Last year, I took on many projects at the company. As I began working with different people, I noticed that some are a joy to work with, especially a process expert at my company. I love working with her—she is structured and reliable. If she agrees to do something, I don’t need to follow up; she always delivers before the deadline. However, with others, they agree to a task and then seem to disappear, providing no updates and completing nothing 😂.
I understand that people are different, and I value this dynamic. But I can’t help but wonder if there’s a way to classify these characteristics into certain groups. That’s when I was suggested the book “Surrounded by Idiots.”
In summary, the book introduces four colors: blue, red, yellow, and green. Each color represents a set of qualities as you can see in the picture. Let me share some insights from the book.
One story from the book resonated with me deeply. In a meeting, when someone presents ideas and asks for volunteers, if no one raises their hand, a “green” person will step up. Not because they’re particularly passionate about the task, but because they don’t want the person who asked for help to feel bad. I would do the same 😊. Now you know my first color—I’m green.
Colleagues often say I’m more German than a German when it comes to “following rules.” For example, even if there are no vehicles on the road, I still press the pedestrian button at traffic lights and patiently wait for the signal to turn green before crossing. They often joke and say I’m the only person in the world who does that. But after reading the book, I’ve realized I’m not alone—the author’s dad did the same.
When it comes to assembling furniture, no matter how easy the assembly is, I always read the manual carefully, sometimes multiple times, to get an overview before starting. Similarly, at work, I tend to ask lots of questions and gather all possible details before implementing something. Ultimately, I aim to provide quality work that meets the customer’s needs.
So, now you may know my second color—I am very blue.
