Red Personality: Ambition and Goal-Setting
Erikson describes the Red pattern as ambitious and drawn to difficult tasks, with targets based on what might be possible under ideal conditions. He distinguishes a desire for autonomy from seeking status or power for its own sake.
THE IDEA
The Sky’s the Limit. Or Is It?
For a Red, a realistic budget is a budget for cowards. If we don’t push ourselves to the breaking point, we haven’t tried hard enough. Reds love difficult tasks, so their level of ambition is usually boundless. The ability to manage difficult situations and challenges is the defining attribute of Red behavior.
When a person with Red traits sets his goals, several things happen. First, he wants to know how well a specific task under the most favorable conditions could be performed. If all nineteen parameters were met and we all gave it a little extra effort the results would be phenomenal. This means that anything below that impossible level of excellence is boring, because there’s at least a remote possibility of that result being achieved.
Nothing is impossible. The impossible just takes a little longer. More than likely it was a Red who came up with that expression.
Naturally, it’s also about the type of project. It’s not enough just to set an impossible sales budget. If a Red doesn’t like sales, he’ll ignore the budget. Since he prefers to make all the decisions himself, he probably won’t be fooled into doing something he doesn’t feel like doing. Reds set higher demands on themselves than any of the other colors would. And they are always prepared to work hard. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that no other color works as hard as Reds do, but I would venture to say that a Red would give anyone a run for his money.
Ambition, which is intrinsic to Reds, shouldn’t be confused with a lust for power. Reds have no problem taking positions of power, since they are fearless. Expressions like “It’s lonely and windy at the top” don’t scare them. But for a Red power is not an end in itself. It does, however, come in handy for those who like to make their own decisions and avoid having to wait for others.
A Red can, in fact, be quite unassuming. It’s true that he has a strong ego, but status and prestige don’t have the same importance as with other colors. The reason is simple: A Red usually doesn’t care what others think. He’s not here for their sake—he’s here for his own.
When to use it
Understanding team dynamics: Recognize when a Red colleague sets overly ambitious goals and help them break down the steps without discouraging their drive.
Personal goal-setting: Use the Red approach to push beyond comfort zones, but complement it with realistic milestones to avoid burnout.
Leadership: Leverage Reds' fearlessness to take on risky initiatives, while ensuring they consider input from other personality types.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Impossible Sales Budget
A Red manager sets a sales target that requires perfect conditions and extra effort from everyone, ignoring realistic constraints. They believe that aiming for the impossible is the only way to achieve extraordinary results.
Ignoring Uninteresting Tasks
If a Red is assigned a project they don't like, they will simply ignore it or refuse to engage, as they prioritize autonomy and only commit to tasks that match their interests.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
Think of a goal you set recently. Was it realistic or did you aim for an 'impossible' level? How did that affect your motivation and outcome?
Which parts of Erikson’s description of ambition fit you, and which do not? How does your approach to goals affect your work and relationships?
How might you balance Red’s drive for excellence with the need for practical, sustainable planning?
Often confused with
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Surrounded By Idiots (Thomas Erikson)