SURROUNDED BY SETBACKS: OR, HOW TO SUCCEED WHEN EVERYTHING'S GONE BAD

SURROUNDED BY BAD BOSSES AND LAZY EMPLOYEES

Why is good leadership so rare? Everyone has to manage up to some extent but frankly some bosses are worse than others. If you're being driven crazy by a micro-manager, frequently drown under your boss's unreasonable expectations or struggle with being handed out responsibilities but no authority international behavioural expert Thomas Erikson is here to help. Drawing on the simple four-colour system that made Surrounded by Idiots a global bestseller, Erikson shows how understanding your boss's behavioural tendencies as well as your own will lead to a more harmonious and productive workplace. He also sets out what characterises an exemplary leader type and how you can adapt your behaviour to model it. Because there are two sides to every coin, Erikson also looks at employees themselves and why some colleagues frequently underachieve and what you can do to change this.

SURROUNDED BY IDIOTS

Do you ever think you're the only one making any sense? Or tried to reason with your partner with disastrous results? Do long, rambling answers drive you crazy? Or does your colleague's abrasive manner get your back up? You are not alone. After a disastrous meeting with a highly successful entrepreneur, who was genuinely convinced he was 'surrounded by idiots', communication expert and bestselling author, Thomas Erikson dedicated himself to understanding how people function and why we often struggle to connect with certain types of people. Originally published in Swedish in 2014 as Omgiven Av Idioter, Erikon's Surrounded by Idiots is already an international phenomenon, selling over 1.5 million copies worldwide, of which over 750,000 copies have been sold in Sweden alone. It offers a simple, yet ground-breaking method for assessing the personalities of people we communicate with - in and out of the office - based on four personality types (Red, Blue, Green and Yellow), and provides insights into how we can adjust the way(s) we speak and share information. Narrated by David John, Erikson will help you understand yourself better, hone communication and social skills, handle conflict with confidence, improve dynamics with your boss and team, and get the best out of the people you deal with and manage. He also shares simple tricks on body language, improving written communication and advice on when to back away or when to push on, and when to speak up or indeed shut up. Packed with 'aha!' and 'oh no!' moments, Surrounded by Idiots will help you understand and influence those around you, even people you currently think are beyond all comprehension. And with a bit of luck you can also be confident that the idiot out there isn't you!

SURROUNDED BY NARCISSISTS

Are you overshadowed by the narcissists in your life? Are you worn out by their constant demands for attention, their absolute belief they are right (even when clearly they are not), their determination to do what they want (regardless of impact), and their baffling need to control everyone and everything around them? In this thought-provoking, sanity-saving book, Thomas Erikson helps you understand what makes narcissists tick and, crucially, how to handle them without wearing yourself out in the process.

SURROUNDED BY VAMPIRES

Do conversations with certain people leave you feeling depleted or exhausted? Do you have colleagues who take a lot of your time but don't actually do - or contribute - much? Are there people in your life who diminish you through their words, actions or inactions? You could be surrounded by Vampires! International bestselling author Thomas Erikson will help you recognize and deal with the three most common Vampires that exist to take not give: Time Suckers -- these are the Vampires who waste your time. Typically, they expect you to do all the work while they take all the credit or they require an outsized amount of your time while giving back little to nothing. Energy Suckers -- these are the Vampires who suck out your energy and your passion. When you are around them, even for short periods of time, you leave with less energy than you started with, because they suck that energy right out of you. Energy Suckers feed on your passion, ideas and talents then leave you with nothing left. Soul Suckers -- these are the worst Vampires of all. Be they family, friends or co-workers, Soul Suckers use you for their own gain and, consciously or unconsciously, make you feel smaller every chance they get. They are the people in your life who don't support you and constantly tell you what you can't do, why you are going to fail, how you aren't the right person, why you are fooling yourself, and more. Aside from Human Vampires there are also Habit Vampires. Social media can be a time, energy and soul sucker. Addiction, negative thinking, inaction, procrastination and more -- all these things can suck the very life right out of you! Fortunately, no Human or Habit Vampire can survive when the sun shines on them. With the help of the behavioural model made famous in Surrounded by Idiots, Thomas Erikson will help you spot the Vampires around you and find your light to vanish their influence for good.