Surrounded By Idiots by Thomas Erickson
So, this book came in with several new books at my work, and I recall looking at the title and cracking up. I know some people who would definitely agree with the title out of hand, and I know a few people who, if asked, would totally deny it but feel exactly the same way. Quietly, of course.
Most of you know me enough by now to know how much I love learning new concepts that involve the mind and body. Psychology, communication, brain knowledge, how the body works, and why we are the way we are become popular nonfiction books for me to pick up off the shelf. As I've gotten older, I've enjoyed learning more information about why I am the way I am, and even though no book can 100% give me all the answers about myself that I could wish for, it is nice to find books that give my clues into who I might be and why.
So far, I've been impressed with learning more about The Female Brain by Dr. Louann Brizendine. I have appreciated being wary of the personality types that might lead to dangerous interactions and relationships with Red Flags by Wendy L. Patrick, Ph.D. It did my heart good to know that there's a woman representative in the world ready to take on the psychos, stalkers, pervs, and trolls that attempt to put women in scary situations. Nobody's Victim by Carrie Goldberg was at once disheartening, eye-opening, and gratifying. My knowledge continues to grow and shape itself, and I'm all for anything that helps me know more about myself as a woman. That's why I gravitated toward this book. I wondered if it could help me understand this title as a comment I've heard expressed more than once in the real world.
I picked up the book and perused it, mainly the contents page, and then read the synopsis. Immediately, it reminded me of reading Your Personality Tree by Florence Littauer. This author took a look more pointedly at how Christians wear masks to be the people they are expected to be and cover up who they really are. This interested me, and I decided to read it and gain a better understanding of how she saw the breakdown of personality types -- something the author also speaks about at conferences around the world. My simple review on Goodreads was short and to the point, but I would put it forward as a comparable read to this book in its own way.
The fun part in connecting these two books is the different way they approach their context. Thomas Erikson is a Swedish author and expert in communication. He has spent the last eighteen years working with developing corporations as a leadership trainer, and he uses the same models in his book in the work place. Despite writing several books on communication and human behavior through his scientific eyes, Surrounded By Idiots remains his most popular.
Most of you know me enough by now to know how much I love learning new concepts that involve the mind and body. Psychology, communication, brain knowledge, how the body works, and why we are the way we are become popular nonfiction books for me to pick up off the shelf. As I've gotten older, I've enjoyed learning more information about why I am the way I am, and even though no book can 100% give me all the answers about myself that I could wish for, it is nice to find books that give my clues into who I might be and why.
So far, I've been impressed with learning more about The Female Brain by Dr. Louann Brizendine. I have appreciated being wary of the personality types that might lead to dangerous interactions and relationships with Red Flags by Wendy L. Patrick, Ph.D. It did my heart good to know that there's a woman representative in the world ready to take on the psychos, stalkers, pervs, and trolls that attempt to put women in scary situations. Nobody's Victim by Carrie Goldberg was at once disheartening, eye-opening, and gratifying. My knowledge continues to grow and shape itself, and I'm all for anything that helps me know more about myself as a woman. That's why I gravitated toward this book. I wondered if it could help me understand this title as a comment I've heard expressed more than once in the real world.
I picked up the book and perused it, mainly the contents page, and then read the synopsis. Immediately, it reminded me of reading Your Personality Tree by Florence Littauer. This author took a look more pointedly at how Christians wear masks to be the people they are expected to be and cover up who they really are. This interested me, and I decided to read it and gain a better understanding of how she saw the breakdown of personality types -- something the author also speaks about at conferences around the world. My simple review on Goodreads was short and to the point, but I would put it forward as a comparable read to this book in its own way.
I can see why. The title alone leads one to investigate. Mainly, because this is something you have thought yourself a time or two over the years (no one needs to bring up the 2016 elections again, we get it), or this is something you've heard a relative or friend express over the years with conviction. When I looked it over, I was interested in the fact that the author is using this personality type in terms of colors. Red, yellow, green, or blue, there's a color to express you.
