The Gray Cardinal: Who Truly Manages Our Lives

If we talk about leadership and management skills, our attention will first be drawn to Red persons, who are naturally suited for this role. We must also consider the Browns — ideal substitutes or heads of departments. The Oranges are also important in this regard, as they are ready to take on some managerial functions during the temporary absence of the "red leader."

However, if you look at the top management of any large company, you will find a person who does not belong to any of these three vectors. A person whose appearance (clothing, voice, charisma, etc.) is absolutely not suited for the role of a leader. A person who cannot even be mentally pictured at the head of the company, yet who is always close to the leadership. Meet the Violet individual — a character who is never in power but is always near it.

What gives them such an interesting position? With excellent intuition, the Purple individual understands all the limitations experienced by the Red leader, who has clear authority. Therefore, they never strive for the top positions in the organization. Their role could be called a "secret advisor" if such a position were allowed in the organizational chart. After all, it is they, who are well-versed in the nuances of human souls, that can offer the leader a necessary thought at the right moment, without claiming authorship.

Remember, I mentioned that the Red person does not tolerate anyone's advice. Well, it is the Violet individuals who know how to subtly introduce an idea to their boss in such a way that they will be convinced from start to finish that it was their own invention. In terms of influencing people, the Violet vector has no equal, and this influence, unlike the "Red" management methods, is often unnoticed by others. An experienced "secret advisor" casually drops a few key words in the middle of a conversation, and the situation begins to look a little different. After that, no one will ever recall "where it all started." This is a brilliant ability, by the way (when used skillfully).

But the main strength of the Violet vector is its ability to see the situation strategically. Perhaps this is related to their love for playing chess, as this vector is well-developed among many famous chess players. While the Red individual constantly thinks about the future, making grand plans and believing in success, the Violet individual approaches tomorrow quite differently. For them, the most important aspect is the anticipation of dangers or simply unforeseen, sudden changes in the situation.

Due to the intuitive way of thinking of the Violet individual, it is usually very difficult for logical thinkers — especially Orange and Brown individuals — to communicate with them. They are ready to constantly bombard the Violet  individual with questions: “Well, tell me, why do you think that? Prove it! What’s the logic here? How did you come to this conclusion?” But the Violet individual can only respond with: “I just feel it, it seems to me…” In serious business, such statements rarely carry significant weight, and the opinions of the Violet individual are sometimes disregarded. As a result, in some cases, all the “orange” logic, “brown” analysis, and “red” ingenuity prove powerless, and the situation unfolds exactly as the Violet individual predicted.

A not particularly advanced manager might say, “It’s just a coincidence,” and continue to act in the same manner. However, after tripping over the same rake a few times, they realize that there are things in life that cannot be analyzed or logically explained, and then the “era of the Violets” begins.

This is why such individuals often find themselves in analytical departments or security services. Of course, they are not standing guard over particularly important objects or people; instead, they sit in a cozy office processing vast amounts of information. They do this not so much with their brains (intellect) but with their inner “sense” and intuition. At a certain point, they will get up, go to the manager, and present a piece of information, such as: “I think today we should sell these stocks and buy those” or “I have a feeling that tomorrow it would be better to exchange all dollars for euros.” A competent boss won’t ask a foolish question like, “Why?” They understand that they won’t get a rational answer from the Violet individual. They can either choose to believe or not believe, and that’s it.

Perhaps you know entrepreneurs or entire firms that somehow navigate through most financial and other crises quite successfully? Look at their relationship with the Violet vector—you will discover very interesting facts.

It is now clear that such a character is essential in a progressive, dynamically developing company. However, this characteristic can also turn in a completely different direction.

Imagine that such a person harbors no goodwill toward the management or other employees of the firm. (We will discuss why this often happens with Violet individuals later.) Since the information brought by the Violet advisor cannot be verified until the event occurs, everything hinges on the trust the upper management places in them. By the way, sometimes this information cannot be verified at all.

For example, the “gray cardinal” approaches the director and gently says: “I have a feeling that Mr. Johnson is discussing our problems with the competing firm in the evenings. There’s no proof yet, but it will probably come. But is it worth waiting until it appears… Well, of course, you can decide for yourself. Maybe everything isn’t quite like that…” Can you imagine the director’s state at that moment? Especially if this period is indeed challenging in the competitive struggle? After all, he has already stumbled a couple of times by not listening to the “secret advisor” on the advice of the Orange and Brown individuals, and he doesn’t want to make such mistakes again: “What if our current problems really are because of Mr. Johnson? I should get rid of him before it leads to disaster.” Of course, if the Violet individual was right and simply did their job, that’s great. But what if they took an immediate dislike to the unfortunate Mr. Johnson for no reason at all?

