The Color Code: A New Way to See Yourself, Your Relationships, and Life (Paperback)

~ Dr. Taylor Hartman (Author) "Every child is born with a unique set of personality traits..." (more)
Key Phrases: charactered people, charactered individuals, core motive, Blue White, Hartman Personality Profile, White Yellow (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

If you're familiar with the Hippocratic or medieval model for typing personalities (choleric, melancholy, phlegmatic, and sanguine), then Taylor Hartman's The Color Code will be a short refresher course for you.

This "original" personality paradigm divides us into (surprise!) four colors-- red, blue, white, and yellow--that define the characteristics of our fundamental natures. Reds are the annoying bossy types; blues are moody artists; whites are unmotivated layabouts; and yellows are--you guessed it--party animals. Well, maybe it's not that extreme, but according to Hartman, who reads the text himself, each person has one true color that explains the motivations behind his or her behavior. For example, if you are a red, you are probably a natural-born leader and have a high need for control. While this characteristic may do marvelous things for your career, it could have a devastating effect on interpersonal relationships.

In a simple, easy-to-follow, chime-filled format, Hartman suggests ways to capitalize on each color's positive attributes and offers advice on how to downplay its weaknesses. Did we mention the package also includes a personality test? (Running time: two hours; two cassettes) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

It's become commonplace: a book is self-published, sells a bundle (in this case, 250,000 copies), and then gets snapped up by a big publisher. Hartman helps us sort out personality types by motivation rather than behavior.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Scribner; 1 edition (March 23, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684848228
• ISBN-13: 978-0684848228
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #39,744 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

75 of 76 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How to understand other peoples motivations, January 30, 2001

By	Darren Burton "virtualbloodhound" (Ogden, Utah United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have always wondered about what makes people tick. The Color Code is the first personality theory that explains the movivations of a personality type. The Myers-Brigg personality theory which has 16 different categories, does a good job discussing "how" a certain personality type acts 90% of the time, but it never addresses the issue of "why" the person acts the way they do.

Here are the different personalities motivation: Red's core motivation is power. Blue's core motivation is the desire for intimacy. White's core desire is peace or the absence of conflict. Yellow's just want to have fun.

Here is a quick compare and contrast over one trait: Reds are dedicated to causes. Blues are dedicated to people. Once you have made a friend of a Blue, they are loyal for life. Both Blues and Reds resent Whites and Yellows lack of commitment.

Each of these personality types have a natural set of tendencies because of the core motivation.

BLUE CHARACTERISTICS:

Loyal forever once friendship is established.

Feels intense on many issues.

Blues never wake up happy or sad, they have to think about it first.

Blues cannot accept an emotion without taking full responsibility for it first.

Blues always seek purpose in life.

Rigid with principles and unwilling to negotiate.

Requires a purpose in order to play.

YELLOW CHARACTERISTICS:

A natural "people person"

Have an innate ability to be happy.

Yellows find it easy to relate to people of all ages.

Appreciate what they have vs. what they lack.

Love to entertain and be entertained.

The essential ingredient in every Yellow's life - an escape, an out, a chance to run away.

Lack of commitment.

Few intimate friends. A very large number of associates.

RED CHARACTERISTICS:

Reds speak their minds directly and honestly, regardless of their popularity.

Driving need is to convert the world to their beliefs.

If Reds feel that you have something worthwhile to offer, they will gladly give their efforts to assist you. Reds are relentless in their commitment to causes they believe in. When converted to a concept reds know no equal. Reds throw themselves into causes. They are difficult to convince, but equally difficult to restrain once committed.

RED'S THEME: "I've got things to do, places to go, and people to see."

Are not natural conversationalists - ARE natural lecturers.

Enjoy verbal argumentation.

No tolerance for stupidity or being unprepared.

Parade their values and opinions in front of others.

Take firm stands and expect others to follow.

Quite opinionated.

Very strong willed and determined.

WHITE CHARACTERISTICS:

Strong empathy skills.

Whites are tolerant of other's disagreeable behavior regardless of the personal discomfort they feel.

The chameleon is their trademark and reflects their ability to adapt and blend with everyone.

Whites are very uncomfortable in making decisions that may be wrong and avoid responsibilities that require it.

Passive-Agressive. Will sabatoge other people's future plans that involve them, for past resentments that have not been verbally expressed.

If any one is still interested in finding out more after this review, check out the "What personality type are you" discussion thread, under the Favorites List, which is under Discussion Boards. TO GET THERE FROM HERE: Click on the Friends & Favorites button at the top of the screen. Then click on the discussion boards link in the middle of the vertical column on the left hand side of the screen (under Explore).