Florence Littauer takes her personality information within the context of a Christian outlook and upbringing. She reverts to the four temperaments as described by Greek physician Aelius Galenus. These temperaments were used to show what impact they had on human behavior. Although thought to be in connection to an Ancient Greek medical theory, these four personality dispositions "haven't been used specifically as part of modern medicine or psychological science" (OSPP Four Temperaments Test). In consequence these temperaments are known as melancholy, choleric, sanguine, and phlegmatic. These four match with the color scheme that Thomas Erikson presents in his book.
Other personality tests in the past revolved around the Aztecs during the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries. This culture defined their personality types by the elements. Fire, wind, water, and earth made up these elemental personality types that were defined within their illustrative categories. Fire people were the equivalent to the Red or choleric community. Air people were more in line with the characteristics of sanguine or Yellow. People who were defined as more typically water were the Blue or melancholy. The Green personality type is the element of earth or phlegmatic. All of the same individual and distinctive traits that make up each person is defined by the color, element, or animal through history.
As the author describes within his work, he started to look at the information provided by father and son duo, Bill and David Bonnstetter. They evolved their methods from William Moulton Marston, who "created a systolic blood pressure test that was used in an attempt to detect fraud" (pg 227). His work developed "valuable insight into behavior and human interactions" (pg 228). The differences that he noted within the personalities became its own model using the letters D, I, S, and C.
This acronym is broken down as "D" standing for "dominance" and how well the person "approaches problems and deals with challenges" (pg 228). The "I" represents "inspiration" and how a person influences others. "S" is for "stability" and is gaged by "how receptive an individual is to change" (pg 229). The last letter, "C," stands for "analytic ability" and "shows how willing someone is to follow rules and regulations" (pg 229). Can you figure out the correlation between these personality types and the others listed out above and throughout the review?
Gary Smalley has also shared his own personality types through the use of animals. The lion is equivalent the Red or choleric personality, being one who takes charge, thrives in leadership positions, and is confident in their abilities. Otter is synonymous with Yellow or sanguine. This personality is enthusiastic, takes risks, and is very verbal. A golden retriever is considered the Green or phlegmatic type. They are sensitive, loyal, and calm. A beaver represents the Blue or melancholy personality with its tendency to accurate, consistent, and controlled. Across the world, across centuries, and across communities, people are seeing consistent characteristics within themselves and others. In fact, Jung also takes the animal types and creates sixteen from the four originated by Smalley.
It also sheds light into the Briggs Meyer Personality Tests which many follow and have taken over the years. The idea that personalities are based on a four-part psychological evaluation as based on C.J. Jung's work can compare to these four types of personality traits that are expressed here. I think there's a lot of overlap that those who enjoy learning about this psychological understanding will appreciate.
The information is valuable, and through my review, I hope to give you an inside look into the book's content and what I've learned from reading it. Feel free to join me!
1: didn't like it
2: it was okay
3. liked it
4. really liked it
5. it was amazing
1. Writing Style: 5/5
3. Overall Content: 5/5
Reading Your Personality Tree was my first step toward getting to know myself better. When I read The Female Brain, Red Flags, and Surrounded By Idiots, I was taking another step toward insight and understanding. The Gifts of Imperfection and Daring Greatly by Brené Brown got the ball rolling further. They were my very next steps in trying to understand myself more, but also, they were a part of my desire to find my courage once again. Interestingly, I found that these personality books have reminded me of how I was as a child. Before school, before the surge of puberty, before the introduction of peers and mentors -- those environmental factors, I look back to who I was as a child, and I start to see what all of these books are trying to teach me.
