YOU’RE NOT ONLY A BLUE, you also have strong secondary characteristics of the adventurous Red 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 prides itself on finding innovative ways to do things. You take initiative and surmount all limitations with a “can do” attitude. Please note the underlying components of the following profile have been researched for nearly six decades worldwide and verified across age, sex, ethnic, and socioeconomic boundaries. So if we don’t get you right, nobody will!
Blue/Red Extroverts radiate a contagious enthusiasm for anything that captures their interest. You constantly scan the universe for those new and unusual ideas that fire your vivid imagination. Creative, insightful, and mentally stimulating, you love the challenge and excitement of pursuing your latest goal … until it ceases to interest you. But until then, you are tireless, energizing others as you charge ahead.
Whether you’ve got advanced degrees or not, you are blessed with high intellectual energy, constantly on the alert for the latest and greatest opportunities. When you see them, you pounce. Inquisitive and clever, you need a great deal of freedom to use your many talents. A flexible environment is key. Unconventional approaches are fun for you, and you will bend or break rules as needed to make things happen. Following through to the bitter end once the project has been launched, however, is of little interest.
You are used to people disagreeing with your perceptions. Whether others agree with you is not important. Since childhood you’ve enjoyed an inborn ability to debate from either side of an issue, confounding opponents at times by jumping back and forth. You are naturally quick on your feet. Ultimately, your enthusiasm and the compelling power of your ideas persuade all.
You are unique among the Colors for your ability to be both serious and humorous, speaking with passion and wit. However, you prefer logic to emotion and are irritated by others who require too much handholding. People who refuse to consider new ways of doing things really annoy you.
case study one
Chief Executive Officer, Chairman, Board Member, Financial Services
If Blue/Red Extroverts are overachievers, then Alger B. (“Duke”) Chapman is their poster boy. Starting his law career in the late 1950s at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), he rapidly moved on to the New York Stock Exchange as its Vice President for civic, legal, and government affairs.
Six years later he joined Shearson and Hamill Company, one of the pre-eminent wirehouses of the day, as Vice President. Within four years he became their President at age 39, and subsequently their Chief Executive Officer. Later he became co-chair (with the famous Sanford “Sandy” Weill) of Shearson Hayden Stone (which became Shearson Loeb Rhodes, and finally Shearson American Express). It is not unusual for Blue/Reds to rise to such ranks at young ages.
Duke’s upward climb was just beginning. In 1981 he became Vice Chairman of American Express International Bank. Five years later he moved into the CEO/Chairman role at the Chicago Board Options Exchange, where he stayed longer than anywhere else—eleven years.
He then joined ABN AMRO Financial Services, Inc. as Chairman and CEO before retiring. To stay plugged in, Duke now serves as senior advisor to the consulting firm The Cambridge Group and serves on numerous boards.
Duke defines his experiences in terms of the fun he had with people or the challenges he faced. At the SEC, he recalls, “We all had opportunities we never would have had in private law practice. It was fast-moving, dealing with exciting people and big issues.” Blue/Reds revel in grappling with the issues of today that shape tomorrow. At Shearson and Hamill, “It was great fun. There were terrific guys to work with, and we all had a great time; it was a great run.” These experiences appealed to Duke’s Red and Extroverted sides.
His Blue ability to analyze and solve problems propelled him to the attention of senior management at Shearson and Hamill. His bosses would ask him to identify “the next biggest problem we have.” “So I would tell them what I thought,” says Duke, “and then I’d be told, ‘Go do something about it.’” This grooming led to his role as President and CEO, right in time for the economic downturn of the early 1970s.
Duke then found himself pressured to find a partner company in order to keep Shearson economically viable. He met American Express chairman Sandy Weill, and they decided to merge. The press had a field day. “The only difference between this merger and the Titanic is that on the Titanic they had a piano,” wrote the Wall Street Journal. Duke’s Red side, even with its natural crisis management strengths, took it on the chin. But he emerged victorious: “I think I function well under a lot of pressure,” Duke says. His Blue strategic ability led him to acquire several other firms. Seven years later, the newly combined entity was sold directly to American Express for almost $1 billion in American Express stock. Duke stayed on as co-chair, but later moved to the American Express International Banking Corporation as Vice Chairman to build an offshore banking business. Onerous world travel commitments finally led to accepting the CEO position at the Chicago Board Options Exchange.
