PDF Summary:Surrounded by Idiots, by Thomas Erikson

Have you ever felt frustrated or puzzled by the way your coworkers behave? In Surrounded by Idiots, communication expert, business consultant, and author Thomas Erikson offers a framework for understanding the people who perplex us the most.

Erikson’s framework includes four personality types, and each has a unique way of thinking, behaving, and communicating. He shows you how to navigate conflicts, sharpen your communication, and improve your relationships with your boss and colleagues—all by recognizing their personality types as well as your own.

Throughout the guide, we’ll compare Erikson’s ideas about personality to those of other personality-typing models, and we’ll add perspectives from psychologists that support or challenge his assertions. By the end, you’ll be able to more effectively communicate and collaborate with the bosses, employees, and colleagues you thought you’d never understand.

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According to Erikson, Green personality types maintain friendly eye contact, a gentle smile, and aren’t averse to hugging. They are okay with touching if they know you well, but they prefer personal space when it comes to strangers and acquaintances. Erikson says this personality type tends to lean backward when sitting and generally maintain a relaxed posture.

(Shortform note: Erikson says people with this personality type are great listeners, and their body language supports the theory. To show that you’re listening, experts recommend many of the behaviors listed here. They also suggest using head movements—for example, nodding signals that you understand, and slightly tilting your head communicates curiosity.)

Body Language: Blue Personality Type

According to Erikson, Blue personalities exhibit the least motion in their body language of all the personality types. They’ll sit or stand perfectly still and deliver a message without hand gestures. Their facial expressions are subtle and controlled. People with this personality value personal space, and if you get too close, they’ll cross their arms or legs to signal discomfort.

(Shortform note: “Closed off” body language can be attributed to several factors outside of personality. For example, crossed legs and arms can signal that a person is uncomfortable, nervous, or even just cold. A person might control her facial expressions when she is distracted by something, focusing on appearing professional, or listening intently. When assessing a person’s body language as it relates to personality, it’s wise to observe them over time.)

Stress Triggers and Responses

In this section, Erikson helps you identify each personality type’s stress triggers and predict how each will respond. By doing so, you can avoid the triggers more easily and tailor your response.

Type	Stress Triggers		Response Style
Red	Lack of authority Time wasters Bureaucracy Routine busywork		When this personality feels stressed, he lashes out and blames others, and his driven nature and high expectations intensify.
Yellow	Negative people Structured schedules Isolation Feeling invisible		This personality’s way of dealing with stress is to become even more Yellow. That is to say, she’ll become more talkative, more optimistic, and more energetic.
Green	Frenetic environments Sudden changes Disagreements The spotlight		When this personality is feeling stressed, he’s apt to completely shut down. Usually the most empathetic of all the colors, he’ll switch gears into total apathy.
Blue	Spontaneous changes Risky decisions Silly mistakes Emotional people		When this personality experiences stress, she slows way down. Suddenly none of her tasks are getting done, and she’ll instead double down on the pessimism.

Stressors of the Enneagram

In the Enneagram personality-typing model, which describes nine personality types based on how people navigate the world and manage their emotions, Erikson’s Red personality type most closely resembles Type Eight, also known as “The Challenger.” When Eights feel powerless, they are prone to overworking themselves and burning out. Eights can combat their fear of weakness and reduce stress by learning to embrace vulnerability.

Erikson’s Yellow personality type most closely translates to Type Seven, “The Enthusiast.” A frequent stressor for Sevens is overcommitment. Sevens like to start projects but often lose interest shortly after. Reminders, deadlines, and incomplete tasks can quickly overwhelm Sevens. They can combat the stress of overcommitment by waiting a day or two before committing to a new project.

Erikson’s Green personality type most closely translates to Type Nine, “The Peacemaker.” A frequent stressor for Nines is decision-making. Because Nines are focused on helping others, they often lose sight of what they want for themselves and feel pressured to make the perfect choice. In the short term, Nines can alleviate the stress of making decisions by asking the requestor to narrow the options to a few choices. In the long term, Nines would benefit from working on their indecisiveness.

Erikson’s Blue personality type most closely resembles Type Six, “The Loyalist.” A frequent stressor for Sixes is uncertainty about the future. When faced with a new situation, Sixes can become paralyzed with worry and panic. To combat this fear of the unknown, Sixes should define their criteria for preparation, and learn to make peace with what is in their control.

Adapting to Each Color’s Style

Erikson next explains, color-by-color, how to adapt to, persuade, and work with other personality types.

