Introverts are people who prefer to spend time and gain their energy in solitude or quietude while extroverts love to spend time with other people and gain their energy from this interaction.
Introverts have great strengths, and my Forbes article gives you an insight into these strengths. You can read the same here.
A working environment calls for and expects collaboration from people and introverts need to be aware of this expectation.
Managers can play a significant role in encouraging this diversity in the workforce and helping unleash individual potential to the fullest, thereby contributing to the team’s optimal performance.
Here are a few examples where managers can help introverts in the office environment.
Formal Office Meetings
Introverts reflect on questions while extroverts consider questions to be an invitation to voice their thoughts.
As long as they are not interrupted, extroverts continue to voice their thoughts.
This is where the manager or meeting chairperson can step in.
They can encourage the introverts in their team by saying “What is your view on this, XYZ?” or “I would love to hear your opinion on this issue”
Party environment
Introverts tend to find quiet space during a party.
Introverts can get easily overwhelmed by the noise and the people around them at a party, causing them to find quiet spaces for themselves. This should not be misconstrued as being aloof.
The manager can go around and introduce the introvert to others, pacing it so that only 1 or 2 people are introduced at a time. A small group encourages introverts to network effectively.
Promoting their work
Introverts consider it bragging to promote their own work or achievements.
Often, they forget that, if they do not talk about their accomplishments, others may not know.
Here is where a manager can encourage an Introvert’s work.
1. Give a brief introduction in a meeting and encourage introverts to speak more about their work or accomplishment.
2. Send a group email mentioning the good work done work done by the introverts and encourage them to respond.
It goes without saying that other members of the team (including extroverts and ambiverts) are also given this opportunity to share their accomplishments.
Author: Johncey George is an International Coaching Federation certified Leadership and Life Coach. He focuses on working with Introvert Professionals, helping them grow as leaders by unleashing their potential.
He helps introverts celebrate their strengths and become successful as leaders. Being an introvert himself, he understands their thinking process. He combines this knowledge, his corporate leadership experience and his coaching experience to help create more leaders among the Introverts.
Johncey has 23 years of corporate leadership experience and done his BE and Management Education from IIM Bangalore, Harvard Business School, ISB Hyderabad.
His company, Johncey George Consulting Pvt Ltd, does Leadership Development through Coaching, under the brand Coach Johncey (www.coachjohncey.com)