The Parcheesi of personality: What is your color according to your way of being?

2023-09-14 08:47:11

We don’t always get along with the same people. With some colleagues it is easier to work than with others, with some friends we feel more comfortable talking than with others… behind this is personality and Thomas Erikson explains it associating each type of person with a color.

Specialist in interpretation of behavioral patterns and personality analysisbody language expert and coach, that’s right Thomas Erikson the author of the book ‘Surrounded by Idiots’ (Ed. Planeta).

The title of the book ‘Surrounded by idiots‘ is born from a author’s own experience. He met a senior manager who said he was surrounded by idiots when referring to his own workers. Thomas Erikson understood it quickly, that man called an idiot anyone who didn’t think or act like him.

The feeling of being surrounded by people with whom it is impossible to communicate and understand each other horrified the expert who devised a model that is based on colors red, green, blue and yellow for explain your own classification of four different personality types.

The specialist who has been giving talks for companies for more than twenty years and who has achieved international success with his book, He answers and explains these questions in an interview with EFEsalud.

Red, green, blue or yellow, what color are you?

Thomas Erikson divide en four colors what he considers the four personality types. However, the specialist highlights that these are not watertight compartments but rather The most common thing is that each personality is composed of the traits of two or three colors.

”We can all be any color, but naturally two colors are the most predominant, in approximately 80% of the population,” he adds.

In fact, according to the expert, Only 5% of people are purely and exclusively of one personality typethat is, 100% red or 100% green, for example.

1. Red behavior

Those who have a red personality, according to Thomas Erikson’s classification, are those Dynamic and highly motivated people. To others they seem very extroverted and focus a lot on their work and pending tasks. They are quick in making decisions and are very good at directing.

The others describe them as the leaders par excellence. They are very sincere people and usually say everything they think. Thomas Erikson mentions as an example in his book the character of people like Steve Jobs, Barack Obama of Teresa de Calcuta.

2. Yellow behavior

They tend to be people who they live, interact and work in the clouds. They are extremely positive and always see the light at the end of the tunnel. They are always happy and in a good mood and are the most popular.

They are persons funny, open, stimulating, enthusiastic and flexible. Unlike greens or blues, yellows easily adapt to changes

They get along with everyone and are surrounded by friends and acquaintances. They need affection and social relationships to feel good. famous as Oprah Winfrey o Robin Williams They have, according to Thomas Erikson, properly yellow features.

3. Green behavior

Thomas Erikson claims that it is the type of most common personality. They are more passive than other people, they do not like the limelight and they do not usually work with as much motivation as the red ones or be as ingenious as the yellow ones. They avoid bothering others and always take care not to offend them.

They are persons kind, calm, stable, patient, discreet and above all reliable, but sometimes too indecisive and submissive, which leads them to become people potentially manipulated by other types of personalities.

Michelle Obama, Jimmy Carter o Gandhi They are examples of celebrities with green features.

4. Blue behavior

On the other hand, the author frames within the color blue all those people who are notor they like to be noticed. They are detail oriented and quite analytical and reserved. They know everything, but they don’t like to show it too much.

They tend to be very people correct, disciplined, precise, rigorous and very methodical.

Bill Gates o Albert Einstein are examples of people with these personality traits.

Cover of Thomas Erikson’s book with the four types of personalities (Ed. Planeta)

Is personality inherited, learned or created?

“Half of the personality comes from the parents, but then of course we have the perspective of how we are educated, what the environment that surrounds us is, how our parents talk to us, how they treat us,” says the writer.

According to him, school and the relationship of some children with others also affects and determines their personality.

There is a stage in which parental influence stops having an effect and that is adolescence. In this phase of life, many factors such as our personal tastes and different social circumstances influence the formation of personality.

“The first job and even how you are treated there and what you learn are important,” Erikson says.

Personality and color: best and worst combinations

The author highlights that if we are on the extroverted side, that is, reds and yellowsboth personality types can get along very well and work very well together.

“They support each other because they share emotion and energy”

On the other hand we have, according to the professional’s classification, the most introverted, which would be the blues and greens who are also recognized very well.

“When we cross the colors is when the extrovert-introvert confrontation begins, that is the challenge,” explains Thomas Erikson.

The expert considers that what usually happens is that there is a greater probability of being, on the one hand, red and yellow at the same time and, on the other hand, green and blue at the same time.

However, this is not always the case: “For example, there are people who are a combination of blue and yellow personality. I have also met people who are red and green, which is very rare, these people are very stressed because they support two very opposite poles.”

“What you have to be clear about is that there are no good or bad personalities, they are simply different,” he concludes.

Thomas Erikson after his interview with EFE Salud. Image provided by Carlos Ruiz BK

Stress does not affect equally

Pressure, demands, rush or excessive work can create stressful situations which inevitably have an impact on physical (eating problems or difficulty sleeping, among others) and mental health.

However, for Thomas Erikson: “Not all of us are stressed in the same way or react the same to stress.”

For example, according to Erikson’s work, people with red personality are very demanding with others and with themselves and therefore, they tend to become stressed by not obtaining results in their work, by ceasing to be competitive, by making mistakes or even by wasting time.

When they feel pressured or stressed, these people often blame others. To calm them down, if you have authority over them, it is best to ask them to control themselves.

Las People with yellow personalities tend to get stressed by jobs that are too structured. They constantly escape from routine because it bores and stresses them.

When stressed, yellow people They try to get even more attentionThey talk too much and always put themselves in the center. To help them manage stress, the author recommends letting them express their creativity, optimism and motivation.

On the other hand, people with characteristics of Green personalities tend to get very stressed with rapid changes, with situations in which they feel insecure or with criticism, which according to the specialist, they usually take negatively.

When they are very stressed they withdraw and become very cold. To help them we simply have to invite them to rest, sleep or do another activity that relaxes them.

Las People with blue personality characteristics tend to take criticism as something very personal. and that It causes them a lot of stress, especially in the workplace. They do not recognize their mistakes and they become pessimistic and see everything dark. To help them, we can give them privacy and offer more proactive help.

Thomas Erikson with his book after the interview with EFE Salud. Image provided by Carlos Ruiz BK

Tips for working with people of different personalities

First of all, if you encounter a red, the expert recommends leaving aside the nonsense, getting to the point and being direct. This type of person has no time for small talk. With The yellow ones, The best thing is to always look for a smile, approach them and propose things from a positive perspective and with joy and enthusiasm. They lead to much more chatter and conversation. With the Greens, who are also chat-oriented, you have to be calmer, ask them about things personally, pay attention in a calm way. To deal with the green ones, the key is, according to the specialist, go slow.

When working with the Blues we have to keep in mind that They don’t like such personal relationships.so we must avoid questions about family, friends… To do this, we must ask precise questions without showing emotions, they are not interested and it is not their thing.

“I consider that it is essential that a manager knows his employees well and the way each of them works, just as it is very important that the workers themselves know how to communicate with each other to strengthen relationships between colleagues of different personality types. “, concludes Thomas Erikson.

The entry The Parcheesi of personality: What is your color according to your way of being? It was first published in EFE Salud.