication courses called ColorWorks For Parents and ColorWorks For Couples that teaches parents and couples how to understand personality types to improve family relationships.

In 2005, she established ColorWorks Group, a family-focused, service-oriented business that has built upon her original research to become an inclusive and extensive series of specialized classes, home-based learning kits, books, DVDs, and other products, all aimed towards helping ColorWorks Group clients build stronger, healthier relationships based on communication and mutual understanding.

Shannon is an Extroverted Blue Orange and has been happily married to her husband Steve, an Introverted Green Orange, for over 35 years. She has two children whom she loves dearly. Her son Zach is a Green Orange and married to Lesly, a Blue Orange. Her daughter Caitlyn is an Orange Green and is married to Kendall, a Blue Orange.

Shannon is also the proud grandmother of four grandchildren and is often called “Yoda-Mom” by her kids. shannon @colorworksgroup.com