YOU’RE NOT ONLY A BLUE, you also have strong secondary characteristics of the Gold personality. And you have tested as a Color Q Extrovert, which means you recharge your batteries by being with people, rather than being alone. Your Color group makes things happen in decisive and take-charge ways. A lifelong learner, you typically are quite well-informed. It is likely you already are challenging and critiquing this profile, if you’re at all interested in the material. Please note the underlying components of this profile have been researched for nearly six decades worldwide and verified across age, sex, ethnic, and socioeconomic boundaries.
Dynamic and capable, your talents dominate at every step of a project from creating the vision to making it happen. Along the way, your abilities to devise strategies, establish plans (and contingencies), and take charge are all quite strong. Blue/Gold Extroverts do well in a broader range of careers than other Colors, due to your love of lifelong learning, sharp logic, and executive abilities.
Two core strengths combine in you to create a fast rise to the top—a high need for control and strong leadership skills. Combined with your frank, direct, intuitive, and focused communication style, you are an executive dynamo … but at times overly challenging and alienating to those around you. Most other Colors cannot keep up with your drive, which can make your entire staff uncomfortable and rebellious.
The world of theories, future possibilities, and bold new designs are your territory. Existing systems and assumptions are just jumping-off points. You create long-range plans that incorporate ideas others do not yet see. If such plans create complex problems to be solved, so much the better! Not only will you marshal all necessary resources, you will gleefully solve them all.
Your greatest challenge is managing and controlling how others respond to you. On the plus side, you often come across as articulate, vivid, and confident. You persuade others through clear logic and thoughtful debate. On the down side, you are impatient with people who focus on what you consider irrelevant, redundant, and obvious issues. Those who are intimidated by you instantly lose your respect; you can’t imagine why anyone would personalize competition or debate.
To be an effective leader or team player, you will need to learn which other Colors do personalize such things, and adopt alternate strategies for interacting with them. Such reactions are deep in their core, offer a different (and usable) strength than yours and cannot be changed by choice or willpower.
case study one
Chief Financial Officer, Investments and Wealth Management
Rehana Farrell of Merrill Lynch loves that her calendar is booked with meetings from first thing in the morning to 7 PM at night. “I like to brainstorm, to build new functions, to effectively leverage people, and to construct a more diverse organization.”
Rehana and her two-dozen-member team are responsible for product finance for over $7 billion of Global Private Client revenue. This includes pricing and business strategy in addition to financial reporting, forecasting, and budgeting, and controls. What Rehana most enjoys is transforming her department into what she calls “a strategic finance function.” “We would like finance to be viewed as a strategic business partner for all of our business heads,” she says, “and not just being the people who give you data and prevent you from doing anything wrong.”
Like most Blue/Gold Extroverts, Rehana is most energized by strategies and processes. She describes a process she is trying to institute that will encourage people to look up from their routine tasks and capture more innovative thinking. “This process could end up producing some game-changing ideas for Merrill Lynch. That is the kind of stuff I really enjoy.”
In Blue fashion, Rehana focuses on the big picture and avoids positions where she cannot understand the overall firm strategy or help influence and achieve it. She loves being in the center of the action, working on the core priorities of the business. “I am interested in understanding the broader perspective about the firm as a whole. Finance is a really great way to start, advance, or evolve your career,” she says. Blue/Golds are happiest when managing big projects and avoiding political turf struggles.
Rehana is a doer as well as a thinker. “If I, or someone else, have a great idea, I tend to be the person who makes sure it gets done,” she says. Dealing with people who aren’t smart, aren’t hard-working, and who are political or who don’t see the big picture stresses her out.
Right now, Rehana has one of the best jobs a Blue/Gold Extrovert can have, and enjoys going to work. “I love being part of a large organization and helping to move it forward,” she says.
“I don’t take no for an answer” is a phrase that must first have been uttered by a Blue/Gold Extrovert. Once you create a vision, you spring into action, mobilizing the talents of others, eliminating confusion and inefficiencies, making the tough decisions. Understanding the inner workings of any organization is your special talent; you can manipulate most bureaucracies to achieve your ends.