I have a bit more understanding of myself since reading The Female Brain, and I can see how hormones can affect my actions. It gave me a peek into my emotional states over the years and an appreciation of how much control my insides have over who I am and what I do. It also showed me that the tendencies I might have had from birth are a good indicator of how I might be as I grow. In fact, after reading Surrounded By Idiots, I can see more of who I might have been and why I've changed throughout the years.
Each book has given me a bit more comprehension into how I act, react, and relate to others. It's fascinating to take what I've learned and apply it to my life. That's why I love this book. It's why I really enjoyed all of the other books I just listed in this review as well. I think they all have a hand in creating appreciation and awareness in my life, and I can always be happy as a result.
So, I put this book forward as a recommendation for you, Readers. I think that if you are on a journey of self-discovery, this book can only add to your wisdom and discernment. Again, I don't read these books in order to put myself or anyone else into a box. We're all different, but it is entertaining to learn more about how these unique pieces of the puzzle that is yourself might play out. When we understand who we are, I think that's the most powerful tool we have to get from one phase of our life to the next. We have a greater inner peace, and we can amend, adjust, change, grow, and be without being so hard on ourselves.
That's why I give this book a 5/5. Sure, it isn't necessarily the definitive understanding of personalities (I'm sure readers would agree that there's often more to people than meets the eye), but I think it gives a concise and absorbing knowledge of who we might be, why we might be that way, and how we can understand those who aren't like us. I always think that's the greatest gift, and I'm all for anything that helps me see myself with clearer eyes.
Florence Littauer takes her personality information within the context of a Christian outlook and upbringing. She reverts to the four temperaments as described by Greek physician Aelius Galenus. These temperaments were used to show what impact they had on human behavior. Although thought to be in connection to an Ancient Greek medical theory, these four personality dispositions "haven't been used specifically as part of modern medicine or psychological science" (OSPP Four Temperaments Test). In consequence these temperaments are known as melancholy, choleric, sanguine, and phlegmatic. These four match with the color scheme that Thomas Erikson presents in his book.
Other personality tests in the past revolved around the Aztecs during the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries. This culture defined their personality types by the elements. Fire, wind, water, and earth made up these elemental personality types that were defined within their illustrative categories. Fire people were the equivalent to the Red or choleric community. Air people were more in line with the characteristics of sanguine or Yellow. People who were defined as more typically water were the Blue or melancholy. The Green personality type is the element of earth or phlegmatic. All of the same individual and distinctive traits that make up each person is defined by the color, element, or animal through history.
This acronym is broken down as "D" standing for "dominance" and how well the person "approaches problems and deals with challenges" (pg 228). The "I" represents "inspiration" and how a person influences others. "S" is for "stability" and is gaged by "how receptive an individual is to change" (pg 229). The last letter, "C," stands for "analytic ability" and "shows how willing someone is to follow rules and regulations" (pg 229). Can you figure out the correlation between these personality types and the others listed out above and throughout the review?
Gary Smalley has also shared his own personality types through the use of animals. The lion is equivalent the Red or choleric personality, being one who takes charge, thrives in leadership positions, and is confident in their abilities. Otter is synonymous with Yellow or sanguine. This personality is enthusiastic, takes risks, and is very verbal. A golden retriever is considered the Green or phlegmatic type. They are sensitive, loyal, and calm. A beaver represents the Blue or melancholy personality with its tendency to accurate, consistent, and controlled. Across the world, across centuries, and across communities, people are seeing consistent characteristics within themselves and others. In fact, Jung also takes the animal types and creates sixteen from the four originated by Smalley.
Numeric Breakdown:
1: didn't like it
2: it was okay
3. liked it
4. really liked it
5. it was amazing
1. Writing Style: 5/5
Any expository text has a specific quality as it imparts its knowledge to the general public. It's approached from the unique perspective of someone who has researched and lived their experiment. All of its theories and hypothesis come out in a way that either allows the author to distinguish him/herself in the field they have chosen to investigate, or it leads them to more unanswered questions.
