The Purple-archetype in Spiral Dynamics integral represents tribalistic values of safety and the relative status of one’s place in the community. But what happens when a child is raised with the logic in an ecology that holds these values dearly; but morphs through different stages and outside the tribe?
BO or Purple value systems accounts for the majority of the population both in the world and in the United States. To a larger extent, this is also true of emerging economies; and geo-political systems under crises. The leadership challenge of how to lead in a Purple organisation to influence meaningful change, seems to be universal. The devout loyalty of this worldview, makes it especially susceptible to influence, both good and bad. However, the world cannot move in any meaningful direction without Purple.
In fact, perhaps, the only way to combats today’s worldwide political and philosophical divisiveness is with leadership deeply grounded in the colour Purple. Contemporary thought advocates for children to make courageous moves to break out of the norm and proclaim independence. Do we then transcend and include?
Leaving one’s tribe is not easy, though, and becoming a leader outside of it is statistically inaccessible. Because those raised with deep Purple, but emerging to Second Tier due to their own transitions; often lose their tiara familiar support as they are seen to leave Purple. Attentive and concentrated Second Tier support is critical.
Without a plan for the Second Tier to identify, follow and backstop Purple as they transcend from their “safety of belonging”, those raised Purple and emerging to Second Tier are left with only luck as a strategy. Second Tier’s attention to supporting Purple-based emergents, at all stages, may be the key to replacing luck with purposiveness.
An auto-ethnographical reflection supported with deep theory.