How to Persuade a Red Personality: Focus on the future and take initiative. Erikson says people with Red personalities are always looking to the future, and they respect people who take initiative instead of waiting for directions. Tell them exactly what you plan to do to help them. Use concrete figures and stay away from flowery language.

(Shortform note: In contrast, How to Win Friends and Influence People author Dale Carnegie says that stating the truth of a situation and providing evidence is not enough to persuade most people. He says you must also appeal to the other person via their emotions through showmanship.)

How to Work With a Red Personality: Help manage the details. Though they won’t like it, you can help this personality type by reminding them that details are, in fact, important. You might offer to take up the minutiae yourself, or suggest they delegate those tasks to a teammate who will thrive.

(Shortform note: Red personalities have no problem delegating, but because they aren’t detail- oriented to begin with, it could be helpful to create a list of specific tasks that they can then assign to various team members.)

How to Persuade a Yellow Personality: Highlight the innovation. Yellow personalities love being the first to experience something, so Erikson says if you want to sell them something, you should point out the features that are new and exciting.

(Shortform note: While their ability to take risks is admirable, people who are chronically attracted to whatever is “new and shiny” can be taken advantage of. If you fall into this category, it’s important to resist your impulses, and take the time to ask yourself: Is this a real opportunity or simply an interesting distraction?)

How to Work With a Yellow Personality: Create structure. If you want to help a teammate with this personality, Erikson recommends you offer to create some structure by writing up the to-do lists or managing the schedule. They will appreciate someone else taking on this task, and you’ll probably be better at it too.

(Shortform note: Be prepared for this personality type to deviate from the schedule you created, and resist the urge to respond in frustration. Sometimes, having any schedule at all is enough to keep a person on task, even if she constantly adjusts it.)

How to Persuade a Green Personality: Narrow down the choices. Whatever you’re trying to sell to someone with this personality type, Erikson recommends you come to the table with one or two options. Do the research and planning ahead of time, then explain how you narrowed the choices; she will appreciate it.

(Shortform note: If you are offering someone a few choices, you should present your favorite option first. In a set of experiments performed at UC Berkeley, participants were asked to quickly choose between two or more options. Most people selected the first option available.)

How to Work With a Green Personality: Take charge. Green personality types rarely want to lead, and they aren’t built for it. If you’re working with someone with this personality, Erikson recommends you lead the conversations and make the major decisions. Greens prefer to follow the roadmap rather than write it.

(Shortform note: Even if they don’t want to make the decision, most people want to feel like their opinion matters. Erikson says you can help this personality type by taking the lead, but it’s more considerate to first ask if they’d like you to take charge.)

How to Persuade a Blue Personality: Over-prepare. When you want to persuade this personality type, be more prepared than you think you need to be. Erikson recommends you predict what they will ask and have documentation ready. If you don’t know the answer, Erikson warns against guessing.

(Shortform note: If someone, like a Blue personality type, asks you a question and you don’t know the answer, how should you respond? Admitting that you “don’t know” is honest, but it doesn’t inspire confidence if you are trying to sell something. Instead, redirect the conversation by offering what you do know on the subject, and offer to follow up with specifics.)

How to Work With a Blue Personality: Allow her to be meticulous, even if it takes a long time. When it comes to work, Erikson says Blue personalities value quality over everything else. Although they may take longer than you’d like, Erikson says you’ll save time in the long run because corrections won’t be needed.

(Shortform note: You may feel less frustrated with the perfectionism if you know what exactly is being perfected. If you are waiting on a colleague to finish something, try asking, “Can I ask which part you’re still working on, and if I can help in any way?” There’s a good chance she will launch into an explanation about what needs fixing, and you’ll agree with her.)

Delivering Negative Feedback

Working with others often involves giving negative feedback. To increase their receptivity, Erikson explains how to provide negative feedback to an employee based on his or her personality type.

Giving Feedback to a Red Personality

• Prepare for battle: Erikson warns that someone with this personality type will argue with you on every point and assign a scapegoat for every criticism. Give the feedback when you’re feeling strong.
• Be direct: Red personalities recognize and hate when things are sugar-coated. Instead, Erikson says, tell them exactly what the problem is, using the fewest words possible.
• Leave feelings out of it: Red personality types are task-driven (not relationship-driven), so Erikson says you’ll have better luck if you explain how his action affected the person’s performance.

(Shortform note: When it comes to criticism, the sooner you give feedback, the better. This is even more true for dominant personalities, because there is less room to argue when the behavior in question is still fresh in everyone’s mind. If you address the issue right away, you also eliminate the argumentative question of, “Why is this an issue now?”)

