The Red Personality

The words that best describe Reds are responsible, realistic, down-to-earth, sensible, pragmatic, dogmatic, and practical. They’re traditional in their beliefs and values and are often described as the backbone of society. They’re loyal to their families, their causes, and their country. They operate best within a traditional power structure where everyone knows their place. They’re sensitive to lines of authority and are conscientious about staying within those lines. Reds believe in the need for rules and established ways of doing things. They accept rules and structure as a necessary part of life. Reds understand that without structure, there would be chaos, and, for a Red, chaos isn’t acceptable.

Hard work is the hallmark of Reds. They’re the “just get it done” people, and they don’t rest until tasks are completed. They don’t mind taking on tasks that are routine and redundant . Reds don’t measure on effort—they measure only on the bottom line. Reds have little tolerance for people who are nonproductive, and because of their hard work ethic, they expect the same of others. They prefer a work environment where there are policies, procedures, and systems already in place, and where expectations and results are clearly explained. They expect their job descriptions to be well-defined and want to know precisely how their performance will be measured. Reds are the kind of people every employer dreams of because they’re loyal, steadfast, and dependable.

Reds are literal in their interpretation of things. Everything is black and white, and any gray area or ambiguity isn’t comfortable for them. Reds approach life from a no-nonsense point of view. What you see is what you get. Reds think that spending their time exploring possibilities and creating ideas without a sense of direction is unproductive. They will only spend time creating ideas or listening to others’ input if there’s a process in place to follow through on those strategies. Reds place great value on their time and become resentful when others waste it.

Reds are controllers. They need to be in control of both their environment and people. They believe that if they’re in control, then they can somehow buffer themselves from the unexpected. Reds don’t like surprises. Their need to control is so strong that they’re frequently accused of being domineering. They tend to be autocratic and dictatorial in their interactions. As a result, they may be seen as insensitive or uncaring. They’re highly effective in using voice and body language as a means of intimidating and displaying aggression. Reds are strong, forceful personalities who are motivated by power, status, and money.


Red Personality Overview

Needs

  • Control of both environment and people
  • Staying with what’s familiar and proven to work
  • Structure and organization
  • Traditional lines of authority
  • Routine/schedules
  • To belong and to serve
  • Competitive activity
  • Submissive relationships

Emotional Needs

  • Recognition for what they do
  • Stimulating competition
  • Shared interests
  • Identifying with their work environment

Key Strengths

  • Take-charge attitude
  • Responsible, dependable, and committed to the organization
  • Competitive and strong-willed
  • Stable, consistent, and predictable

Key Weaknesses

  • Overbearing and domineering
  • Stubborn
  • Intolerant of personality differences
  • Living in the past

Primary Fear

  • Losing what they have acquired

Annoyances

  • Other people wasting their time
  • Causes of Stress:
  • Feeling out of control

Causes of Stress

  • Feeling out of control

Motivations

  • Power/status/money
  • Financial/material incentives
  • Control
  • Enforcing or abiding by the rules

Ten Observable Traits

  • Controlling
  • Competitive
  • Methodical
  • Explosive
  • Orderly
  • Demanding
  • Conscientious
  • Realistic
  • Resistant to change
  • Disciplined

Read more > personality impact