A distinctive strength of the introverted Ruby Red person comes with the careful devoting of energy to getting the job done [Enneagram 3) and getting it done in the right way (Enneagram 1). A major concern of the introvert who shows a preference for Ruby Red concerns appearance. They want to appear capable and successful [Enneagram 3]—or want their Aide to appear capable and to take credit for the success. The challenge for both the introverted and extraverted Ruby Red is to achieve a very ambitious goal (which is often set by an Azure Blue person) and/or face the caution and careful perspectives offered by those with a Golden Yellow orientation. The ultimate threat is being judged as a failure [Enneagram 3]. The introverted Ruby Red often can avoid this threat by remaining in the background. The extraverted Ruby Red is vulnerable to absorbing all the blame. This is where the extravert’s image of self comes to play. Afterall, they are the General standing in front of the tent with their ego on full display. It is useful to note that this extraverted vulnerability often leads the extraverted Ruby Red person into a troubled movement between Enneagram 2, 3, and 4.
Ruby Red: Viewing Other Preferences
We are about to consider the other two primary perspectives and practices. However, we want our extraverted Ruby Red colleagues to offer a word about them first. Ruby Red extraverts are strongly inclined to push to have a say about all sorts of matters, including their judgment about the Azure Blues and Golden Yellows. Introverted Ruby Reds would like to have a say; however, they often wait to be asked—and meanwhile let their own negative judgments “steam” in their heart and guts.
Let us first offer the Ruby Red view of those with an Azure Blue orientation: these people are Wishy/Washy. They are often “bleeding hearts” who spend all their time healing or mourning the state of our world rather than helping to take action that will prevent injury and improve our world.
According to the extraverted Ruby Reds, the Azure Blue person is always inclined to be a dreamer: “These damned dreamers are asking us to look over our heads while we are trying to solve the problem (which is not to be found up in the sky or clouds)”.
Those with a Golden Yellow predilection are viewed by the Ruby Reds as uninvolved. They are “bean counters” who sit back and count the casualties rather than find ways to prevent these casualties. While the Azure Blues are doing the healing, the Golden Yellows are formulating statistics regarding how many patients have been admitted and how many healed. No one is trying to prevent injury or illness. It is up to the extraverted Ruby Reds to take this preventative action.
On the one hand, the introverted Ruby Reds might be able to appreciate the quiet, uninvolved manner of the Golden Yellows. They would join forces with the Golden Yellows in muttering to themselves: “We are all being quiet because those overbearing loudmouths are dominating the conversation. They should shut up so we can speak.” On the other hand, the introverted Ruby Reds share a disdain for the “bean counting” mentality of the Golden Yellows with their extraverted Ruby Red colleague. All (or most) of those with a Ruby Red preference are inclined to view analysis as a luxury when there is a crisis. And there always seems to be a crisis in the life of a Ruby Red. There is no time to sit back and gather data when we need to act. And the extraverted Ruby Reds do act wisely or unwisely, while the introverted Ruby Reds can’t wait to go home. There, they can tell their significant other all about the “insane” place where they work: “God, I could have told those bombastic idiots what to do—if they had only stopped ‘leading’ long enough to recognize and rely on my real leadership abilities!”
