Introverts, You’ve Got it Goin’ On

I have recently published a blog post about being an introvert and thought that this week’s Sorbate topic on stereotypes would be the perfect opportunity to spread the good word about us introverts. If you haven’t noticed, the United States is a very extroverted society. As a minority, introverts encounter a lot of misconceptions especially in the workplace.

According to Trina Isakson the "American way" reflects extroverts much more than introverts:  “An estimated 75% of the population is extroverted  (Tieger & Barron-Tieger, 1995) and reward systems and job recognition are generally set up to value extroverts. Extroverts get rewarded because their work is apparent. They talk openly and often about what they’re working on and how busy they are. You see them and they just look like they’re getting things done. Lots of meetings, people to see, places to rush off too. They’re good at marketing themselves. And somehow, I swear they walk louder. With extroverts, often “what you see is what you get.” They thrive on the world around them, so the world around them knows what’s going on with them.”

But what about introverts? With introverts, what you see is only a portion of our personality. The richest and most trusted parts of an introvert’s personality are not necessarily shared with the outside world. It takes time, trust, and special circumstances for us to begin to open up.

Introverts at work tend to:

•     Like quiet for concentration.
•     Care about their work and workplace.
•     Work well with little supervision (you can usually trust an introvert at work to stay on task).
•     Work alone contentedly.
•     Seem quiet and aloof.
•     Need to be asked for their opinions (introverts at work rarely volunteer information).
•     Need to think and reflect before acting.
•     Have trouble communicating (though not all introverts at work struggle with communication).
•     Dislike intrusions and interruptions.
•     Be reluctant to delegate.

 
Understand that introversion is not shyness. It's not anti-social. It's not entirely a need to be alone.

Introversion is a personality trait (defined by C. G. Jung) where we prefer to relate to the world by first taking it "inward." Our energy comes from within. Extraverts, on the other hand, are energized by direct interaction with the world, such as socializing. We all possess introversion and extraversion to some degree, but according to Jung, we inherently prefer one over the other.

We introverts can be as outgoing as extraverts when we need to be, but we tend to tire more quickly around crowds, prefer to think things through before we act on them, and find inner energy through solitude.

Underneath a timid or cool appearance, we can be reflective, thoughtful, and confident, with high powers of concentration and good listening skills. It's the healthy side of quiet.

Even so, at work, we sometimes feel like misfits in a fast-paced, visibility oriented, social-networking business world.

In truth, introverts' inner-directedness, caution with details, and strong abilities to concentrate can make us true assets in the workplace. In fact, according to research: about 70 percent of CEO’s describe themselves as “introverts.” The list of well-known “Who’s Who” of corporate introverted CEOs includes: Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, movie magnate Steven Spielberg, and Sara Lee’s Brenda Barnes.

Introverts have been known to bring certain qualities to the team, including but not limited to:

•     Reliability
•     Initiative
•     Persistence
•     Depth of knowledge
•     Prudence
•     Precision & Accuracy
•     Independence (requiring little supervision)

An introvert may have a wealth of creative ideas under a quiet exterior. And yes, introverts can even be effective sales people, because they tend to:

•     listen well to customers' needs,
•     develop relationships with repeat customers,
•     know their subject in depth,
•     express credibility and honesty,
•     and can relate well to the needs of the 25-50% of the population that is introverted.

If you are an introvert, the first step to become successful at work is to accept your personality characteristics and to not be afraid to let people know about it. Make the best of your trait to become more visible at work. Whoever said that you have to act pushy and self-serving, and even make a fool out of yourself to be effective at self-promotion? Instead, why not use your quiet strengths such as thinking deeply, listening, working independently, researching, gaining expertise, writing, and building lasting one-one-one relationships to raise your visibility?

 
Below are some helpful resources that can help you get to the next level in your career:

10 Tips to Help Introverts Win at Work, Smart Blog On Workforce

Office Politics for Introverts, Bnet

Self Promotion for Introverts, Psychology Today

How Introverts Can Survive at Work, The Introvertz Coach

Introverts Can Learn to Love Networking, Democrat and Chronicle.com

Finding Your 'Quiet Strength' as an Introvert, Women for Hire

How an Introvert Can Survive Giving a Presentation, Career Intelligence.com

Introverts Quietly Can Make Big Impact, AJC

-Grace is a blogger for The Sorbate. Check out her bio to see where her view comes from.