You often are the first one who sees connections between unrelated facts and ideas, which gives you an edge at handling global issues. You recognize the potential of new ideas before others do, and your company profits accordingly.
Your natural leadership comes to the fore even in teams. Your ability to see the big picture and energize the group to achieve shows itself, whether you are the team leader or not. Cutting to the core of issues saves your team time. In order to meet deadlines you will encourage (and work to) high standards, avoid wasting resources, and even consider untried solutions rather than fail.
You can irritate your teammates by being overly controlling and at times pushing too hard to get the job done.
Figure 16–1 Natural Work-Related Strengths
Look at Figure 16–1 for a list of your natural work-related strengths.
Now see how some Blue/Gold Extroverts use these strengths in very different fields.
case study two
Chief Executive Officer
Nobody is going to burst Michael Isaacs’s balloon, at least not any time soon. He is the Chief Executive Officer of U.S. Balloon Company, the largest wholesale distributor of balloons and related accessories in the United States. The company, which Michael started with a $750 investment, now annually grosses $30 million. It has a hundred employees and a catalog of products that is 592 pages long.
Michael sees his function as being answerable to all the company’s constituencies—the employees, suppliers, customers, and bankers. “I set the direction of the company,” he says. “I determine the targeted market and profitability goals.”
Although he views himself more as an entrepreneur than a manager, he works very hard at building his managerial skills. “Most of all,” he says, “I try to get the job done by hiring the right team.”
Originally a junior high science teacher, Michael had always run side businesses to augment his family’s income. He started selling balloons in a shopping mall. The business got bigger, and he left to pursue it full time. Michael attributes his success to his natural “persistence and persuasiveness; the ability to translate my vision into an action plan and be very serious about measuring results.”
He is most energized when his team makes an outstanding effort. He prefers to deal with others in groups rather than individually, very typical of a Blue/Gold Extrovert. Also true to his Color, he likes finance and accounting and finds very few things boring about his business. “I try to improve every process, even if mundane,” he says. “There is always a faster, cheaper, and better way of doing it.”
Michael has achieved success by his own definition. “What I do must have economic benefit for my family, employees, and other stakeholders,” he says. Beyond that, success to Michael is being recognized by industry peers and customers, as well as being viewed as a knowledge resource.
There is still some teacher in him. “I do believe people can and do learn and grow,” he says. “I create a teaching environment, and I never stop learning.”
If, like Rehana Farrell, you are surrounded at work by highly competent and independent people who meet their deadlines, you are in the right place. Your superiors must also be highly competent and professional and respect you enough to let you work autonomously.
When a job offer is made, leverage as much as you can from the list in Figure 16–2 on page 138.
The WORST type of work culture for a Blue/Gold Extrovert is overly bureaucratic and/or full of sensitive people who need exorbitant amounts of handholding. Too much emphasis is put on detail work, not enough on long-range thinking and strategizing.
Figure 16–2 The Ideal Blue/Gold Extrovert Work Environment
When Blue/Gold Extroverts work in nonideal corporate cultures, productivity is stunted and career achievements become an uphill climb.
Even a great job can be frustrating under the wrong boss; a mediocre job under a wonderful boss is pretty hard to leave. Blue/Golds get along especially well with other Blues. But bosses of other Color types who possess the characteristics in Figure 16–3 also can be good mentors.
Blue/Gold Extroverts cluster in fields that provide intellectual challenge, complex and theoretical problems, and mastering new technologies. Routine, repetitive tasks are minimized; risk-taking and original projects predominate. Autonomy, competition, and people you respect characterize jobs that provide your highest degree of satisfaction.
Please note that not all the following careers will appeal to you, but recognize that each, in some way, draws on the strengths of your style and appeals to a significant number of your Color group. This is not a comprehensive list, but it will show underlying patterns of preference. If unlisted careers offer similar patterns, your chances of success increase. Copy in parentheses highlights the Color style characteristics that create success.
