Public Speaking for Business: How Surrounded by Idiots Transforms Group Training and Communication in Scotland

How to Use Eriksen's Surrounded by Idiots Model - Communicate with Anyone/Everyone

In business, public speaking is not just about delivering information. It is about ensuring the right message lands with the right people. Anyone who has delivered group training for public speaking or invested in public speaking training in Scotland knows the real challenge is not confidence. It is communication friction. People do not think the same way, listen the same way, or respond to the same cues.

Thomas Eriksen’s model, commonly known through his book Surrounded by Idiots, gives a simple colour based system that explains these differences clearly. While no personality framework is perfect, this one is practical, memorable, and immediately usable when speaking to diverse groups in business. By understanding the four colours, you can adapt your communication so that every person in your audience feels you are speaking directly to them.

This is what effective public speaking for business looks like. You respect how people prefer information and you adjust accordingly.

Below is a breakdown of the four types, followed by practical guidance for applying the model in presentations, pitches, and group training environments.

The Four Colour Types Explained

Red: Direct, Fast, Competitive, Decisive

Reds are the drivers in the business world. They want clarity, action, and results. They have no patience for long introductions or unnecessary detail. When speaking to a Red, you must be concise, assertive, and focused on what matters most.

Signs you are speaking to a Red:

• They move the conversation forward quickly.

• They ask what the outcome is.

• They interrupt slow explanations.

• They are goal and performance oriented.

What Reds value:

• Speed.

• Clear direction.

• Firm decisions.

• Confidence and competence.

How to speak to Reds in business:

• Lead with your point.

• State the benefit immediately.

• Provide options rather than open questions.

• Keep your tone strong and assured.

This does not mean being rude or aggressive. It means being efficient and unambiguous. If you wander, you lose them.

Yellow: Optimistic, Energetic, Social, Future-focused

Yellows thrive on connection. They enjoy ideas, stories, enthusiasm, and possibility. They want communication that feels alive and personal. When speaking to a Yellow, you win by engaging their imagination and giving them space to contribute.

Signs you are speaking to a Yellow:

• They talk freely and think out loud.

• They enjoy humour and social warmth.

• They respond to energy and creativity.

• They dislike long, dry explanations.

  
  

What Yellows value:

• Positivity.

• Inspiring ideas.

• Collaboration.

• A sense of fun and momentum.

How to speak to Yellows in business:

• Use relatable stories.

• Paint the vision or future outcome.

• Invite discussion and interaction.

• Keep the energy high and dynamic.

If your presentation is too serious, too dry, or too process heavy, they disengage.

Green: Calm, Patient, Supportive, Consistent

Greens are steady, reliable communicators. They dislike sudden change, rushed decisions, and aggressive tones. They prefer cooperation, harmony, and clear expectations. Speaking to a Green requires warmth, reassurance, and a pace that respects their need for stability.

Signs you are speaking to a Green:

• They hesitate before responding.

• They want consensus.

• They value team wellbeing and fairness.

• They dislike confrontation.

What Greens value:

• Trust.

• Stability.

• Clear explanations.

• A predictable plan.

How to speak to Greens in business:

• Slow the pace slightly.

• Explain the process and next steps clearly.

• Emphasise team impact and collaborative benefits.

• Show patience and understanding.

Push them too hard and they shut down or quietly resist.

Blue: Analytical, Detail-oriented, Structured, Cautious

Blues thrive on data, accuracy, and logical structure. They want the evidence, the supporting documents, and the rationale behind any claim. When speaking to a Blue, you must be precise and well prepared.

Signs you are speaking to a Blue:

• They ask for clarifications.

• They examine risk carefully.

• They dislike emotional or unstructured presentations.

• They want references and reliability.

What Blues value:

• Facts.

• Logic.

• Thoroughness.

• Neutral, professional tone.

How to speak to Blues in business:

• Bring data.

• Provide structure and definitions.

• Avoid exaggeration.

• Take questions seriously and answer fully.

Blues disengage when speakers are imprecise or disorganised.

Applying the Colour Types in Public Speaking for Business

Once you understand the four types, you can tailor your content and delivery so your whole audience feels included. This is especially powerful during group training for public speaking, where people often default to their own preferred style and forget to serve other styles.

Below is a practical communication structure that satisfies all four types in the same presentation.

1. Start strong for the Reds

Open with:

• The purpose.

• The outcome.

• Why this matters.

For example:“Today we are improving how we communicate across teams. By the end, you will be able to speak more clearly, avoid misunderstandings, and achieve faster results.”

Reds immediately know why they should listen.

2. Use an engaging hook for the Yellows

Introduce:

• A relatable story about a communication failure.

• A quick anecdote.

• A surprising statistic.

Yellows need something human and energising to connect with.

3. Outline a steady plan for the Greens

Explain:

• The structure of the session.

• What will happen next.

• How people will be supported.

Greens relax when they understand the flow and the environment feels safe.

4. Add detail and rationale for the Blues

Include:

• Clear definitions.

• Step by step explanations.

• Evidence for any recommendations.

Blues need reassurance that the content is rigorous and sound.

Making This Work in Public Speaking Training in Scotland

Across Scotland, organisations face the same communication friction: some people speak too quickly, some speak too emotionally, some dodge detail, and some drown others in it. Good public speaking training in Scotland recognises that most conflict in business is actually difference in communication style, not difference in ability.

By teaching teams the colour model, you enable them to:

• Deliver presentations that reach all stakeholders.

• Understand why certain colleagues respond well to one style and not another.

• Reduce misunderstandings in meetings.

• Adapt their delivery for clients with different priorities.

• Handle Q and A sessions with higher precision and confidence.

The framework becomes even more powerful in group training environments because people see their own habits reflected in the colours. They recognise the gaps in their communication and adjust quickly.

Public speaking for business becomes more efficient and collaborative when people realise they are not surrounded by idiots. They are surrounded by different listeners.

Final Thought

Mastering public speaking for business is not about having one powerful voice. It is about having four adaptable gears. When you know how to speak to Reds, Yellows, Greens, and Blues, you are never talking into the void. You are speaking into the minds of your audience in the way they can best understand and use.

That is what creates influence. That is what creates clarity. And that is how any organisation can transform its communication culture through intelligent, colour aware public speaking training in Scotland.

Looking for team or group public speaking training in Scotland? Get in touch with us today.