He assesses his top three strengths as the ability to manage people and create relationships, strategically analyze and move a company in the best direction, and put the business and its customers first. He prefers to delegate the nitty-gritty of back office processing and implementation details.
I personally had the privilege of working with Duke Chapman at American Express. Here’s my favorite story about him: One morning we sat in Singapore’s airport, noting with horror that the travel office had forgotten to get him the required business visa for Indonesia. The plane was taking off in 60 minutes. A dozen high-level appointments awaited us in Jakarta. Duke thought for a minute. Then, with a grin, he dove into the nearest clothing store, emerging shortly in a garish floral shirt and camera, looking very much the tourist. (Tourists, according to regulations, didn’t need this visa.) The trip went off without a hitch. Several hours later he emerged in formal business attire to meet his clients, a natural Blue/Red problem-solver chalking up another great story.
“Let’s exceed goals!” will be the theme of any pep talk given by a Blue/Red Extrovert. You lead and motivate with energy, taking initiative, making the tough decisions, comfortable with risk. Your well-developed problem-solving skills and tendency to challenge conventional wisdom move everyone forward.
You set the bar high for your people, and you don’t hire the marginally competent. Your people exceed limitations and quickly adapt to changing conditions because you respect their independence. This is especially critical since you often gravitate to global issues.
A “can do” approach is how you begin each project. You are apt to suggest high standards and encourage everyone to go the extra mile. Contributing best at the first half of a project, you ask imaginative questions and provide clear analysis. Your ability to think strategically long-term always helps set team direction. When coping with fatigue and tension, humor is your tool of choice.
Finding unique ways of solving problems is another strength, and you will generate many options for consideration. While it is unusual for teammates to dislike you, you occasionally may irritate them by proposing too many possibilities.
Look at Figure 18–1 on page 162 for a list of your natural work-related strengths.
Now see how some Blue/Red Extroverts use these strengths in very different fields.
Figure 18–1 Natural Work-Related Strengths
case study two
Surgeon
Dr. Charles “Chuck” Sheaff is a classic Blue/Red Extrovert. He got his undergraduate degree in engineering and intended to become a biomedical engineer. “In medical school, I got sidetracked,” he says. “I ended up getting a Ph.D. in biochemistry instead. Then I became more interested in surgery, because there’s a lot of immediate gratification in it. At the end of an operation, the problem is fixed and the person usually gets well and goes home.”
With his Red backup, Chuck was drawn to emergency surgery, which he taught for two years. “When I am faced with a patient who is bleeding to death and a lot of things have to be done in a short period of time, that tends to make me more focused and organized,” he says. “I tend to be almost easier to get along with then than I am in some other situations.”
One thing Chuck’s Red side enjoys is flying. “I like instrument flying,” he says, “and solving the navigational problems.” This is an excellent combination of his Blue and Red characteristics.
Chuck has served in leadership positions at his hospital for the last ten years. “I like politics,” he says. “It’s rewarding to solve problems in a political arena.” Blue/Red Extroverts make excellent politicians and are drawn to the politics of any field in which they work.
In classic Blue/Red Extrovert fashion, Chuck uses his engineering skills to create innovative solutions wherever he is. “I saw a Christmas tree hanging upside down in a shop, and it made more sense that the ornaments could hang so they were easily seen,” he recalls. “I devised a way to keep the tree better watered upside down, and the project worked out well. The tree stayed alive until Easter.”
A true Blue innovator, Chuck fantasizes about establishing a small think tank organization. “It would be fun,” he says, “to have some people working for me to solve problems, invent new things, and take them to market.”
case study three
Managing Director, Executive Recruiting
Some people’s resumes are too big for ordinary jobs, and such is the case with Chuck Wardell. If you don’t know his name, you are not high enough up in the corporate food chain. Chuck is the Managing Director for the Northeast Region of Korn/Ferry International, the world’s largest recruiting firm. He got the job because his own background brought him into contact with many high-level people. Today he knows who to call for almost any executive placement need.