Our author, Thomas Erikson, has lived out his leadership and temperament intelligence in life, and he's seen his theories played out in the boardroom, the back office, and the street where he lives. His knowledge starts with a father and son, Bill and David Bonnstetter, who "developed a revolutionary software system based on the DISC method" (forward). Erikson shares how these Iowa natives success in behavior profiling gave him a stepping stone to learn more about human behavior after he started questioning why some people got along better with each other than others.
The expository is broken up here and there with narrative interludes where the author shares how his work has been influenced by real people. He shares his experiences in the work world where he has helped others understand themselves and those they work with as managers, coworkers, and more. His insight gives greater real-world understanding to the knowledge and presents it as more than a bunch of words. The author's knowledge, hard work, real life experience, and story-telling make help the reader grasp his meaning a bit easier and faster. The writing is transparent and stimulating. Readers will appreciate the straight-forward and engaging writing of this Swedish author, leader, and businessman. Be prepared to understand what he has to share, whether you want to or not.
Our author, Thomas Erikson, has lived out his leadership and temperament intelligence in life, and he's seen his theories played out in the boardroom, the back office, and the street where he lives. His knowledge starts with a father and son, Bill and David Bonnstetter, who "developed a revolutionary software system based on the DISC method" (forward). Erikson shares how these Iowa natives success in behavior profiling gave him a stepping stone to learn more about human behavior after he started questioning why some people got along better with each other than others.
The expository is broken up here and there with narrative interludes where the author shares how his work has been influenced by real people. He shares his experiences in the work world where he has helped others understand themselves and those they work with as managers, coworkers, and more. His insight gives greater real-world understanding to the knowledge and presents it as more than a bunch of words. The author's knowledge, hard work, real life experience, and story-telling make help the reader grasp his meaning a bit easier and faster. The writing is transparent and stimulating. Readers will appreciate the straight-forward and engaging writing of this Swedish author, leader, and businessman. Be prepared to understand what he has to share, whether you want to or not.
2. Text Organization: 5/5
The author takes us from the beginning of his journey, which includes a father and son team who created their own business from this personality analysis, to his own work in his own business. Beyond the introduction, he breaks down each of the behavior modules through his color spectrum. Taking us through what is a Red, Yellow, Green, and Blue and how are their behaviors matched up to how people actually seem them in the real world.
What are some of their most prominent character traits? How to people see those traits within others and within themselves? What are the strengths and weaknesses of these personality types? How do you work with and understand these temperaments? How does body-language play a part in these personalities? How do you adapt when not everyone is like you? How do you deliver bad news to these personalities? How do you get along with each personality and why does it work? How do we get mad? How do we handle stress? Why is this important?
He takes you through each of the personalities and how to work and relate to them each. It's important to read to the end and find out how you can minimize conflict to yourself and others when you have an idea how they will act and react to certain situations. The flow of the book is easy to read and helps breakdown each section in correlation with real-world experiences. The organization helps you get through the book with dexterity and creates an alertness into those around you.
The author takes us from the beginning of his journey, which includes a father and son team who created their own business from this personality analysis, to his own work in his own business. Beyond the introduction, he breaks down each of the behavior modules through his color spectrum. Taking us through what is a Red, Yellow, Green, and Blue and how are their behaviors matched up to how people actually seem them in the real world.
What are some of their most prominent character traits? How to people see those traits within others and within themselves? What are the strengths and weaknesses of these personality types? How do you work with and understand these temperaments? How does body-language play a part in these personalities? How do you adapt when not everyone is like you? How do you deliver bad news to these personalities? How do you get along with each personality and why does it work? How do we get mad? How do we handle stress? Why is this important?
He takes you through each of the personalities and how to work and relate to them each. It's important to read to the end and find out how you can minimize conflict to yourself and others when you have an idea how they will act and react to certain situations. The flow of the book is easy to read and helps breakdown each section in correlation with real-world experiences. The organization helps you get through the book with dexterity and creates an alertness into those around you.