Figure 16–3 The Blue/Gold Extrovert’s Ideal Boss
In addition, two codes indicate those jobs that are currently predicted to have an above-average salary and growth potential. This information is based on the continuously revised data provided by the U.S. Department of Labor and Bureau of Labor Statistics available on the O*NET website, http://online.onetcenter.org/.
Bold indicates that the career is considered to be among the top 100 best-paying jobs based on the average or median salary paid to individuals with five years of experience. Excluded are jobs where salary statistics are not available, such as “business owner,” or not indicative such as “actor.”
Italics identifies the jobs that are predicted to benefit from an above-average growth rate over the next several years.
Bold and italics indicates jobs that will benefit from both higher pay and high growth potential.
Note there are successful people of all Color styles in all occupations. In nonideal jobs you can still shine by creating your own niche.
architect ♦ lawyer [especially corporate, employment, project finance, securities, mergers and acquisitions, product liability] (intellectual challenge, high need for control, complex problem solving, high standards).
chief financial officer ♦ executive [private sector/government service/arts and entertainment] ♦ insurance agent/examiner/underwriter ♦ managers of all types [marketing, financial operations, human resources, sales, training and development] ♦ new business developer ♦ real estate manager ♦ strategic planner ♦ training and development manager ♦ venture capitalist (decisive, focused, take-charge, high standards, solving complex problems, long-range strategic thinking, natural leadership skills).
banker ♦ credit investigator ♦ economist ♦ financial planner ♦ investment banker ♦ investment/securities broker ♦ mortgage broker ♦ security analyst (intellectual challenge, intuition, strategic thinking, complex problem solving, high need for control, competition, insatiable curiosity, well-informed, logical thinking, make tough decisions).
computer analyst ♦ database manager ♦ executive computer firm ♦ programmer ♦ computer security specialist ♦ software/hardware engineer (mastering new technologies, solving complex and/or theoretical problems, autonomy, long-range planning, future possibilities, bold new designs, contingency planning, need for control).
management consultant ♦ industrial psychologist/organizational development specialist (autonomy, solve complex problems, work with theories and future possibilities, long-range planning).
educational administrator ♦ higher education teacher/professor [especially law, political science, science, or social studies] ♦ university president (desire to deal with competent people, establish long-range visions, strategic planning, few routine tasks, autonomy, debate skill).
government service executive ♦ judge ♦ policy maker ♦ urban and regional planner ♦ community services manager (ability to tackle complex issues, long-range planning, respect of community).
anesthesiologist ♦ internist ♦ psychiatrist ♦ neurologist ♦ surgeon ♦ medical health services manager ♦ philanthropic/community service executive (intellectual challenge, opportunity to lead, respect of community).
chemical/environmental engineer ♦ engineering manager ♦ geologist (insatiable curiosity, need for control, deal with confusion and inefficiencies, tackle complex problems, interact with people you respect)
case study three
Fixing a Broken Career
In order to escape her violent marriage, 18-year-old Kathlene Burke needed a job. But the only things on her resume were her stints in group homes, living on the streets, hitchhiking across the country, and waitressing.
Waitressing would leave her vulnerable both economically and to the threats of her violent husband. She needed a safe place to stay, a chance to continue her education, and help in getting her life back on track.
There was one option, and Kathlene took it. She enlisted in the U. S. Army, with the single focus of getting an education. This was her path away from poverty and violence, and she embraced it with a vengeance.
In the military, she learned pride, duty, honor, leadership, service to the community, and how to rebuild her self-esteem. She reclaimed these natural Blue/Gold strengths.
After the military, Kathlene enrolled at Baruch College in New York City to get a Bachelor of Business Administration. There she was elected to the student government and become President of the PreLaw Society. Now she is in law school. Why did this ambitious Blue/Gold Extrovert chose law? “People in the field are smart and driven,” she explains. She hopes to find kindred spirits.
Blue/Gold Extroverts have a unique set of potential work-related blind spots. Some you have, others you don’t. No one has them all. Tone down a blind spot by focusing on it, then choose more productive actions and make them habits. (Suggestions for doing so are in parentheses below.) You:
♦ May decide too quickly and overlook practical considerations. (High intellectual capability is no substitute for street smarts. You are more than capable of determining practicalities if you decide to focus. Especially early in your career, doing things too fast may create inefficiencies.)
