If certain countries exhibit a particular color more than others, (e.g. Australia being yellow, or Japan being red) it seems that certain states or regions might as well.  I think of the Northeast being more red, the Southeast being more yellow, the Midwest being more blue and or white, and I am not sure what the west coast would be characterized as.  It tends to be a blend of everything. Thoughts? 

Warm Regards, 

Scott D. McKeon

Dear Scott,

You are absolutely right in thinking that certain states, regions, or even cities… or even more interestingly–organizations and teams have their own “Color” as a group. It has more to do with culture than anything else, of course, and just because we might characterize Brazil as a Yellow country, I would suspect that the general population would hold more or less the same distribution of Reds, Blues, Whites, and Yellows as the U.S.The examples you mentioned are very good, and of course you would see a city like New York as more of a Red city, or New Orleans more of a White city (“The Big Easy”, right?). You can also see how cultures change over time if you think about it. Southern California back around the 1950’s had more of a Yellow culture. It was all about surf, sun, and fun. Now, I think that most would agree that it has more of a Red culture because it has become much more competitive, and areas within it (think Beverly HIlls, Malibu, etc.) have more of a status appeal to them.One of the reasons, I believe, that the United States has lost some of its international popularity is that others believe we have shifted into acting like more of a Red country. Traditionally, the US has had a solid Blue orientation. In fact, if you look at the principles upon which this country is founded, you would see a very Blue culture. I think most Americans still feel connected with those Blue principles.

Outside of the US, however, I believe our international image is extremely Red. People view us as power-hungry and overly-aggressive.

The same kinds of things happen inside of organizations. The Walt Disney Company has experienced a similar shift. Under Walt’s leadership, it was a very Blue company. Think of the whole concept of Disney Magic–the imagination and extreme attention to detail and aesthetics. That was Walt’s vision. Back in the 1990’s and in particular under the leadership of Michael Eisner, Disney became much more of a Red company and a big player in the business world.

The implications of those kinds of shifts are varied and always bring with them different dynamics and consequently communicate mixed messages to the general public. Sometimes those shifts are needed but not necessarily accepted. Sometimes they are forced and end up creating more problems.

It is simply… fascinating!

Part of what we do when we work with teams is to teach them about how these interpersonal and cultural dynamics will impact both their short- and long-term success. Having that awareness helps people build better organizations and teams.