Giving Feedback to a Yellow Personality

• Lead the conversation: Because this personality type tends to take over conversations, Erikson suggests you keep the conversation on track by planning your opening and closing and knowing which topics you want to stick to.
• Use specific examples: Erikson says to prepare for the person to not believe you. He recommends you have specific examples ready to reinforce your argument.
• Massage her ego: Flattery goes a long way with sensitive Yellow personalities. Erikson suggests you remind them of all the reasons they’re liked and respected.

(Shortform note: Thanks for the Feedback lays out the anatomy of a feedback conversation. The authors recommend using your opening to connect and align with the other person, using the body of the conversation to discuss the issues, and using the closing to clarify future expectations and plan a follow-up.)

Giving Feedback to a Green Personality

• Use a gentle approach: Receiving negative feedback is torturous for Green personalities, so approach everything softly—use a kind voice and choose your words carefully.
• Focus on feelings: This personality type cares deeply about how others feel, and Erikson recommends using this as a tool during the feedback session. Don’t exaggerate, however, because a Green personality will already inflate the criticism in his own mind.
• Expect an overcorrection: Because Green personalities are so self-critical, Erikson says it’s common for them to dramatically overcorrect when they experience criticism. This behavior will continue only until they feel reassured that you don’t hate them.

(Shortform note: With sensitive employees, it’s also crucial to have your meeting face-to-face. If you deliver a criticism via email, for example, there is a lot of room left for interpretation and amplification. The employee could read more into your comment than is actually there, and he will be less likely to ask for clarification. When you meet in person, on the other hand, you can read his body language and respond accordingly.)

Giving Feedback to a Blue Personality

• Prepare, prepare, prepare: Have all of your facts straight before approaching with any type of criticism. Review your policies, and be ready to cite them.
• Provide everything in writing: Before the meeting, Erikson suggests composing a written document that details the criticisms and includes concrete examples.
• Focus on results, not relationships: Stay away from emotional language and instead focus on how their actions affect progress. Be extremely specific.

(Shortform note: One of the most effective ways a manager can prepare for a performance evaluation is to give feedback throughout the year. Your employees should not be surprised by anything they hear at their review. If you address problem behaviors right when they happen, your employees will be less likely to argue with you when you discuss the behaviors in more detail at a formal meeting.)

The Best and Worst Color Pairings

Erikson says in a perfect world, every working scenario would include all four personality types. Unfortunately, it’s rare for the color distribution to be so even. For this reason, Erikson says it’s important to know which personality types work best and least well together.

Four Harmonious Pairings

Red-Blue: Red personalities are big-picture thinkers and Blue types like to dive into the details, so they each handle what the other doesn’t enjoy.

Green-Yellow: Yellow personality types like to come up with ideas but aren’t great with follow-through, and the Green personality will happily carry out the plan.

Blue-Green: Blue and Green personality types both move at a gentle pace and think things through before acting. Neither one will drain the other’s energy through constant chatter.

Red-Yellow: Red and Yellow personalities are both action-driven. The Yellow personality will come up with the idea, and the Red personality will plan the attack.

Two Pairings That Rarely Work

Red-Green: Red and Green personality types have opposite working styles that don’t complement each other. The Red personality will want to start right away, while the Green personality will procrastinate. Red types move at lightning speed, and Greens take their time.

Yellow-Blue: Yellow personalities like to dive into projects and work quickly, never stopping to read directions. People with Blue personalities take their time and plan long before they act. Disagreements about when to start and how fast to work will produce constant friction.

The 8 Best Myers-Briggs Pairings The Myers-Briggs model lists 16 personality types, which can produce 136 unique pairings. In a collaborative setting, the following eight combinations are considered the best.
ISTJ + ESTP ISTJs are analytical problem-solvers who thrive behind the scenes. ESTPs are also analytic but have great people skills.	ISFP + ESFP ISFPs are nurturers who care about the happiness of everyone around them. ESFPs enjoy using their innovation to help others.
INTP + INTJ Both of these personalities have a passion for detailed, technical work.	ENTP + ENFJ Both of these personalities enjoy collaboration and are excellent communicators.
ENFP + INFJ ENFPs and INFJs are both caring individuals who do well in service fields and want to make a difference.	ISFJ + INFP ISFJs and INFPs are both warm and caring introverts.
ENTJ + ISTP ENTJs and ISTPs are both hyper-logical. ENTJs are comfortable taking the lead and ISTPs thrive within a set structure.	ESFJ + ESTJ These personalities are very similar but where the ESFJ is more relational, the ESTJ balances with logic.