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Personality types analysis based on a color metaphor, August 19, 2002

By	Harold McFarland (Florida) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

"The Color Code: A New Way to See Yourself, Your Relationships, and Life" is a text on personality theory and motivation for each of four basic personality types. Dr. Hartman divides people into four basic personality types and describes the types using a colors metaphor.

People who fall into the red category are motivated by power. They need to influence others and are totally dedicated to causes that they believe in. Reds are strongly opinionated and have no tolerance for stupidity. People who fall into the blue category are motivated by a desire for intimacy. Intensely loyal and always seeking a purpose in life, Blues are cautious with their emotions and tend to be neither happy nor sad but just existing from day to day. Whites are motivated by a desire for peace. Strongly empathetic and tolerant, Whites mix in well with any group and will tolerate just about anyone in order to avoid conflict. Yellows are focused on fun and pleasure. They are naturally happy people and relate well with others regardless of ages, social status or occupation. A defining trait for Yellows is that they always need a way out or a chance to escape and run free. They have a large number of people that they associate with but very few true, close friends.

Dr. Hartman also discusses how to determine which personality type a person falls into. Once you know a person's color type you can understand why they act and react the way they do . Unlike many other texts on personality theory this one concentrates not only on what traits the person has but on what motivates them. Many books describe how a person in a particular category acts, but few focus on why they act that way. That is where this book differs.

An interesting book with a useful system for understanding people, I found it much more valuable for understanding what motivates certain types of people than more complex systems with sixteen or more personality types. A recommended read.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Helps you understand people & improve relationships, May 2, 2003

By	B. Christensen "Frequent traveler, business o... (Santa Barbara, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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This review is from: The COLOR CODE: A NEW WAY TO SEE YOURSELF, YOUR RELATIONSHIPS, AND LIFE (Hardcover)

Though it is always dangerous to try and "categorize" people, Dr. Hartman's theories are a fantastic tool to help you understand and relate to the people around you. I put the concepts to use on a daily basis in both my professional and personal life.

After reading this book, suggesting it to several friends and family, and then discussing the ideas, I have had a number of revelations about both current and previous relationships. For example, I now have a much better understanding of my own family including my young "red" son. I now see that I need to give him "control" over more things in his life in order to be a `happy camper', and it has been an amazing thing to watch as we have done this with him.

The unique thing about Dr. Hartman's theory is that he talks about a person's root motivation, and how that motivation translates into certain behavoral characteristics. As you can read from other reviews here, there are four primary colors, each with distinct characteristics. While this may seem overly simplistic, it is surprisingly well-suited to use by us "normal" people (non psychiatric professionals). It is also remarkably accurate; there have been numerous time since reading this book that I have turned to people I know and said "I'll bet you are ..." or "I'll bet you like..." or so on, and been SPOT ON. It is really fun, if nothing else. :-)

Seriously, if you have a difficult boss, a tough relathionship with someone you are trying to work out, or just want to understand a better way to relate to people that you have historically struggled with, this is a great place to start, and really will get your wheels turning.

The book itself is reasonably well-written, and does a good job of clearly explaining the theories in very common terms. Dr. Hartman uses a lot of examples from his own practice to illustrate points, and tells stories that anyone can relate to. The book is organized in the beginning to provide an introduction to the four colors, and their positive and negative qualities - there is also a test to take in order to determine your own color. Regarding the test, let me give you some advice:

There are a lot of tough questions in the test - multiple choice questions where it will seem like more than one answer applies. I have taken the test several times, and achieved dramatically different results the last time I took the test. Why? Because the first time I took the test, I did it from the context of my life and experience TODAY (as an adult). The next time, I thought back to the way I was as a child, and when I could not decide on an answer, I asked my wife (who has known me for 15 years) or my mother. It was always surprising to me that the questions that I struggled with were easy for my wife or mother to answer - because they saw it from the context of the way I *really* am (and was as a child) rather than the way I *think* I am (or have become). The tricky thing is that we all adapt as adults, and if we are healthy, we adapt in ways that help us overcome the negative aspects of our "color" and accentuate the positive aspects of our "color". In some cases, we may even adopt characteristics of another "color". A great example of this might be a mother that is naturally a pretty strong "red" who after years of motherhood, has developed a very strong "blue" side in order to help her be more successful as a "mom" ("blues" are much more sensitive and nurturing, "reds" tend to be much more abrasive and intolerant)

Bottom line, this book is a quick read, and EVERYONE I have recommended it to has come back to me with praise for the book. Dr. Hartman is a bit of a self-promoter, though, and you may be put off by his mentions of his other books in the opening chapter. (I know that the hairs went up on the back of my neck a bit, but by chapter two they had settled back down). I am always suspicious when someone says "This book is great, and will help you to understand X, but if you want to REALLY understand Y, then you should buy my other book...." Despite the self-promotion in the opening chapter, I highly recommend this book.