I perceive myself to be a combination type of personality which includes traits from both the yellow and green kinds. Thomas Erikson's “Surrounded by Idiots” proved to be a useful manual for honing my communication abilities.
Originally published in Swedish in 2014 as Omgiven Av Idioter, Erikon’s “Surrounded by Idiots” is globally recognised, selling over 1.5 million copies worldwide, of which over 750 000 copies have been sold in Sweden.
Thomas Erikson categorises people into four primary groups depending on their personality style: Red (dominant), Blue (analytical), Green (influential) and Yellow (stable).
While nobody is an exact match with these “colours”, understanding these character types will help you improve your interactions with others.
I determined that I’m primarily a Yellow – positive, sociable, and eager to collaborate – creating positive relations with others, although a little indecisive and tending to postponing tasks I dislike, while my inner Green emerges when faced with tasks demanding high standards, precisions and imagination.
I recently encountered difficulty in understanding someone's perspective during a recent discussion. Looking back, our different personality styles might have contributed to the discord.
I battled to understand the other person’s point of view, and the disagreement remained unresolved despite my understanding that our personality “colours” clashed.
Overall, though, Erickson’s “Surrounded by Idiots” provides a valuable tool for fostering awareness and promoting effective communication.
This book is a fantastic introduction to the world of personality typing and its potential applications in everyday life.
Surrounded by idiots by Thomas Erikson is available at Exclusive Books.
Cape Times
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