How To Talk To Anyone (Once You Know Their Colour)

How do you communicate with anyone, even difficult people, once you understand how they think? In this episode, bestselling author Thomas Erikson (Surrounded by Idiots) breaks down how the DISC colour system explains behaviour, communication styles, leadership mistakes, and why so many conversations fail. We explore why most leaders struggle after promotion, why people think DISC is a personality test (it is not), how self-awareness impacts leadership and sales, and how adapting your communication style can completely change your results at work and in life. This conversation covers: How the DISC colour system really works Why DISC measures behaviour not personality How to talk to different personality colours (red, yellow, green, blue) Why experts often fail when they become leaders The role of self-awareness in leadership and sales How to give feedback people can actually hear Why being yourself at work can backfire How to adapt without pretending to be someone you are not Whether you are a leader, manager, salesperson, founder, or entrepreneur, this episode will change how you communicate and how you are perceived. Thomas Erikson is the author of Surrounded by Idiots, one of the most translated non-fiction books in the world. Get it here: https://amzn.eu/d/eiCd3or Learn more about Thomas Erikson: https://surroundedbyidiots.com Chapters 00:00 Surrounded by Idiots? You Might Be the Problem 03:34 The Self-Awareness Gap: 95% Think They're Above Average 07:36 The Aha Moment vs The Oh No Moment 16:27 Behaviour vs Personality: What You Can Actually See 17:14 The Natural You vs The Masks You Wear 20:28 You Can't Be Anything: The Beautiful Lie Parents Tell 22:36 Living a Lie: The Real Cost of Pretending Too Long 27:58 When Your Brain Is Set: The Frontal Lobe and Fixed Personality 32:11 Red, Yellow, Green, Blue: Reading People in Sales 36:47 Selling to the Four Colors: Stop Giving Them What You Want 38:15 The Unwilling Salesman: Playing Hard to Get 42:17 Go Green and Listen: The Phone Call Strategy 47:28 Tell It As It Is: The Feedback Lie Everyone Tells 50:58 Getting the Most From Your Team: Three Non-Negotiables 54:22 Who Hired All the Idiots? Taking Responsibility as a Leader 56:32 Your Main Job: Those Eleven People, Not the CEO