Surrounded by Idiots (The Surrounded by Idiots Series)

Solid read, it helps me to spot when and why meetings go off the rails, it has helped me to pull a few meetings back to being productive uses of my time.

"Surrounded by Idiots" by Thomas Erikson is a refreshing take on personality types and communication. Far from labeling people as difficult or 'idiots,' the book presents a fascinating framework using four colors (Red, Yellow, Green, and Blue) to describe a range of personality traits. This color-coded system is more than just a tool for categorization—it's a bridge to better understanding the diverse ways people perceive and interact with the world. Erikson’s approach encourages us to see beyond superficial misunderstandings and recognize that each personality type has its unique strengths and weaknesses. By doing so, we learn to appreciate that differences in behavior and communication are not signs of incompetence or foolishness but are reflections of diverse perspectives and experiences. What makes "Surrounded by Idiots" particularly valuable is its practical application. The book offers clear, actionable advice on how to adapt our communication strategies according to different personality types. This not only enhances personal relationships but also improves workplace dynamics. Understanding that no one is an 'idiot,' but rather that we all experience the world differently, is pivotal in fostering a more inclusive and productive environment. Erikson's writing is accessible and engaging, making complex psychological concepts easy to grasp. He empowers readers to transform their interpersonal challenges into opportunities for growth and collaboration. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to improve their communication skills, enhance their emotional intelligence, and better navigate the colorful spectrum of human personalities.

I read Surrounded By Idiots after taking the DiSC assessment and in that context it was genuinely helpful. The color coded personality framework made my results click in a way they hadn't before, and I found myself recognizing coworkers, family members, and even my own communication patterns pretty quickly. That said, the book felt much longer than it needed to be. The core ideas are solid, but they're repeated often enough that it started to feel a little padded. I kept thinking this could have been tighter and more to the point without losing its impact. Overall, it's a useful read, especially if you're new to DiSC or personality frameworks and want an easy , relatable way to understand them. Just know going in that it's more conversational than concise. I'm glad I read it, but I don't think it needed to be quite as long to get the message across.

"Surrounded by Idiots" is basically a fun dive into why sometimes it feels like you're the only sane person in the room. The guy behind it, Thomas Erikson, uses this color system to break down personality types: Red for those bossy types who take charge, Yellow for the life-of-the-party folks, Green for the chill, laid-back ones, and Blue for the detail-oriented planners. It's kind of like having a cheat sheet for dealing with everyone from your boss to your in-laws. Erikson, who knows a ton about how people tick, makes all this psychology stuff feel like a breeze to get. He’s filled the book with stories and examples that make you go, "Ah, so that's why they do that!" And even though he's laying down some pretty deep thoughts, he keeps it light with some laughs along the way. Now, sure, the idea that everyone can be neatly sorted into just four types has got its fair share of eye rolls. Life and people are way more complicated than that. And, of course, not all the stories and tips will hit the mark for everyone. But, getting the gist of these personality colors can really change the game in how you get along with people. Whether it's at work, trying to navigate a project with a team that's all over the place, or at home, figuring out why your partner is so obsessed with planning every minute of a vacation, Erikson's got a point: knowing a bit about these types can smooth things over. So, even with its simplifications and generalizations, "Surrounded by Idiots" is a hit for a reason. It’s got a casual, friendly way of clueing you into why people act the way they do, and it dishes out advice on how to handle it without losing your mind. Whether or not you buy into the whole color-coded personality thing, there's something pretty cool about getting a new lens to see why the world—and everyone in it—works the way they do.

A fairly good read about the different personalities at work. Stuff I already am familiar with. If I had a chance to check this book out at the library or a brick and mortar bookstore, I probably would not have bought it. It talks about the various personalities you might encounter at the workplace. A good read for twenty-somethings who are learning how to navigate the workplace. Not a good book for older professionals.

A wonderful book. Great for helping you understand others and how different people think.

Yes. This is a great read Not for everyone I enjoyed

To be completely honest, I decided to read this book, titled Surrounded by Idiots - The Four Types of Human Behavior and How to Effectively Communicate with Each in Business (and Life), after a particularly difficult day of teaching high school students. I saw the words “Surrounded by Idiots” in the list of options and thought, yup that’s the one. Every teacher can relate to those difficult days sometimes, but the ideas Erikson writes about in this book can be relatable to anyone at any time. He starts off explaining that we, in fact, are not surrounded by idiots. We are simply surrounded by people who are different than us and who think differently than us. Everyone has a tendency to think people who are different than us are idiots, but that is not necessarily the case. Perhaps if I was having a better day when I chose to read this book, I would have looked at the rest of the title – “The Four Types of Human Behavior and How to Effectively Communicate with Each in Business (and Life).” This is a little more descriptive of the ideas Erikson touches on. The four types of human behavior, as Erikson explains it, is broken down into four different colors. This is just his way of organizing the information, but I find it clever and easy to follow. Erikson says on page 13, that most of the population is a combination of two colors, while few are purely one color or a mixture of three colors. He starts off with just describing personality characteristics of each color and how to recognize if someone in your life is a red, yellow, green, or blue. I very much enjoyed this, because I could pin point exact people in my life and what color they are. My sister is a dead on Red for instance. Throughout all the chapters of Surrounded by Idiots, I could confirm my sister is a Red in the way she handles conflict, in her body language, in how she sends emails (my sister and I are also coworkers), and in what “makes her mad as hell” as Erikson puts it. I am a self-proclaimed Green. My Red sister and I get along great in social situations, but when it comes to making plans… that is a different story. Erikson talks about how the different colors work together and what challenges they may face starting on page 193. This got me thinking more about work related relationships, and I’ve got to say, Erikson is completely right in his assessment of collaborating colors. I won’t spoil all the details for you, but again it brought up situations I’ve been in with coworkers, etc. You may be able to tell from what I’ve written so far, but it was extremely difficult for me to not think of every single person in my life (work or social) and how they match up with the different colors in this book and the relationship I have with people of each personality type. This was enjoyable to me. Erikson touches on many character traits, in work and social situations, of all four colors and how they communicate with the other colors – hence the more descriptive part of the title. He also gives plenty real life examples of coworkers of his or friends of his and their interactions. This made it realistic or relatable to me. I will say, it is kind of hard not to get defensive or think “nu uh, you’re wrong Erikson!” when he describes the weakness of the color(s) you identify with most. But keep in mind, and Erikson will remind also remind you, we are all human and no one or one personality color is perfect or superior. Overall, I very much enjoyed reading Surrounded by Idiots even though it was not the book I thought it was when I hit “buy with one click” on Amazon. As a teacher, I would highly recommend this book to other teachers because you will think of certain students or coworkers who are Red, Yellow, Green, or Blue as you read and get insight on how to work with them in a productive and empathetic manner. I’d give the book a 4.5/5. (I’d give it a 5, but it touched on some of my Green insecurities). The book is $14.99 here on Amazon and is 270 pages in length.