Whether you’re an extrovert, introvert or ambivert, we all have our strengths and weaknesses—and especially in the workplace, we all must co-exist to be productive. Forbes wrote an interesting piece on introverts with excerpts from Susan Cain’s book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, and provides six insights on how introverts stick out amidst their extroverted counterparts:
1. Introverts focus on meaning.
The difference between introverts and extroverts is that the former group is energized by spending time alone, whereas the latter feel as if they’re in a social draught, yearning for someone—anyone—just to say hi or interact with them.
2. One-third of people are introverted.
Some folks put on a good “extroverted face” but on the inside, they just want to go home and reflect.
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3. Introverts listen.
One difference between introverts and extroverts with significant leadership implications is that introverts listen more; they are more open to new ideas and therefore implement suggestions of others to a greater degree.
4. Introverts are good at leveraging others’ talents.
For the most part, introverts tend to be more effective with proactive people because they listen more and, as a result, benefit from their talents. Conversely, extroverts are more effective in influencing group dynamics when participants are passive.
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5. Introverts can be more creative.
Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple with Steve Jobs, writes in his memoir, “… Artists work best alone where they can control an invention’s design without a lot of other people designing it for marketing or some other committee. I don’t believe anything really revolutionary has been invented by committee. If you’re that rare engineer who’s an inventor and also an artist, I’m going to give you some advice that might be hard to take. That advice is: Work alone. You’re going to be best able to design revolutionary products and features if you’re working on your own. Not on a committee. Not on a team.”
If Wozniak’s testament isn’t convincing enough, check this out. A study conducted by research psychologist Anders Ericsson aimed to identify what distinguished elite performers from all the rest. The findings? Deliberate practice—solitary deliberate practice—made all the difference, and the reason is because…
6. Introverts excel at thinking clearly.
With fewer distractions in a solitary (confinement) environment, introverts can work more methodically (and therefore make less mistakes) and stick with a challenge for a longer period of time. Extroverts, on the other hand, prefer to focus on their current surroundings.
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Curated Article from Forbes