After a distinguished career in the military and graduation from Harvard, Chuck worked for Henry Kissinger as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State. He served in the White House under two Presidents. He was the Chief Operating Officer of American Express’s private bank and ran its Middle East Credit Card Division. He also managed The Business Diversification Group, a large division of Traveller’s Insurance. “Search requires years of judging and leading people,” he says, “dealing with their successes and failures, formulating the building blocks of what they need to get ahead.”
Chuck likes meeting the demands of today’s changing workforce, dealing with baby boomers whose experience now suddenly is back in vogue after the dotcom implosion. “Firms are beginning to realize they have to invest and keep good people,” he notes. “Companies are demanding experience over academic credentials. Now we want senior people with experience who get compensated for performance.”
Chuck most enjoys the variety his work affords him, something important to his Color style. He especially likes working with those at senior levels on important issues, where the people he places have real world impact. “What I do influences how the capitalist system works,” he says. But Chuck has three priorities for himself—maximizing his income, keeping his independence, and enjoying what he does—all hallmarks of his Color style.
Blues enjoy complex challenges more than many Colors, and that’s a good thing because Chuck gets some esoteric requests. “The other day someone wanted a manager for a steel mill north of Beijing. The workforce speaks Mandarin. The company manual is in German. The financing is Canadian, and the current manager is English. How do you find an executive who can step into this and do all the pieces?”
The opportunity to meet stimulating, powerful, and influential people often is the key that gets you to accept a job. (This motivated Duke Chapman to join the SEC.) Working on cutting-edge ideas is right where you want to be.
When a job offer is made, leverage as much as you can from the list in Figure 18–2.
The WORST type of work culture for an Blue/Red Extrovert is one in which you are micromanaged and surrounded by co-workers who lack initiative. It emphasizes detailed work with predictable results.
When Blue/Red Extrovert work in nonideal corporate cultures, productivity is stunted, and career achievements become an uphill climb.
Figure 18–2 The Ideal Blue/Red Extrovert Work Environment
Even a great job can be frustrating under the wrong boss; a mediocre job under a wonderful boss is pretty hard to leave. Blue/Reds get along especially well with other Blues. But bosses of other Color types who possess the characteristics in Figure 18–3 also can be good mentors.
Figure 18–3 The Blue/Red Extrovert’s Ideal Boss
Blue/Red Extroverts are most productive in environments that reward their intellectual energy, original ideas, and risk-taking. You especially enjoy original projects dealing with global issues.
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.
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.
executive [business, financial services, healthcare, entertainment] ♦ financial planner ♦ hotel manager ♦ investment banker ♦ broker/securities sales agent ♦ management consultant ♦ new business development specialist ♦ property manager ♦ financial analyst ♦ sales manager ♦ training and development specialist ♦ venture capitalist (inquisitive, take initiative, compelling interest in everything around you, insightful, open to new and unusual opportunities, quick on your feet).
advertising director ♦ business manager [artists, entertainers, athletes] ♦ writer ♦ editor ♦ journalist ♦ literary agent ♦ public relations director/publicist ♦ talk show host ♦ stage/film producer ♦ web developer/designer (high intellectual energy, love of excitement and challenge, responsive to new opportunities, clever, enjoy company of influential people).
computer analyst/engineer/programmer ♦ computer security specialist/information and systems manager ♦ Internet strategic partnerships specialist ♦ network integration specialist ♦ systems analyst (provides variety of projects, creation of new products and solutions, autonomy, opportunity to brainstorm, problem solving, flexible environment, need for unconventional methods).
athletic coach ♦ professor/teacher [upper levels] (high intellectual energy, flexible environments, see both sides of issues, quick on your feet, prefer logic).
inventor ♦ restaurant/bar owner ♦ small business owner (make tough decisions, flexible entrepreneurial atmosphere, turn innovative ideas into reality, responsive to new opportunities and unusual ideas, contagious enthusiasm, freedom, quick on your feet).
emergency room doctor/surgeon ♦ family practitioner ♦ internist ♦ psychiatrist (variety, autonomy, flexible environment, quick on your feet, high intellectual energy, problem solving).
politician/political manager ♦ regional/urban planner (quickly see possibilities of new situations, provide clear analysis to issues, generate many options, strategic and long-range thinking, enjoy company of powerful and influential people)
lawyer [especially bankruptcy, immigration, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property, among others] (analytical ability, insightful, see both sides of issues, quick on your feet, enjoy company of influential people)
architect ♦ detective ♦ industrial engineer ♦ industrial psychologist (high standards, clear analytical ability, love excitement and challenge, insightful, always looking to increase competence, ability to debate from both sides of an issue, autonomy, responsibility for own projects, quick on your feet)
case study four
When a Career Isn’t Working
Brad Kittering’s great-grandfather had founded the First National Bank in the town where he grew up, and Brad determined to go into banking to follow family tradition.