In this case, it turns out that it is not the Red director who manages the firm, but the Violet assistant to the manager. Depending on their position, their advice may concern personnel, finance, security, working with partners, competitors, etc.

Of course, if your employee — the “gray cardinal”— is quietly leaking information to competitors, you are terribly unlucky; however, this situation is still an exception (for now). But if you suddenly hired a Violet accountant, you might also face unpleasant surprises. Fortunately, these individuals are not particularly eager to work in accounting. They find it much more interesting to work as HR managers or executive secretaries. Now, here’s an example from real life.

Five years ago, I invited the director of a Saint-Petersburg conglomerate to my training. As a very business-oriented person, he was interested in the course but could not find the time. Instead, his secretary-referent attended the course, and she had been working with him for several years. She came to listen, participate, and report back to her boss. When she walked in the door, it all became clear (a description of the Violet appearance follows below). The girl completed the course at 110%: she arrived earlier than anyone else and left later, asked a ton of insightful questions during breaks, in short, she was a teacher’s dream. After the course, she expressed endless gratitude, and all the participants in the group understood that she had gained the maximum from the course. Moreover, she promised to advertise the course properly within her organization, and, of course, primarily to the director who had given her such a gift. A week later, I had a conversation with her boss, and the approximate text of that conversation could have been written as soon as his protégé showed up in the course: “Yes, the girl attended… She said our company doesn’t need it. We won’t be ordering your course.”

Is everything clear? 

It would be strange to expect that a person with a strong purple vector, who has gained a wealth of knowledge and experience in managing various people during the course, would want to share this with colleagues, especially with their immediate superior. After all, they might understand the meaning of their secretary's behavior. Who do you think has been steering the process in this organization since then? And what do you think is the current position of our capable student in her company?

It can also be dangerous to hire an HR manager with a strong purple vector, especially if they are a psychologist, as there are quite a few Violet individuals among people in our profession. On one hand, such a manager can excel in their duties, intuitively selecting compatible people for the team and filtering out those who may bring trouble. But on the other hand, in this position, a Violet person has unlimited opportunities, which may not align with the company management's plans.

To summarize, it can be said that a Violet individual is ready to perform various and very important functions in modern business excellently, but leaving them unchecked is unacceptable. Moreover, the Violet vector needs this control more than all the other seven vectors. Only by clearly understanding what problems such a person can bring to the company can their unique abilities and capabilities be utilized for the common good.

At the same time, it is important to realize that they possess the greatest hidden potential for destroying any team. No measures (organizational consulting, team training, etc.) can maintain the integrity of the company if a Violet employee remains, secretly determined to dismantle it.

What do you think a leader with bright Red and Violet vectors is like? Yes, such a person possesses a rare ability to manage people using both overt and covert levers. They do not need a “secret advisor” because, in addition to the “red” will to power and “red” cleverness, they possess intuition, instinct, foresight — call it what you will. However, there is one downside: an excessively cautious Violet vector will simply not allow the Red entrepreneur to spread their wings, constantly “grabbing them by the hand,” as Violets are the biggest overcautious individuals in the world.

Speaking of instincts, if you notice that Violets have suddenly started leaving the organization, you shouldn't linger there either. And if you are the leader of that firm, it’s time to prepare a backup plan. Of all the dangerous situations in life, the Violet individual always runs away first.

Now, about appearance. To be a “secret advisor,” one needs to remain unnoticed. Subtle clothing (blue-gray tones, etc.), minimal cosmetics and makeup are essential. Some “gray cardinals” intuitively feel that the color violet in clothing might give them away, so don’t look for anything violet in their appearance (though anything can happen). Better to pay attention to their facial expression and nose; that’s more reliable. The sense of superiority can sometimes be noticeable on the face of a Violet individual: something between arrogance, disdain, and a sly smirk. And, of course, the nose, which doesn’t necessarily have to be big, but does draw attention for some reason (noticeable, standing out from the crowd). If you notice such traits — stay alert.

To Wash or Not to Wash?

One of the important features of the Violet vector is a highly developed sense of smell. Of course, there may be exceptions to this rule, but it is the Violets who are very sensitive to the scent of their interlocutor when communicating (consciously or unconsciously). If this smell is not to their liking for any reason, the Violet will simply distance themselves from such communication.

