The successful process of Rainbow integration inevitably involves movement between the domains of information, intentions, and ideas, and a balancing between reflection and action. In pursuit of integration, extraverts should inquire of introverts, inviting the introvert’s representations of both the real and the ideal. Seeking integration, introverts should take the risk of sharing their own ideas, visions, and analyses rather than allowing these thoughts and feelings to remain swirling inside their head and heart without external world corrections.
The Pot of Gold: Collaboration
As we have just noted, effective Rainbow leadership is something more than just a short-term, results-oriented pragmatism. The Rainbow person dreams of the mythic pot of gold to be found at the end of the rainbow. This pot of gold, however, is elusive (especially when it requires Integration and an interplay between extraversion and introversion). Perhaps that is why it exists in myth, but not often in reality. The pot of gold is also elusive because collaboration is often hard to achieve. It easily regresses into collusion (Weitz and Bergquist, 2015).
Integration and collaboration often fall apart under conditions of anxiety, facing “messy” problems and dilemmas, which are all too common in a world saturated with VUCA-Plus conditions. Collectively, we tend to regress to a deeply held preference for extreme forms of one particular interpersonal preference and one of the two attitudes. In this regressed state, we become extreme, extraverted Ruby Reds who demand action despite a lack of adequate information or direction. Instead, we become extremely introverted or extraverted Azure Blues without any clear sense of reality and an abiding desire to heal rather than prevent injury. There is a third regressed state. We become extremely introverted Golden Yellows, finding no desire to do much other than count, analyze, and hide.
The challenge under conditions of shared anxiety and messy conditions is to avoid the extremes and seek out integration and collaboration. How do we successfully face this challenge? We suggest it is a matter of facilitating appreciative and constructive dialogue.
An Appreciative and Constructive Dialogue
How do we move to sustained collaboration? It begins with acknowledgement and appreciation for all three of the primary interpersonal preferences associated with these styles. We need the extraverted Ruby Red preference to ensure that we don’t get stuck in analysis paralysis (Golden Yellow) or become too dreamy (Azure Blue). We need the extraverted Azure Blue preference so that we might be clear about the direction where we are headed. We don’t want to leap out of the foxhole without knowing the cause for which we are willing to give our life (or at least devote our time and energy) (Ruby Red).
