Surrounded by Idiots (The Surrounded by Idiots Series)

"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.

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

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.

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

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.

This book describes four behavior types by sorting them into colors: red, blue, green and yellow. People that are sorted into these behavior types typically exhibit the same characteristics. For example, the book claims that green individuals are typically laid back and sometimes struggle to make decisions. Since teachers need to be able to understand and manage behavior, this book can be a foundation for how we interpret different social situations with students. While Erikson does point out that we should not use this classification method on children, it does give us some background knowledge on students and what drives behavior (e.g. environment). There are many aspects of the book that I enjoyed. The book begins with a description of how and why he and his father began classifying behavior in this way. They used what is called the DISC method to establish these four behavior types. He explains that most people are a combination of two or three behavior types; very few people are just one type. Erikson describes the basis of behavior – what causes us to behave in the way that we do. He then moves on to provide an overview of the system, listing characteristics of each color in a diagram provided on page thirteen. After this introduction, he dives into how we can recognize each behavior type, how each behavior type deals with stress, which behavior types are best suited to work together, how to give feedback to each behavior type and so on. In chapter nineteen, Erikson provides examples of how people who have been sorted into the different behavior types react to different questions about their behavior and the book. Each of these people who were interviewed have read the book and are able to explain how they feel about the portrayal of individuals who belong to the group they do – most of them seem almost annoyed. For example, Hakan seems annoyed that the interviewer points out what he says is contradictory. The book ends with an interactive quiz, which is perhaps one of my favorite parts. It allows the reader to self-assess and determine what they took from this book and how they (now) understand the different behavior types. While there are not many things that I would change about the book, there are some pieces that could help provide some clarity for the reader. I loved how each behavior was talked about in detail; however, there were some parts where I really had to stop and think about what behavior was being talked about and reflect on what was said about that “color” chapters beforehand. This was likely due to the fact that it would spend the course of four chapters talking about each behavior type individually in relation to one concept or situation. It may have been better for the author to adjust this so that each situation was talked about for a single behavior type. For example, perhaps chapters four through nine could have talked about just green behavior, describing the different situations, scenarios and ideas that are discussed for that behavior throughout the book. This was not a huge issue since there were a variety of visuals, but it may be difficult for some readers who lack reading comprehension skills or have problems organizing information in their minds.

It’s a good gift to give if the person wants it. Easy to read as well. And a bit engaging throughout.

its good for understanding

The book was delivered very quickly and the quality was better than I expected for of the paperback version.

I’m not a pro reader, but I can binge read books that are really good - Simple, fun, and teach you something you can immediately apply. Surrounded by idiots caught my attention from the first few pages. It is one of those books that make you wonder how different society would be if everyone read it once. After I finished this book, I made a list of all the closest people I interact with (family, friends, coworkers, lovers) and tried to identify their “colors”. My perception of these people went from being “aggressive” or a “pushover” to “Red” and “Green”. It subconsciously became second nature to me to quickly identify what colors someone I am talking to falls under and so naturally you start understanding why people are the way they are and how YOU can adapt to them better to make the most out of that interaction/relationship. One area in which I found this information to be quite amusing and helpful to analyze is in the context of romantic relationships. I started seeing the “true colors” of my past partners and inherently saw why the relationships were either great, or not, and where they went wrong and how knowing this information now and applying the knowledge in the next relationship will be drastically life changing. I realized why as a Yellow, Red with hints of Blue I was having problems with someone that was Red and Blue - My “yellow side” clashed with their “blue side” while actually complementing their “red side”. Our common "redness" led us to fall for each other as we both like someone with the same qualities, but also played a role in weakness as it brought some subconscious competitiveness that is not good in a romantic partnership, especially if one or both partners aren’t emotionally mature enough to see things for what they are instead of falling prey to the supposed societal norms and perceptions that are unfortunately being reinforced in everyday social media content. It’s truly remarkable once you realize how humans self sabotage and this book definitely helps you realize that. I can also now see the downfall of my past relationship with a mostly Green person. My Red side could not only not tolerate being with a Green person, but it made my redness go into overdrive and into survival model (instinctual human behavior) which ultimately caused the imbalance that led to a breakup. In my personal view, It’s important to not see this as a lesson of « I can’t entertain a prospect with a color that challenges mine » as 1) though challenging, it is actually *goals* to be with someone that has some opposing qualities so both partners can adopt traits that can help them become a more upgraded and newer version of themselves that will open new doors in life. Remember, a partner should ultimately make you grow, not just make you feel comfortable. As a yellow, you want and need to become more blue, and as a blue you would most definitely benefit from being more yellow; in fact, it’s exactly those lack of yellow traits that have you somewhat stuck in your life and same goes for the yellow person - they both represent the characteristics that are needed to take their lives to the next level! and 2) because you come to understand that unless yo are both 100% one color, everyone (~85% of the population) will have a mix of colors and that you will have to learn to adapt to each other. I think couples needs to read this book more than anybody! In summary this book is a 9.5/10. Fun, simple, and impactful. Must read!

Worth the buy

Brilliant book