3. Overall Content: 5/5
Erikson brings his research, background, and acumen to the table in Surrounded By Idiots with the ease and understanding of someone who has lived it for the last twenty years or so. He starts with telling us how Bill and David Bonnstetter took on this information themselves and developed it into a program that Bill first found in Emotions of Normal People by William Moulton Marston. He utilized this concept to help him in his own work, and when David was in college. His father felt that his ability to analyze human behavior and his son's ability to develop software could be a good combination, and that led this family duo to create TTI Success Insights in 1984. Their creation of the "frameworks" has helped people across the country gain insight into their personality tendencies as well as those of family, friends, and coworkers. This knowledge helped spur on a young man in Sweden to learn more about how people communicate and how we listen.
From the introduction to Bill and David, the author leads us to his own life. How in high school he noticed that not everyone gets along, how some people gravitate toward each other while others repel, and how some have great conversations, while others seem stuck. Growing up, he started to find himself thinking that something must be wrong with those who didn't seem to understand him or wish to be friends with him. An easy pit to fall into when you want to be liked by others and build relationships, but he soon saw there was more to it than his own perspective.
At twenty-five, he had the chance to interview a man who owned his own company. The interview with this sixty-something year old man didn't go quite as he expected. The gentleman, in all seriousness, declared that he didn't know how he'd managed to stay in business for so long when he was "surrounded by idiots" (pg xii). Erickson thought the man was joking. He wasn't. This was an eye-opening experience for the author because he couldn't seem to understand why the owner felt himself to be surrounded by idiots who he had hired to work for him. As the man continued to complain, Erickson found that not only was the man not joking about his feelings, but the owner didn't mind making sure his employees knew how he felt about them.
During this conversation and the total degradation the owner put his employees under, the author found himself asking one very important question, "Who hired all these idiots?" (pg xiii). That didn't go over well at all, and Erickson was "thrown out." However, he learned a very valuable lesson that opened his eyes to how others interact with themselves. As an outsider, he could see that the owner was repeatedly comparing each employee to himself, and under that example, they were certainly coming up short. Because of this one experience, Erikson realizes that the book and his life path may have never come into being. It led him to study people. He wanted to understand how you could work with and understand those who "initially seem so difficult" (pg xiv).
Then, came the next question as he studied human behavior, "What can you do to increase your knowledge about how people relate and communicate?" (pg xv). That question led him to a twenty-year study and application of human behavior, and now, it's led to this book. He takes us on his journey and reveals what's happening within these color-coded personality types.
Basically, to start, a listener's communication is "filtered through his frame of reference, biases, and preconceived ideas" (pg 1). So, your discussion of the latest trends, relationship problems, and the new restaurant down the street is all filtered through his/her understanding. That understanding is the revelation of the message they are getting, whether that's the whole message you wish to convey or not. However, it's "very rare that the entire message gets through exactly as you conceived it in your mind" (pg 1).
Yikes! We're talking and no matter what we intend to say and get across, we still have no control over what the listener actually gets out of our conversation. I don't know if that's more depressing or frustrating. I guess it does jive a bit with Dr. Brizendine's information about The Female Brian. In a sense, hormones might be affecting our personalities and how we listen and hear the messages being presented to us. Intriguing.
Erikson argues that when you change your communication and treat the recipient how they need to be treated, then you will be more effective. They will hear more about what you're saying and respond accordingly. Now, the author does give a disclaimer. He tells the reader that this book "doesn't claim to be totally comprehensive with respect to how we, as people, communicate with each other" (pg 2). Of course, there's always going to be exceptions to the rule; however, the author feels confident that if you get to know the different types of personalities and how they typically interact, you might be a bit ahead of the communication war.
