Personality typology by Thomas Erikson from the book “There are only idiots all around”

Thomas Erikson's book There Are Idiots All Around offers an interesting look at personality typology, classifying people into four colors: red, yellow, green and blue. Each color corresponds to a specific type of behavior and characteristics. Here's a quick overview and ten takeaways from the book.

The book is based on the idea that different personality types have their own unique traits and approaches to life and work. Erickson uses simple, accessible classifications to help readers better understand themselves and those around them. He emphasizes that instead of thinking of people as “idiots”, seeing them as having different types can improve interaction and communication.

Overview of personality types by color

In the book There Are Idiots Around, Thomas Erikson identifies four personality types, each of which is designated by a specific color. These types help us understand how people interact with each other and how best to communicate.

1. Red type (D – Dominance)
Characteristics: Leaders by nature, determined and goal-oriented. They strive for power and results, are willing to take risks and make quick decisions.
Values: Power, significance, victory.
Behavior: Straightforward, can be aggressive in stressful situations. They prefer to communicate on business and value speed of action.

2. Yellow type (I – Influence)
Characteristics: Optimists and communicators, love to be the center of attention. They are emotional and friendly, but can be impulsive and do not always follow through.
Values: Communication, creativity, new experiences.
Behavior: Energetic, love to joke and communicate. They value attention to themselves and positive interaction.

3. Green type (S – Steadiness)
Characteristics: Peacemakers focused on stability and harmony. They are reliable and hardworking, preferring to avoid conflicts.
Values: Harmony, predictability, good relationships.
Behavior: Sensitive to people, polite and delicate. They find it difficult to say no and make quick decisions.

4. Blue type (C – Conscientiousness)
Characteristics: Analysts and implementers who strive for accuracy and consistency. They are cautious and take time to make decisions.
Values: Accuracy, logic, adherence to rules.
Behavior: Reserved, ask a lot of clarifying questions. They prefer to avoid haste and mistakes.
This classification helps to better understand the behavior of people in various situations and improve the interaction between them.

Similar personality typologies

Those who are familiar with the DISC assessment system, which is accepted all over the world, have probably noticed a great similarity with Erikson’s typology.

The DISC assessment system is a technique based on the analysis of people's behavior and interactions. She divides personality into four types, each of which is designated by a letter and characterizes certain styles of behavior. Key aspects of DISC include:

Basic DISC types

1. D (Dominance):

   • Characteristics: Leaders, determined and goal-oriented. They strive for power and results.

   • Behavior: Straightforward, make decisions quickly, like to control the situation.

2. I (Influence):

   • Characteristics: Optimists and communicators, focused on interacting with people.

   • Behavior: Energetic, emotional, prone to impulsive actions.

3. S (Steadiness – Stability):

   • Characteristics: Peacemakers who value stability and harmony.

   • Behavior: Reliable, patient, prefer to avoid conflicts.

4. C (Compliance):

   • Characteristics: Analysts who strive for accuracy and compliance.

   • Behavior: Reserved, prefer to carefully analyze information before making decisions.

And this is the well-known typology of Adizes’ management style, which is also very similar to Thomas’s typology.

Isaac Adizes developed a management model based on a typology of leadership styles known as PAEI. This model identifies four main types of leaders, each of whom performs unique functions in an organization.

Types of leaders according to the PAEI model

1. Producer (P – Producer):

   • Main function: Delivering results and completing tasks.

   • Strengths: Result-oriented, hardworking, multitasking ability.

   • Weaknesses: Chaotic tasks, lack of delegation, limited strategic thinking.

2. Administrator (A – Administrator):

   • Main function: Process management and systematization of work.

   • Strengths: Attention to detail, consistency, optimization of resources.

   • Weaknesses: Inflexibility, lack of creativity and initiative, tendency towards bureaucracy.

3. Entrepreneur (E – Entrepreneur):

   • Main function: Idea generation and strategic planning.

   • Strengths: Innovative thinking, flexibility, risk taking.

   • Weaknesses: Inconstancy, difficulties in working in a team, tendency to idle talk.

4. Integrator (I – Integrator):

   • Main function: Uniting the team and creating a harmonious atmosphere.

   • Strengths: Empathy, good communication skills, ability to bring people together.

   • Weaknesses: Indecision, lack of clear goals, emphasis on form instead of content.

9 useful conclusions that can be drawn from reading the book

1. Understanding personality types: Knowing about the four types (red – leader, yellow – optimist, green – peacemaker, blue – analyst) helps you better understand the behavior of others.

2. Effective Communication: Understanding the differences in communication styles allows you to tailor your approach to each individual to achieve better results.

3. The Power of Diversity: A team made up of all four types is more effective and balanced.

4. Conflict Management: Understanding personality types can help in resolving conflicts as it allows you to see a situation from different perspectives.

5. Personal Growth: Knowing your type helps you identify your weaknesses and work on them for personal development.

6. Adapting Leadership Style: Managers can use the typology to more effectively manage their teams depending on the personal characteristics of employees.

7. Improved Relationships: Understanding differences in temperaments helps improve interpersonal relationships in both professional settings and personal life.

8. Reduce Stress: Understanding that others may think and act differently helps reduce stress when interacting with them.

9. Developing Empathy: Understanding the motivations and behavior of other people helps develop empathy and tolerance.

Practical Application: Erickson's methodology is easy to use and can be used in a variety of areas – from business to personal relationships.

These insights help readers not only better understand themselves and those around them, but also develop communication and management skills, making the book useful for a wide audience.