♦ May be too abrupt, harsh, or dogmatic. (Everyone needs allies at some point. Alienating others is a strategic error, even if they seem less competent or less intellectual. Patience is a [long-range] virtue.)
♦ May pay insufficient attention to human needs and concerns. (Learn the wisdom that lies in emotions. They underpin every successful product and team, equally with all your best strategic thinking. Once a day, require yourself to have empathy for someone.)
♦ May manipulate others to achieve goals. (It is tempting, when navigating bureaucracy, to cut to the chase. But when those people realize you’ve manipulated them, there can be hell to pay … and no second chances.)
Blue/Gold Extroverts create accurate and well-presented resumes that elicit positive responses. With some interviewers, particularly Blues and Golds, you will feel a comfortable rapport. But with those of other Colors, you need to prepare and rehearse responses outside your comfort zone. Many human resource people are Greens; make a study of how to communicate effectively with this Color group before your first interviews by reading Chapter 5, Greens Overall.
Your natural strengths easily allow you to:
♦ Have an unusually creative job search plan that you implement in an orderly way.
♦ Perform good research on prospective companies.
♦ Have a wide network from which to draw job leads.
♦ Impress new contacts with your energy, insight, and competence.
♦ Predict future needs and trends, possibly creating new jobs for yourself.
♦ Create time lines, daily status reports, and budgets to lessen stress on you and your family.
♦ Handle obstacles with creativity and strategy.
In order to tone down your blind spots, you need to:
♦ Think of what you can do in return for those who help you; your networking sometimes comes off as too self-serving.
♦ Cushion your tendency to be abrupt by extending answers beyond a few words and listening longer.
♦ Learn to control your tendency to come across as arrogant; role play with a willing Green.
♦ Pay attention to the personal aspects of job hunting, i.e., creating rapport with the interviewer and sending thank-you notes.
♦ Get help with the nitty-gritty of the job search to temper your natural impatience with administrative tasks; ask a willing Gold for assistance.
♦ Employ your creativity and strategic thinking to address unexpected delays and obstacles.
♦ Postpone any job decision until effects on family and personal life are reviewed.
With an interviewer whose Color is close to your own, you will feel immediate rapport. However, if your interviewer seems to have a significantly different style (and it’s statistically likely that many will have a Green component), use the suggestions in parentheses. Exploit these natural abilities of yours, and get more job offers!
In following your natural style, you:
♦ Focus on future strategies. (Be ready to handle more mundane questions with equal dynamism. Don’t continually pull the conversation back to the future.)
♦ Will have multiple and well-defined long-term goals. (Also practice talking about how you plan to “hit the ground running.”)
♦ Tend to talk too much and not ask enough questions about the job. (If it has been a while since the interviewer said anything, PAUSE. Let him or her ask a few questions. Prepare a list of questions about the job ahead of time and refer to it.)
♦ May not pick up on critical dynamics of corporate culture that will impact you. (You have an above-the-surface, rather than below-the-surface, focus. Yet ignoring corporate culture can make a move disastrous. Rehash interviews with willing Greens who will help you spot such intangibles.)
♦ Logically consider the pros and cons of a job opportunity. (NEVER accept a job offer on the spot. Go home and thoroughly consider how it will impact your family and personal life.)
Once you’ve critiqued this profile and decided we’ve gotten enough things right to make it worthwhile, go on and read Chapter 20, Golds Overall, then carefully read Chapter 4, A Tour of the Prism Company, to learn about the strengths of other Colors. Read up on the Greens in Chapter 5 to prepare for job interviews (a large number of human resource people are Greens) and the Reds in Chapter 10 if you have to interact with any at work or at home.
If you are actively engaging in a job search, keep notes in the Roadmap in Chapter 28. Recording your strengths and strategies is a concrete and results-oriented way to navigate the minefields of a job search and promote creative thinking.