I am a Red.

When I took the Color Code assessment 8 years ago, I didn’t really understand the paradigm, and quite frankly, didn’t take much stock in it. But, working for Color Code, part of my job description was to get on board (go figure), so I took the test.

You are a Red. When I got those results, I wasn’t pleased. I didn’t feel motivated by power. I conjured images of myself in a Hiltleresque mustache, demanding and rigid, expecting everyone to fear me. Then I read that a Red’s motivation for power is like that of a car engine. Power that moves you forward, not power that makes you have a diabolical need to control the world.

Still, I was sure I must have answered the questions incorrectly. I mean, really! My twenty-page report was full of things about me that couldn’t be true. I can’t be a Red.

Bias #1 Red’s are egotistical bullies, right?

When I became more educated about Color Code and really began to see it in action, I was surprised that I not only had misconceptions about Reds, but other color bias:

Bias #2 I don’t like Blues because they over-articulate.

Bias #3 I don’t like Yellows because they are irresponsible.

Bias #4 I don’t like Whites because they are lazy.

Sound ludicrous? Of course it is. Making blanket derogatory statements about any group of people is BIAS. While it’s true that the limitations I find annoying are generally associated with that color, for me to lump all the people within those DCMs as the sum of their limitations is close to defamatory.

Here is my truth:

Bias #1–Everything my 20-page report said about me is true. I am a Red. I do have all the strengths it describes—assertive, determined, and focused. But, I admit, I have Red limitations too—bossy, demanding, and arrogant. Still, we Reds, (believe it or not), have people who actually like us.

Bias #2 —I am married to a Blue, and while I have to check my patience while he explains in great detail why I can’t have the faucet I want, rather than just say yes or no, I love his consideration, his sensitivity, and his loyalty.

Bias #3–All of my closest friends happen to be Yellows. My oldest Yellow friend was a workmate. Once, I asked her a time-sensitive, work related question. She said she would check on it a call me right back. She hung up and went to a movie. I waited for my phone to ring. In the workplace, she drove me crazy, but the time we spent together outside of the office was magic. We laughed until our stomachs hurt.

Bias #4–Ah, Whites. They hold a special place in my heart. They are intelligent, humorous, and self-deprecating. As a Red, I am baffled by their lack of ambition when they show so much talent and creativity. I want to push and prod them, but I know this is a futile gesture.

Oh, yeah…did I mention that my report also said I have the Blue limitation of being judgmental, the Yellow limitation of being self-centered and the White limitation of being silently stubborn? So!  The big and most difficult question: are my biases the fault of the other colors and their pesky little annoyances, or are they a result of my own limitations including the Red limitation of arrogance? If I am to take 100% percent responsibility for my own actions and feelings, I, in all honesty, have to choose the latter and face the consequences.

It is up to me to realize that each person is different—products of nature and nurture. Not only do they have core motives, but, they have secondary colors and filters that modify their behaviors.

Most importantly, they just might have Character. Something I need to work on. CC

Teresa Glenn has been working with the Color Code since 2006, where her main focus is product development. She has been in the publishing and product development field for over 20 years. Teresa is a core Red with a strong Yellow secondary.