His breakdown of the color system shows that those who are typically "analytical" are known as the Blues. They are the ones who are slow to react, give the maximum effort, have minimal interest in relationships, and are cautious (pg 13). Those who are most often seen as "dominant" are known as the Reds. This color are quick to react, give maximum effort to control what's happening around them, have minimal interest for caution in relationships, and prefer direct action (pg 13). The Greens are known as the "stable" group. More people are green than any other color. They have calm reactions, are people oriented, not fans of change, and tend to steer clear of conflict (pg 13). The Yellows are more "inspiring" than the other groups because of their spontaneous actions, desire to create friendships every where they go, maximum effort to involve others in the game, minimum desire for routine, and rapid reaction (pg 13).
In a nutshell, those are the immediate tendencies of each color. Red might be seen as the choleric temperament that author Florence Littauer describes in her own book. Whereas the Yellow might be equal to that of the sanguine temperament, Green the more phlegmatic, and Blue the more melancholy. Each personality has its positives and negatives like anything else in life.
The Reds tend to be more leader-oriented. They like to be in charge, get things finished, waste no time in making a decision, and are driven. The Yellows are friendly and fun, They're charming, ready to party, optimistic, and communicative. The Greens tend to be reliable and good listeners. They are friendly but typically prefer more time one-on-one or in small groups. They aren't the type to turn down helping someone or get wrapped up in conflict. The Blues are cautious. They want to know everything before they do it. They're detail-oriented, thorough, methodical, and hate to be wrong.
Do any of these sound like you? Or do a few of them sound like you? I had that same feeling. I tested myself to see what I tended to be the most like, and it was interesting. One way I tested myself brought out three colors, but the other way I tested myself brought out all four colors in one way or another.
The author mentions that the way he does his system no one is ever all four colors. Around 85% are two colors, 5% are primarily one color, and the rest are three. So, how did I see myself in all colors? Well, I feel there's some overlap. However, if you recall from the previous paragraph, I also said that when I tested myself the first way, I was only three primary color types. So, which way is the right way?
That's a good question, and one I can't answer. Littauer shares in her book that although one or two colors might be primary, you can have a little of all four colors in you. Some are more prominent than others, of course. I tend to agree with this. In certain stages of my life, I can see a specific color being more primary than the others. When I was a teacher, I could see my Red and Blue come out more than any other time in my life. However, when I worked in the bookstore, I could see more of my Green. In my current librarian position, I see more of my Yellow with underlinings of Blue still there.
When we're with certain friends, family, situations, I think certain colors are more likely to turn up. Unless our personality is more primarily driven by one of the colors, where that's our world no matter where or who we're with, then we might act and react predictably in line with whatever our temperament falls into. Now, I don't know if this is exact in my understanding, but from what I gained from this book, I can see if we're a mixture of colors, our actions and reactions will still align with whatever might be our more prominent personality type.
So, understanding your own personality and how you relate to others as well as how they can relate to you will improve your communication styles. You'll be able to give and take information in a way that's compatible with those around you, and it will help you gain insight into why someone is reacting the way they are.
From the introduction to Bill and David, the author leads us to his own life. How in high school he noticed that not everyone gets along, how some people gravitate toward each other while others repel, and how some have great conversations, while others seem stuck. Growing up, he started to find himself thinking that something must be wrong with those who didn't seem to understand him or wish to be friends with him. An easy pit to fall into when you want to be liked by others and build relationships, but he soon saw there was more to it than his own perspective.
At twenty-five, he had the chance to interview a man who owned his own company. The interview with this sixty-something year old man didn't go quite as he expected. The gentleman, in all seriousness, declared that he didn't know how he'd managed to stay in business for so long when he was "surrounded by idiots" (pg xii). Erickson thought the man was joking. He wasn't. This was an eye-opening experience for the author because he couldn't seem to understand why the owner felt himself to be surrounded by idiots who he had hired to work for him. As the man continued to complain, Erickson found that not only was the man not joking about his feelings, but the owner didn't mind making sure his employees knew how he felt about them.
