Surrounded by Idiots—or Not?
Erikson compares behavior patterns to tools: a way of acting can suit one situation and be poorly suited to another. He argues that recognizing differences can help when categories are used carefully.
THE IDEA
Surrounded by Idiots—or Not?
Behavior patterns are like a toolbox. All types are needed. Depending on the occasion, a tool can sometimes be right and sometimes be wrong. A thirty-pound sledgehammer is great for tearing down walls, but it’s hardly the thing if you want to hang a picture in the foyer.
Some people are opposed to the idea of sorting people into different behavior types. Maybe you believe that you shouldn’t categorize people in that way, that it’s wrong to pigeonhole people. However, everyone does it, perhaps in another way than I do in this book, but we all register our differences nonetheless. The fact remains that we are different, and in my opinion, pointing that out can be something positive if you do it in the right way. Improperly used, every tool can be harmful. It’s more about the person using it than the tool itself.
Erikson credits TTI Success Insights, including Sune Gellberg and Edouard Levit, for sharing experience and training materials.
When to use it
In a team meeting, adapting your communication style based on whether a colleague prefers detailed instructions or broad goals.
In customer service, recognizing when a client needs quick, decisive answers versus when they want empathy and active listening.
In education, choosing explanations, demonstrations, and practice activities that suit the material, then checking what students understand.
In negotiation, understanding the other party's motivations and adjusting your approach to build rapport and achieve a win-win outcome.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Sledgehammer vs. Picture Hanging
A thirty-pound sledgehammer is great for tearing down walls, but it’s hardly the thing if you want to hang a picture in the foyer. Similarly, a person with a dominant, decisive behavior type may excel in a crisis but struggle in a situation requiring patience and diplomacy.
Team Composition
A team allocates analysis work to someone with demonstrated skill in checking data and planning work to someone experienced in exploring broader options. The toolbox analogy encourages matching skills to the task, while remaining open to what people can learn.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
How do you currently categorize people in your daily life? In what ways might that be helpful or harmful?
Think of a time when a behavior type that usually doesn't fit a situation turned out to be exactly what was needed. What did you learn?
What are the potential benefits and drawbacks of using personality assessments like DISC or Myers-Briggs in a professional setting?
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Surrounded By Idiots (Thomas Erikson)