The PGM’s Translation Guide: Leading When You’re the Red in the Room
The title of Thomas Erikson’s Surrounded by Idiots is a bit of a trap. The book’s actual lesson? People aren’t "idiots" they simply use a different operating system than you do.
As a Senior PGM, my job is 90% communication. But for a long time, I made the mistake of communicating in my default style, rather than adapting to the recipient's.
The "Red" Default
I am a classic Red. I value speed, efficiency, and the "bottom line." My natural instinct is to move fast, break down barriers, and get to the "Done" state as quickly as possible.
The problem? In a complex program, moving fast alone isn't leadership—it’s just velocity. I realized that my "Red" drive was often colliding with the very people I needed most, the Blues.
The "Blue" Challenge
"Blues" are the analytical, detail-driven, and reserved perfectionists of the professional world. Early in my career, our interactions were a constant source of friction:
To me, their constant questioning felt like a lack of trust or a roadblock.
To them, my high-level "Red" summaries felt like a lack of preparation or a disregard for the facts.
The Pivot: Thinking Like a Blue
The shift happened when I stopped trying to "push" my Red energy and started adopting a Blue mindset during my preparation. I realized that to win over a Blue stakeholder, I didn't need more "drive"—I needed more data.
A Real-World Example: I once led a Operational Excellence program where a key technical lead was a classic Blue.
My "Red" approach: A quick 1:1 to tell them the "What" and the "When."
The result: Total pushback. They weren't being difficult, they just hadn't seen the logic.
After reading Erikson's framework, I changed my strategy: I forced myself out of my Red "let's go" mode. I spent two hours building a detailed logic map and a risk-mitigation spreadsheet. I sent it 24 hours before our meeting.
When we met, I didn't lead with the deadline. I led with the documentation. By "thinking Blue"—anticipating the edge cases and providing the proof—I turned my biggest skeptic into my strongest ally.
The PGM Takeaway
You cannot lead a global program by speaking one language. I am still a Red at heart, but I’ve learned that the most effective PGMs are "colorblind" in their delivery.
Red: Use their drive to set the pace.
Blue: Use their precision to ensure the pace is sustainable.
If you feel like you're "surrounded by idiots," it’s likely just a translation error. The best PGMs are those who can bridge the gap between a "Red" VP and a "Blue" Lead Engineer without losing the message in between.
