FUTURE TALENT November - January 2019/2020 | Page 69

PERSONAL TRAINING
BE CLEAR
ABOUT WHAT
INTROVERSION
IS NOT
One of Cain’s key
contributions to the
debate has been to
separate introversion
from shyness. Most
introverts enjoy social
contact; it’s just that,
for them, it comes at a
cost. Rather than being
energised by interpersonal
interaction, introverts are
drained by it and require
time (alone) to reflect and
recharge. This need is
often misconceived in the
workplace as someone
being antisocial, not a team
player, unenthusiastic, aloof
or passive-aggressive. It’s not
that. Introverts just derive
their energy from recharging
on their own. For extrovert
colleagues, this is the key
takeaway.
MAKE
TIME FOR YOURSELF
It’s sometimes difficult for introverts
to acknowledge their need for alone
time, but it needs to be respected
and honoured. Build quiet and down
time into your schedule. Take a walk,
have lunch by yourself, find a niche to
read a book. Anticipate activities that
might sap your energy and plan ahead
for recovery. Rather than feeling guilty,
savour and use a few minutes of quiet
time before a big meeting or presentation.
You’ll then feel re-energised and ready
for the fray.
FIND SPACE FOR YOURSELF
Any environment that involves excessive
noise and distraction can be stressful,
making open-plan offices especially difficult.
Find spaces – such as conference or meeting
rooms – where you can enjoy peace and
quiet during the day, or if you want to focus
on a particular task. Explore options around
flexi-time and flexible working. There are clear
lessons here for workplace design; layouts
that facilitate team work are important, but
they need to be balanced with spaces that
allow people some solitude to focus on the task
in hand. For introverts, this focus often unleashes
their creativity.
P
SET BOUNDARIES WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES,
BUT REACH OUT TOO
Everyone is entitled to set boundaries around
interruptions, small talk and office banter. Be clear
about times when you’d prefer to be left alone, but
accept, too, that forming connections is part of the
deal. Cain suggests the deliberate practice of
scheduling some time each day to walk around the
office and chat with colleagues.
PREPARE AND REHEARSE FOR MEETINGS
AND PRESENTATIONS
You may not enjoy being pressed to respond on the
spot in meetings, sometimes difficult in cultures where
that’s the norm. Prepare as much as possible,
anticipating and planning how you might contribute.
Follow your natural tendency to think before speaking,
but don’t hold back when you have something to say.
Amid the clamour, a single insightful comment or
well-judged question can make an impact. For
managers, simple practices such as sending out
agendas in advance and inclusive chairing will make
sure you hear from everyone in the room. Rehearsing
and practising presentations will help build confidence
and improve performance.
MANAGE NETWORKING COMMITMENTS
Cain advocates using a ‘free trait agreement’ with
yourself to manage social and networking
commitments that come with work. This means
making a pact with yourself that you’ll attend – and
make full use of – a certain number of opportunities,
giving you ‘permission’ to stay at home at other times.
When you do venture out, be intentional and realistic
about what you want to achieve. Don’t compare
yourself with a colleague for whom working a room
comes naturally; making fewer, but meaningful,
contacts can be just as effective.
STEP OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE
Introversion is a preference. It doesn’t mean that you
can’t or shouldn’t override this tendency when the
time feels right. Many introverts develop and deploy
(and enjoy) more extrovert behaviours when needed.
Stepping up can instantly change preconceptions
about you. Just be sure to factor in recovery time.
DON’T BE SHY ABOUT YOUR TALENTS
Put your introvert talents to good use, contributing to
the workplace in authentic and meaningful ways. Find
and share your passions. Make a virtue of being calm,
thoughtful and prepared. Believe in yourself. The ability
to focus and analyse means that introverts are often
excellent at problem solving and thinking laterally.
Research suggests that introverts often make better
leaders, more likely to listen to and implement their
teams’ ideas. When promoting, organisations need
to overcome their bias towards the assertive and
charismatic as a leadership default, and to mix things up
with people who bring different traits and strengths.
November – January 2019 // 69