From the day Brad started at First National as a bank teller, it looked to the world like another young Kittering was on his way up the ladder to the bank president’s office. Brad was great with the customers and rapidly developed a loyal group of depositors who never complained if he made a mistake. Behind the scenes, he was a disaster. Try as he might, Brad miscounted money, was terrible at following the bank’s many arcane rules, and was bored out of his skull dealing with the details of his drawer. He was warned several times to shape up and would have been fired but for his last name.
Brad was intrigued by the internal bank newsletter, and on a whim contributed an article on how to deal with difficult customers. It was very well received, and a highly regarded banking trade journal asked to run it nationwide. Blue/Red Extroverts make excellent journalists because they are interested in people to the point of nosiness and often are good writers.
Brad continued submitting articles and was asked to be a regular columnist to the trade journal. Today he writes and lectures on banking customer service through his own consulting company.
Blue/Red 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:
♦ Initiate too many projects, some of which don’t get completed. (You can get swept away by your own enthusiasm. A good rule for you: Don’t start something until you’ve finished the last project.)
♦ Can be too casual about deadlines and commitments. (Work is fun, but it’s still work. If you’re getting paid to meet deadlines, then meet them. Your work ethic will incorporate this value more as you mature and get yelled at by your bosses.)
♦ Intimidate those less quick-witted. (You have little use for those less competent than yourself. Particularly when you’re young, it’s a sport to run them around verbally. But, one of them could end up as your boss. Diplomacy can be your friend.)
♦ Sometimes change plans and strategies too frequently. (If you’re working on your own, you will lose focus; within a company, you will upset all those whose talents you need to make things happen. But lost focus often equals lost money.)
♦ Want too much of the limelight. (Put yourself out to be noticed when someone else deserves the attention, and you create bad blood. Be sure to share the limelight once you have it with those who deserve applause, or else watch your back!)
Blue/Red Extroverts create succinct, objective resumes but prefer talking in person. With some interviewers, particularly Blues and Reds, 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.
Your natural strengths easily allow you to:
♦ Find multiple paths to explore during job searches.
♦ Have an extensive network to tap for referrals and job leads.
♦ Rebound quickly from obstacles and rejections.
In order to tone down your blind spots, you need to:
♦ Write down long-term goals and your plans for getting there; include priorities and checkpoints.
♦ Limit your time off to play during the job search.
♦ Remember your goals while networking and don’t get lost in the fun of it.
♦ Make a budget for your job search based on a realistic timeframe.
♦ Follow through on all administrative details of the job search; ask assistance from a willing Gold.
♦ Temper initial excitement about a prospective job; review impact on your family and personal life before accepting.
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, use the suggestions in parentheses. In following your natural style, you:
♦ Come across as energetic, flexible, adaptable, and creative. (You establish rapport with interviewers easily. With cooler ones, address them by their last names until invited to use first names, then let them set the tone.)
♦ Might talk too much and not ask enough pertinent questions. (Write critical questions down on a list and refer to them. Slip them in between the fun parts of the conversation.)
♦ May overwhelm more concrete types with possibilities and theory. (If your interviewer seems to glaze over when you go into theoretical areas, back away. Let him or her lead the conversation until you can assess his or her areas of interest.)
If you’re having fun with this material, go on and read Chapter 10, Reds Overall, to understand your backup. Then carefully read Chapter 4, A Tour of the Prism Company, and Chapter 25, Adjusting to the Styles of Others, to learn about the strengths of other Colors. Read up on the Greens to prepare for job interviews (a large number of human resource people are Greens) and the Golds 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 logical and results-oriented way to navigate the minefields of a job search and brainstorm some unconventional approaches. It also will help keep your networking activities focused.