The Power of Color in Leadership: I’m Red & Yellow - How About You?

In any organization, we encounter a variety of personalities, and collaboration with different individuals is often key to success. My wife recommended a book that I recently read, Surrounded by Idiots by Thomas Erikson, which explores how we can better understand people by categorizing their traits into four color types: red (dominant), yellow (inspiring), green (stable), and blue (analytical). While I won’t go into detail about each color, the key takeaway is that no one fits into just one category. Each person is a blend of two dominant colors, with one usually being more prominent.

This idea was reinforced by a close friend of mine, Espen, whom I met during an NLP class many years ago. Espen, now a highly skilled coach, administered a DISC test on me that confirmed what I had suspected after reading Erikson's book. It showed that I am 60% yellow and 30% red and little bit of green, with no blue traits. This experience helped me gain a deeper understanding of myself and how I interact with others.

Each color represents a set of characteristics that describe different personality traits:?

• Red: Individuals with a Red personality are typically assertive, goal-oriented, and competitive. They thrive in leadership roles and are motivated by challenges and achievements.
• Blue: Blue personalities are analytical, detail-oriented, and logical. They excel in tasks that require precision and critical thinking.
• Yellow: Yellow personalities are outgoing, social, and enthusiastic. They enjoy interacting with others and are often the life of the party.
• Green: Green personalities are empathetic, supportive, and cooperative. They value harmony and are driven by a desire to help others.

Now, I’ll just say it as it is—you can’t fake it. My traits were pretty clear, and they should be obvious to those who know me well.

I would like to start with introducing myself to you as I am, by using the colors above. As mentioned I am neither blue, nor am I green. Thats not enteirly true as I go into retrospective I found myself to be 10% green, 60% yellow and 30% red. Thats be in a nutshell.

Red are the power wielders! Power is defined as the ability to move from point A to point B. Reds are about results and productivity. They bring great gifts of vision and leadership. Reds are generally characterized as responsible, decisive, proactive and assertive.

Yellows love to have fun. The joy of living in the moment and doing something just for the sake of doing it is the driving force for these people. Yellows offer the gifts of enthusiasm and optimism. They are generally charismatic, spontaneous, and sociable. Since I have a lot of yellow in my behaviour style I am often sociable and communicative. On the colour compass, yellow perceives the environment in a favourable/sociable way and is extraversion/action oriented. I would be described by others as enthusiastic and sociable. Always looking for human contact, they like to collaborate and interact. I have certain percentage that indicate me as red, which also mean that my behaviour style are often outspoken and direct. On the colour compass, red perceives the environment in a hostile way and is oriented towards extraversion/action. I am also quick and in action, and not afraidn to seek out challenges.

The image above illustrates that I am a team player who values collective thinking. At the same time, I can be impatient and prefer to get things done immediately. There’s also a small part of my personality that is less concerned with the process, focusing more on results than how we get there. That is that I focus more on the people, than the process and try to see the bigger picture at the same time keeping the drive and energy high.

As a “yellow” personality, I’m naturally social, expressive, and full of energy. I love engaging with people, and my enthusiasm often makes me the life of the party. I’m informal, optimistic, and my imagination can run wild since I tend to think fast. Building relationships is important to me, and I thrive when I’m able to share ideas freely—suppressing my opinions or bogging me down with too many details and impersonal interactions doesn’t sit well with me.

Because I’m so high-energy, I realize that it can sometimes be hard for others to tell whether I’ve fully understood what’s being said. Striking the right balance between making sure I’ve got the message and not coming across as patronizing is key. I’m the type of person who enjoys conversations that aren’t always work-related, and that’s often where I build the strongest connections with others.

As a red personality, I naturally embrace leadership, driven by a fast-paced mindset and a willingness to take risks. I’m purposeful, strong-willed, and bring high energy to everything I do. I thrive on competition and tend to think rationally, often taking ownership of projects and making confident decisions. Many of my leadership qualities reflect these red traits, as I prefer to take charge and act decisively. However, I find that I often lack patience for unnecessary details and long-winded explanations.

To help me succeed in a work environment, it’s important to demonstrate the value of focusing on details. While I appreciate having a clear destination, I understand that cutting corners can lead to problems down the line. After successfully completing a project, I welcome discussions about the benefits of paying attention to detail—real-life examples really resonate with me and reinforce why this approach is important.

As a change manager and project manager with red and yellow traits, I bring a dynamic approach to leadership. My red personality drives me to take charge, make swift decisions, and navigate risks confidently, ensuring that projects stay on track and achieve their goals. At the same time, my yellow traits infuse my leadership style with enthusiasm, creativity, and a strong focus on building relationships. I thrive in collaborative environments, encouraging open communication and fostering a positive atmosphere among team members. This unique blend allows me to not only drive results efficiently but also inspire and engage my team, creating a motivated workforce that embraces change and innovation. By leveraging both my competitive spirit and my sociable nature, I effectively manage projects while ensuring that everyone feels valued and included in the process.

This is me - what about you?