This applies not only to natural body odors (referring to a clean body) but also to various perfumes. It is impossible to guess the individual preferences of a Violet person, so when planning to communicate with them, try to minimize all scents coming from you, regardless of their nature. In this case, you will be somewhat protected from an initial negative reaction to your presence.

However, spending a long time in the shower to appeal to a Violet person can have the opposite effect: if you smell completely neutral, you risk evoking a subconscious sense of fear in your Violet interlocutor. According to Darwin, we have inherited most emotions from our distant ancestors: fear, joy, aggression, and many others. In the animal kingdom, each emotion has its own scent, allowing animals to sense each other's emotional states well. This trait in humans remains only rudimentary, but many representatives of the Violet vector are naturally endowed with almost animal-like intuition. For them, the scent of the people around carries specific information that, more often than not remaining unconscious, strongly influences their perception of those individuals. Metaphorically speaking, your natural scent is information for the Violet about your emotional state, intentions, honesty, etc. If you meticulously wash away all scents from your body half an hour before meeting them, you essentially deprive them of any information about yourself. And this is something Violets strongly dislike.

If you use perfume, then, as some Violets might think, you are trying to hide the true information about yourself, which also does not speak to your sincerity. By the way, Violets sometimes have a disapproving attitude toward the makeup on a female interlocutor's face. Any unnaturalness, any conscious alteration of appearance, even for the better, is often perceived by them as a signal that you want to conceal something from them. Therefore, when preparing for an important meeting with a Violet, try to use minimal perfume and cosmetics, and also maintain a minimal set of natural body odors.

All this might be considered an interesting tale with little relevance to reality if it weren’t for the tragic examples from our clients' businesses. So, if you are selling bricks at retail, it is unlikely to be worth paying serious attention to this. However, if you have a contract ahead worth more than a million and your counterparty has a rather prominent nose, do not miss the chance to make a good impression.

No Conflicts — Only Revenge

Another interesting feature of the Violet vector is its low conflict level. Such a person prefers not to argue with anyone, not to prove anything, and to withdraw from a conflict situation altogether (even before it arises). If they are present during a dispute, they behave as correctly as possible, never openly taking anyone's side. They might casually insert a couple of "insignificant" words that, unnoticed by the disputants, turn the situation in an entirely different direction. If someone offends a Violet, they will not retaliate; instead, they will silently leave without showing their feelings, sometimes even smiling sweetly. Of course, they will not "hit" the offender, shout, or express their true intentions in any way.

But do not think that your problems are over with their departure. In fact, they are just beginning. If tomorrow, next year, or even ten years from now, they have the opportunity to take revenge, rest assured, you will deeply regret what you once did or said to them. The offenses caused to Violet people are never forgotten. Despite all his nobility, the Count of Monte Cristo spent a whole life seeking revenge on his offenders, even though he possessed not only the Violet vector.

It is also worth noting that lying to a Violet is usually futile. Sensing deceit more acutely than any other vector, they will never show that they suspect your insincerity. On the contrary, they will try to do everything possible to dispel your doubts about this matter. As a result, you may be left with the feeling that you successfully "blinded" them.

Who’s Not Hiding

The desire to remain unnoticed manifests itself in various aspects of the life of a Violet person. They avoid signing any documents, often examining them carefully from all angles, subconsciously looking for hidden traps. Prominent representatives of this vector dislike being photographed, filmed, or giving autographs, and they are ready to use any available means to minimize the traces they leave behind. The handwriting of Violet people is usually terribly illegible, allowing them to later interpret what they wrote in ambiguous ways.

These qualities help Violet people be highly effective in situations where they need to conceal their own opinions or simply speak untruths with honest eyes. As strange as it may sound, the ability to deceive beautifully is a very important trait of this vector, often applied in various business spheres. They are excellent negotiators, "diplomats," who know how to "say everything without saying anything." And the best part is that there’s nothing to hold against them.

How It Looks

To vividly envision a classic representative of this vector, one can recall the character played by Juozas Budraitis in the film "Dangerous Age"—a "sniffer" by profession (i.e., a perfumer) — as well as Cardinal Richelieu from the film "The Three Musketeers". Both characters demonstrate an almost 100% Violet vector. At times, it seems that they possess no other vectors, although that is certainly not the case.

Another character that comes to mind is Dr. Hannibal Lecter from "The Silence of the Lambs", who could virtuously distinguish the scent of "yesterday's" perfume from "today's," had an exceptional understanding of people, and could read some thoughts based on scent. (In addition to the Violet vector, Dr. Lecter was also representative of the Black and Yellow vectors, both of which were close to 100%, making it quite "serious".)