Applying Surrounded by Idiots in the Service Industry

In the dynamic and unpredictable realm of the service industry, where first impressions reign supreme and emotional intelligence is invaluable, understanding people is crucial. Whether managing a front-of-house team at a luxury hotel or running a customer support centre, the ability to connect with clients and colleagues on their wavelength can be the difference between chaos and excellence.

Enter Surrounded by Idiots by Thomas Erikson, a ground-breaking behavioural science book that’s gained international popularity for its simple, colour-coded personality model. Initially designed to decode office dynamics, this book has surprising, yet powerful, applications in hospitality, facilities, and customer service settings.

Let’s explore how this framework can revolutionise service delivery.

The Four Colours: A Quick Refresher

Erikson uses a behavioural model based on four colour-coded personality types:

• 🔴 Red (Dominant) – Bold, competitive, and results-driven.

• 🟡 Yellow (Inspiring) – Enthusiastic, creative, and social.

• 🟢 Green (Stable) – Calm, loyal, and resistant to change.

• 🔵 Blue (Analytical) – Precise, cautious, and detail-focused.

  
  

The brilliance of this model lies in its simplicity and its immediate usefulness in decoding the motives behind different behaviours.

Key Learnings for the Service Industry

1. Why communication breaks down with guests and staff

Ever had a guest explode over a minor mistake? Or an employee drag their heels implementing a new policy? It’s probably not incompetence, it’s incompatibility. What a Red sees as “efficient,” a Green sees as “aggressive.” What a Yellow considers “fun,” a Blue sees as “chaotic.”

Advice: train teams to spot the colours in real time. Recognise when a demanding guest is a Red (they need quick answers), or when a shy new hire is a Green (they need reassurance). Tailoring your communication builds trust fast.

2. Recruiting and building a balanced team

Too many Reds? You’ll get results, but probably lose a few people along the way. Too many Greens? The team might lack urgency. Diversity of behaviour styles creates harmony, innovation, and resilience.

Advice: use the DISC colour model as a reference tool in hiring, team formation, and conflict resolution. A balance between high-energy Yellows and process-loving Blues often leads to ideal customer experiences.

3. Training and motivating differently-coloured staff

A one-size-fits-all training session is destined to fail. Yellows want stories and interaction; Blues want bullet points and precision. Reds want to skip to the finish line, and Greens want to know how it affects their routine.

Advice: design modular training programs that appeal to each style. Better yet, let employees choose how they learn. Engagement increases when people feel understood.

4. Managing complaints with colour intelligence

When complaints arise, whether from guests or colleagues, the colours come alive. Reds are furious. Blues are disappointed by lack of standards. Greens are distressed by conflict. Yellows just want to be heard.

Advice: train frontline staff to mirror the guest’s behavioural style. A Red guest needs swift ownership and solutions. A Blue guest appreciates detailed explanations and standards. Speak their language to diffuse tension.

5. Creating a culture of understanding

One of the service industry’s biggest challenges is managing emotional labour, putting on a smile no matter what. But faking it can be draining. When teams understand each other’s wiring, they don’t just tolerate differences, they appreciate them.

Advice: build team rituals where personality differences are openly discussed and laughed about (e.g., “Green Appreciation Day” or colour-based challenges). This creates a culture of empathy and psychological safety.

Beyond behaviour: a philosophy of respect

Thomas Erikson’s core message isn’t that you’re actually surrounded by idiots. It’s that people are different, not difficult. In a high-stress, high-contact industry like ours, this insight can prevent burnout, improve retention, and elevate the entire customer journey.

The best service professionals are not just skilled, they’re socially literate. And in that arena, Surrounded by Idiots is more than a personality test. It’s a new language of empathy.

The service leader's toolkit

Imagine you walk into a high-end restaurant and are greeted by someone who instantly understands you. The menu is explained with the right amount of detail (Blue), enthusiasm (Yellow), and clarity (Red) and your personal preferences are remembered with care (Green). That’s not just good service. That’s psychological precision.

By applying the colour model to your team, your policies, and your guest experience, you don’t just make people feel welcome, you make them feel seen and heard and cared for. And that is the highest form of service.

Discover the power of behavioural insight in service

If this article resonated with you, imagine what your team could achieve with a deeper, tailored understanding of human behaviour in action.

At Revealing Insights, we don’t just teach theory, we transform teams. Our bespoke consulting and advisory services help hospitality and service leaders unlock their people’s full potential through coaching, workshops, performance auditing, recruitment support, and behavioural diagnostics grounded in real-world experience.

Whether you're building a high-performing front-of-house team, refining guest journeys, or resolving people challenges behind the scenes, we’re here to guide you—confidently, wisely, and insightfully.

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