Introverts, Extroverts and Success

You're here because you have already achieved some outer success and reached your current executive leadership position. But growth doesn't have to stop here. There is a thrill and satisfaction in challenging yourself, stretching and seeing how much you can achieve. Have an impact and make a contribution.

The talents, skills and tools that have got you to this point will not necessarily take you further. Or the approaches you've used to achieve this success may have been expensive in terms of time, energy, stress and effect on your relationships. You need new or upgraded power tools to make sure you can sustain or advance your position more easily.

The High-Performance Executive Newsletter introduces these tools, so that you can level up, as video-gamers would say. It draws on many areas of solid research into high-performance in business, including neuroscience, psychology, physiology, trauma therapy and flow-state study.

The three essential areas for high performance are neuro-regulation (to get and stay calm), clear the negative self-talk and the beliefs that create them (including imposter syndrome), and create new success habits.

This week we're looking at introversion, extroversion and high-performance.

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I often see articles asking whether it is better to be an extrovert or an introvert in business?

The top leaders in a generation include Sir Richard Branson, an extrovert, and Bill Gates, an introvert.

These are two very different people and leadership styles, yet both are very successful.

So whether you're an extrovert or an introvert does not predict your success. One is not better than the other, and says nothing about how you are capable of conducting your business.

Rather than accepting another label, however, you?can use your introvert/extrovert traits to achieve greater success.

What are introversion and extroversion?

If you’ve taken a Meyers-Briggs personality profile, you know the first letter of your profile shows extroversion (E) or introversion (I), for example, ENFJ.

Your position on the introversion/extroversion scale is considered one of four key indicators of your personality.

But what does it mean? Let’s break down the words:

Intro (inside)

Extro (outside)

Vert (to turn)

That is, an introvert turns inwards, considering and reflecting and an extrovert turns outwards, connecting and mingling.

But that does not mean we turn one way or the other all the time. Many people misunderstand?this point.

In fact, the two terms refer to which ‘direction’ we turn in order to recharge.

An introvert would gain energy from being alone or with one person. Having space and time to relax and reflect.

An extrovert would gain energy participating in a group, feeling connected and involved.

The opposite is also true. An introvert would eventually start to feel drained if they had to continually operate in a group, such as all-day meetings with no breaks.

An extrovert would feel eventually start to feel drained if they were working in isolation all day without interacting with people. You?can see how working from home would be more challenging for an extrovert.

Is it?black and white?

We use the label of introvert and extrovert in a binary way, as if people are one thing or another. But like all human traits and behaviours, we all lie on an 'ambivert' continuum somewhere between the extremes.

For example, my Meyers-Briggs profile says I’m an extrovert. On closer inspection, it says I’m 52% extrovert, 48% introvert. In fact an ambivert.

The extrovert label doesn’t fit me. We should always be careful about using labels, especially when they are considered to define us.

Even these labels don't show the whole picture of human behaviour. An introvert can feel uncomfortable from being isolated for too long, and an extrovert can get tired of a group and want a little space. It's all a matter of time and degree.

Then Add Stress

When we become stressed, our capacity to deal with further stress is reduced. So a stressed introvert will become more introverted, and have less tolerance for a crowded room the longer they stayed there.

Back-to-back meetings have become more common with remote working and can create exhaustion and chronic stress for everyone. But they will tire out an introvert faster.

A stressed extrovert will become more extroverted and get more uncomfortable being alone the longer it went on for, craving group interaction more.

Working from home has been more stressful for extroverts precisely because they have lost that in-person daily connection.

The exact point?when you would start to feel stressed and drained by a particular activity depends on where you lie on the ambivert continuum. And what other stresses you’re dealing with at the time.

Achievement and Adaptability

High achievers have the capacity to operate flexibly in a variety of situations. So an introvert can behave in an extroverted manner, but it will drain them rather than energise them. An extrovert can handle working alone, but it will be more tiring for them.

To create and sustain?peak performance you need to be tracking your energy and stress levels as these change.

What recharges you is very personal to you and won’t apply to other people. It won't be helpful to use someone else's stress management techniques, time management practice or morning routine. You need to experiment and create your own.

The label of introvert and extrovert?can be a useful guide, to understand exactly where and when you gain or lose energy.

But it is only the starting point in devising your optimal work pattern.

When you know what energizes you, you can create the optimal level of people-time or alone-time to reduce stress, and increase and sustain high performance.

You can plan for challenges, like an introvert at an all-day meeting can create deliberbate alone-time recharge breaks during the day. And similarly an extrovert working from home might spend project time at a co-working cafe and take regular people-connection breaks.

Your introversion/extroversion does not define you, and when you account for it you can manage your energy levels for sustainable resilience and long-term high-performance.

The more you know what energises or drains you, the more precisely you can operate at the highest levels.

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What I’ve loved (re-read) this week:

Happiness is a Choice by Barry Neil Kaufman

This is a favourite book of mine from the 1990s. It is focused on human neuroplasticity – that is, your brain continues to change and adapt throughout your life.

The main ideas is you can change your beliefs by choosing to do so.

Since the book was written, neuroscience has moved on and we now know that identity-level beliefs need different methods to change, but they can also be changed.

Nonetheless, it remains relevant today and is a lovely exploration of the power of knowing yourself and make deliberate change to create a fulfilling life.

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An action step you can do today…

Power Daily Planning

Create you own list of ways to re-energise or decompress, and make time to use them during your day both at work and at home.

By proactively planning recharge 'sessions' you make success easier and more likely.

If you have introvert tendencies, make sure you take breaks especially between group meetings. Build in short breaks in your day, especially if you tend to book back-to-back meetings.

If you have extrovert tendencies, then make sure you get regular people connection time. Be wary of spending too much of your day isolated, and build in some group

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We'll cover more on beliefs and identity in future issues.

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I’m Dr Tara Halliday, Imposter Syndrome Specialist.

I’ve been a holistic therapist and high-performance coach for over 21 years.

I'm the creator of the Inner Success for Execs programme - the fastest and best solution to imposter syndrome.

My book, Unmasking: The Coach’s Guide to Imposter Syndrome was an Amazon #1 bestseller in 2018.

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Check out the Inner Success for Execs programme for fast 'up levelling' of your internal leadership tools.

https://www.completesuccess.co.uk

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Have an excellent, refreshing and recharging weekend!

Tara

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