Introvert vs. Extrovert

Introvert. Extrovert. You might have heard these character traits banded around in various forms, but I’ve definitely heard them being referred to in relation to our working lives so much more since we started working from home a year ago.

You might be wondering what relevance being an introvert or an extrovert has to someone’s working life...(p.s. being one or the other, or even a little bit of both, is NOT a bad thing!) 

I decided to write a little on this topic because, believe it or not (for those that don’t know me...and in fact for those that do) I have a tendency to lean into being an introvert. I’ve always known it, but I guess I’ve never been proud to say it out loud? Until now. Introverts are often misconstrued as people who are shy, unsocial, unable to interact with others and needing time to think and process before reacting to something; I think having a successful career in events and moving to live abroad puts a middle finger up to those assumptions! Having introverted or extroverted traits are actually more-so defined by someone’s response to their environments, which although includes ‘people’, it’s not exclusively about them...

So what exactly is an Introvert, or an extrovert for that matter?

I’m glad you asked! Here’s a few bullet point characteristics for each tendency, where do you think you most fit?

Introvert

• Often reserved in nature
• Like to listen to others, like really listen
• Tend to be introspective, self aware
• Very much enjoy time alone or downtime to re-gather their energy and restore their calm
• Can be sensitive to their environments (which in turn allows them to pick up cues more easily, making them great at reading situations)
• Too much outside (environmental) noise or motion can feel draining for an introvert
• They generally prefer to be in their own space where they can control and adjust the environment around them
• Often take things slowly, with more caution and without fanfare
• Largely, introverts are great at handling society’s strenuous demands (given they get their re-charge time in!)
• Many successful leaders are in fact, introverts
• Highly practical, pragmatic and down-to-earth
• Generally very humble beings
• Strong habit formers, with a focus on the past or the present
• Not often willing to be in the spotlight or famed for their accomplishments
• Often guarded with their emotions

Extrovert

• Absolutely love engaging with their environments, feeling energised by social interaction
• Tend to feed off of the responses of people and things around them
• Love to push the boundaries and seeing what’s possible
• Often lean towards taking the initiative in any situation
• Imaginative, open-minded and curious
• Find it very challenging to be alone, boredom can come all too easily
• Tend to do things ‘just for fun’, leading them to be more reactive without always thinking of the consequence
• Very future focused
• Enjoy being the centre of attention
• Prefer group activities
• Great at advancing projects they hold closely / dearly to them
• Will often choose to lead when given the opportunity and often very dynamic when in a leadership role
• Very outgoing and energetic, their liveliness is often described as ‘contagious’
• Often very expressive with their emotions

But what if I’m a bit of both, is that thing?

YES! It is. You might actually be an Ambivert...which is generally considered to be much more common, as people tend to lean into only some traits from one of or both sides of the spectrum.

The terms ‘introvert’ and ‘extrovert’ were made popular by Carl Jung in the early 20th century. It seems that through the course of history, these terms have become a little skewed. What Jung was trying to explain was that being an ‘introvert’ or an ‘extrovert’ would mean being at either end of the scale, not just leaning into a few tendencies here and there. Generally speaking we should find ourselves more or less in the middle; recent research has claimed that our genetic make-up has a lot to do with which tendencies we often lean towards. It has also been more recently suggested that introversion and extroversion actually relates to where we get our energy from. In the 1960s, a psychologist named Hans Eysenck proposed that the difference between introverts and extroverts was that they simply had different levels of arousal, meaning the extent to which our minds and bodies are alert and responsive to stimulation.

So what’s this got to do with people WFH?

Let me take you back to the good old days, when we could work in offices, indoor spaces and be on-site together - without a care in the world! Remember those? Yeah…good times...

Well if you cast your mind back enough, you might remember some distinct colleagues of yours or ‘characters’ in the office. Those who are larger than life, all up in everyone’s business, got to be the centre of attention and the life and soul of the office (and party!) But you might also remember those who were a little more reserved in nature, preferring to downplay their successes, maybe appearing quieter at meetings or social gatherings. Well there’s your ‘stereotypical’ introverts and extroverts.  

The office was actually a very challenging environment for those who were leaning more towards introverted tendencies. Very much like WFH is a challenging situation for any extrovert, but I would argue less so.

Open plan offices - which are largely the norm these days - are loud, very distracting environments. These environments don’t suit those who do their best work alone, with little to no outside stimulation from the immediate surroundings. 

Granted the pandemic made everyone uneasy; the relentless video-calls with everyone you worked with now able to see into your home; the juggle of homeschooling whilst working and so on. But soon, introverts have come to use this opportunity to their advantage.

Public speaking has become easier when attempted from inside your safe haven (perhaps wearing a pair of slippers and your pyjama bottoms!) Saying nothing in a meeting unless absolutely necessary has become a thing, because colleagues can no longer talk over one-another and fight to see who has the louder voice or bigger opinion. We’ve finally found a space and time to be our best creative selves and show up authentically. Collaborative tools such a google docs and slack allow introverted employees to input without feeling too pressured, overwhelmed or put on the spot. No more listening to music that isn’t too our taste (yay!), or inadvertently catching the latest office gossip.

I would argue that introverts especially have benefitted from being stripped of the confines of the office and able to focus more on their day. The commute is also no-longer - meaning we all have more time to spend with a loved one or spent doing things that we find enriching; an introverts dream.

There is of course a downside to also be considered. Introverts are more likely than their counterparts to suffer from mental health issues when WFH, especially if you live alone. So it is important to think about how you can support your colleagues who may lean a little heavier into introverted tendencies, here’s a couple of starting points;

• Keep those group calls & video chats to a minimum - they can feel very draining and it is near impossible for us introverts to pick up on non-verbal cues (something we’re usually super at!) 
• If you’re an employer, making sure everyone is equipped with a proper chair and desk set up can make all the difference, but especially to an introvert
• An introvert might often be the first to leave a work social gathering or party but it certainly doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy and find benefit in them. Try to encourage smaller, quality group interactions where introverts can engage in meaningful thought and conversation with others. Perhaps theming these meet-ups around a common or shared idea or interest is a good place to start.

Unconscious bias

Introverts have long since believed that they are no good at working within a team, do not make good public speakers or that they don’t enjoy the office drinks and social gatherings.

However I would suggest it is the system, not the introversion that has led people to think in this way. Being quiet doesn't mean shy. It does not mean someone doesn't want to be a part of what is going on, or that they are suffering with a lack of confidence. We need to do more to ensure different personalities are not overlooked. Managers and leaders should look past their unconscious bias to ensure all members of the team are given an equal opportunity to thrive.

WFH is unlikely to remain forever, but it will certainly become a more regular part of our working lives. As we slowly start to make our way back into offices, perhaps workspace design could start to incorporate more quiet areas for those who want to take some time away to focus on a project and clearly define collaborative areas for when we need to come together as a team. Employers should continue to remain flexible with working policies, allowing everyone the opportunity to WFH when they feel it necessary and we should continue to work with those collaborative, non-intrusive tools that we’ve come to depend on, whilst keeping unnecessary meetings to an absolute minimum.

P.S. Whichever tendency you lean towards…BE PROUD of who you are! You are an important contributor in all facets of life. We all have our strengths and weaknesses and without each other, well....we’d have nothing!