During this conversation and the total degradation the owner put his employees under, the author found himself asking one very important question, "Who hired all these idiots?" (pg xiii). That didn't go over well at all, and Erickson was "thrown out." However, he learned a very valuable lesson that opened his eyes to how others interact with themselves. As an outsider, he could see that the owner was repeatedly comparing each employee to himself, and under that example, they were certainly coming up short. Because of this one experience, Erikson realizes that the book and his life path may have never come into being. It led him to study people. He wanted to understand how you could work with and understand those who "initially seem so difficult" (pg xiv).
Then, came the next question as he studied human behavior, "What can you do to increase your knowledge about how people relate and communicate?" (pg xv). That question led him to a twenty-year study and application of human behavior, and now, it's led to this book. He takes us on his journey and reveals what's happening within these color-coded personality types.
Basically, to start, a listener's communication is "filtered through his frame of reference, biases, and preconceived ideas" (pg 1). So, your discussion of the latest trends, relationship problems, and the new restaurant down the street is all filtered through his/her understanding. That understanding is the revelation of the message they are getting, whether that's the whole message you wish to convey or not. However, it's "very rare that the entire message gets through exactly as you conceived it in your mind" (pg 1).
Yikes! We're talking and no matter what we intend to say and get across, we still have no control over what the listener actually gets out of our conversation. I don't know if that's more depressing or frustrating. I guess it does jive a bit with Dr. Brizendine's information about The Female Brian. In a sense, hormones might be affecting our personalities and how we listen and hear the messages being presented to us. Intriguing.
Erikson argues that when you change your communication and treat the recipient how they need to be treated, then you will be more effective. They will hear more about what you're saying and respond accordingly. Now, the author does give a disclaimer. He tells the reader that this book "doesn't claim to be totally comprehensive with respect to how we, as people, communicate with each other" (pg 2). Of course, there's always going to be exceptions to the rule; however, the author feels confident that if you get to know the different types of personalities and how they typically interact, you might be a bit ahead of the communication war.
His breakdown of the color system shows that those who are typically "analytical" are known as the Blues. They are the ones who are slow to react, give the maximum effort, have minimal interest in relationships, and are cautious (pg 13). Those who are most often seen as "dominant" are known as the Reds. This color are quick to react, give maximum effort to control what's happening around them, have minimal interest for caution in relationships, and prefer direct action (pg 13). The Greens are known as the "stable" group. More people are green than any other color. They have calm reactions, are people oriented, not fans of change, and tend to steer clear of conflict (pg 13). The Yellows are more "inspiring" than the other groups because of their spontaneous actions, desire to create friendships every where they go, maximum effort to involve others in the game, minimum desire for routine, and rapid reaction (pg 13).
In a nutshell, those are the immediate tendencies of each color. Red might be seen as the choleric temperament that author Florence Littauer describes in her own book. Whereas the Yellow might be equal to that of the sanguine temperament, Green the more phlegmatic, and Blue the more melancholy. Each personality has its positives and negatives like anything else in life.
The Reds tend to be more leader-oriented. They like to be in charge, get things finished, waste no time in making a decision, and are driven. The Yellows are friendly and fun, They're charming, ready to party, optimistic, and communicative. The Greens tend to be reliable and good listeners. They are friendly but typically prefer more time one-on-one or in small groups. They aren't the type to turn down helping someone or get wrapped up in conflict. The Blues are cautious. They want to know everything before they do it. They're detail-oriented, thorough, methodical, and hate to be wrong.
Do any of these sound like you? Or do a few of them sound like you? I had that same feeling. I tested myself to see what I tended to be the most like, and it was interesting. One way I tested myself brought out three colors, but the other way I tested myself brought out all four colors in one way or another.
