Sharjah: Globally acclaimed author and public speaker Thomas Erikson gave his fans an intriguing
understanding of human behaviour and what sets one apart from the other during an engaging
Q&A session at the 42nd Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF).
In a freewheeling chat with radio host Big Haas, the Swede behind bestsellers Surrounded by
Idiots and Surrounded by Psychopaths, expanded on his famous four key personality types –
categorised into colours red, blue, green and yellow.
Explaining how reds stand for those ambitious, boisterous, and commanding while blues are
quiet, analytical, and precise and yellows social, creative, and optimistic with the greens calm,
reliable, and considerate, he drew the audience into a journey of self-discovery.
“Work harder on yourself than you do with anything else. If you find yourself in a constant
struggle with other people, start with yourself. I flew into the UAE last night but I had to tell my
travel agency where I would be flying from. You need those two dots on the map to complete
the communication – be it an air travel, or connecting with someone,” said Erikson.
When asked whether he still makes mistakes, he said: “I'm not going to put myself on some high
horse and say I never mess up anymore. I do it fewer times per year than usual, but we all mess
up from time to time. No one is perfect,” said the 58-year-old who has travelled the world
coaching and lecturing some of the world’s top executives. “We are all the idiots in someone's
story, right? And sometimes it is me. And I need to be realistic about this.”
Calling social media “an excellent tool to use in certain contexts”, he warned the audience to not
be overwhelmed by it. His session concluded on an inspiring note, with an emphasis on the
potential for personal growth and transformation through understanding and working with one's
own personality type.