The author mentions that the way he does his system no one is ever all four colors. Around 85% are two colors, 5% are primarily one color, and the rest are three. So, how did I see myself in all colors? Well, I feel there's some overlap. However, if you recall from the previous paragraph, I also said that when I tested myself the first way, I was only three primary color types. So, which way is the right way?
That's a good question, and one I can't answer. Littauer shares in her book that although one or two colors might be primary, you can have a little of all four colors in you. Some are more prominent than others, of course. I tend to agree with this. In certain stages of my life, I can see a specific color being more primary than the others. When I was a teacher, I could see my Red and Blue come out more than any other time in my life. However, when I worked in the bookstore, I could see more of my Green. In my current librarian position, I see more of my Yellow with underlinings of Blue still there.
When we're with certain friends, family, situations, I think certain colors are more likely to turn up. Unless our personality is more primarily driven by one of the colors, where that's our world no matter where or who we're with, then we might act and react predictably in line with whatever our temperament falls into. Now, I don't know if this is exact in my understanding, but from what I gained from this book, I can see if we're a mixture of colors, our actions and reactions will still align with whatever might be our more prominent personality type.
So, understanding your own personality and how you relate to others as well as how they can relate to you will improve your communication styles. You'll be able to give and take information in a way that's compatible with those around you, and it will help you gain insight into why someone is reacting the way they are.
4. Evaluation/Analysis of What I've Learned: 5/5
Always I mention how it's important to know yourself. You might not always understand why you do what you do, but I think, if you have the power to understand something about the way you act and react, you need to take it. Knowing yourself is one step toward being more forgiving of yourself, more attuned with how you learn and grow, and a bit more understanding. It doesn't mean that you say, this is the way I am, and leave it at that. Instead, you learn so that you can change, improve, and grow. Reading Your Personality Tree was my first step toward getting to know myself better. When I read The Female Brain, Red Flags, and Surrounded By Idiots, I was taking another step toward insight and understanding. The Gifts of Imperfection and Daring Greatly by Brené Brown got the ball rolling further. They were my very next steps in trying to understand myself more, but also, they were a part of my desire to find my courage once again. Interestingly, I found that these personality books have reminded me of how I was as a child. Before school, before the surge of puberty, before the introduction of peers and mentors -- those environmental factors, I look back to who I was as a child, and I start to see what all of these books are trying to teach me.
I have a bit more understanding of myself since reading The Female Brain, and I can see how hormones can affect my actions. It gave me a peek into my emotional states over the years and an appreciation of how much control my insides have over who I am and what I do. It also showed me that the tendencies I might have had from birth are a good indicator of how I might be as I grow. In fact, after reading Surrounded By Idiots, I can see more of who I might have been and why I've changed throughout the years.
Each book has given me a bit more comprehension into how I act, react, and relate to others. It's fascinating to take what I've learned and apply it to my life. That's why I love this book. It's why I really enjoyed all of the other books I just listed in this review as well. I think they all have a hand in creating appreciation and awareness in my life, and I can always be happy as a result.
So, I put this book forward as a recommendation for you, Readers. I think that if you are on a journey of self-discovery, this book can only add to your wisdom and discernment. Again, I don't read these books in order to put myself or anyone else into a box. We're all different, but it is entertaining to learn more about how these unique pieces of the puzzle that is yourself might play out. When we understand who we are, I think that's the most powerful tool we have to get from one phase of our life to the next. We have a greater inner peace, and we can amend, adjust, change, grow, and be without being so hard on ourselves.
That's why I give this book a 5/5. Sure, it isn't necessarily the definitive understanding of personalities (I'm sure readers would agree that there's often more to people than meets the eye), but I think it gives a concise and absorbing knowledge of who we might be, why we might be that way, and how we can understand those who aren't like us. I always think that's the greatest gift, and I'm all for anything that helps me see myself with clearer eyes.
Here are some links to tests/quizzes for finding your personality type (Have fun!):
Thanks for joining me, and as always, Happy Reading!!
~Rebecca Reddell
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