10 Misconceptions About Introversion
When I shared a post 10 Misconceptions About Introversion on LinkedIn and mentioned how misconceptions about introversion can create an unfavourable bias toward introverted leaders, it sparked an interesting conversation in the comments. The 10 misconceptions were:
1. Introverts are shy.
2. Introverts lack self-confidence.
3. Introverts are socially awkward.
4. Introverts are socially anxious.
5. Smart people think on their feet.
6. Introverts don't like making decisions.
7. Introverts don't like public speaking.
8. Introverts are aloof.
9. Introverts don't get lonely.
10. Introverts don't make great leaders.
Some of these interesting comments include:
Thank you for sharing, Carol.
I know there are plenty of introverts who are great at being in the spotlight and amazing at job interviews, but I'm not one of them. I like to think before I speak and recruiters/ those interviewing me are trying to make me feel like it's a "deficit" and I know it's not. I'm sure my thorough thinking has prevented lawsuits for companies (e.g., handling terminations, considering employment laws when drafting policies).
I'm also the type of introvert who likes to "show not tell" and "take action over talking about taking action."
I'm over all of the misconceptions about introverts and how some employers look down on them - I appreciate you reminding others that their perceptions are often wrong (I'm not shy) and there are many accomplished introverts.
Someone else commented: #7! I love public speaking! It's fun to share learnings and get a reaction out of people. This does come with a caveat though - I only enjoy public speaking if I've had adequate time to prepare for it (figuring out what I want to say, tailoring it to my audience, technical run-through time if I need it, etc.).
Another comment also had something interesting to say about public speaking: My favorite is #7! People automatically assume that you have to be an extrovert to be an extraordinary speaker. Most people hate to speak in public, so the next time you see or hear an introvert speaking, ( like me) please don't assume that they are secretly an extrovert. I enjoy speaking and talking to people!
Another comment said: I love this Carol! Thank you so much for sharing. Far too many businesses equate extroversion, bubbly personalities, charisma and being outspoken with great leadership. In my opinion, the more introverted leaders I’ve had the privilege of working with listen better, consider more perspectives and often make better decisions as a result. Excellent post 👏🏾
Why not add your voice to the conversation?
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Examples of leaders recognising the value of introversion and creating inclusive environments for introverts
I want to spotlight two leaders who recognise the value of introversion and create inclusive environments for their introverted team members. The first is Lee McEnany Caraher, Founder and CEO of Double Forte and best selling author, who was the guest on the latest episode of the Quietly Visible Podcast.
Lee is extroverted and about 10 years ago recognised that they were really struggling with brainstorming. It was whilst working with a coach and having done the Myers Briggs assessment, decided to have everyone in the organisation do it.
It turned out that over half of the company were introverted, which was quite a shock for her, given that it is a public relations company, which is often thought of as being extroverted, gregarious, and outgoing.
She started to learn about the different strengths of introverts and extroverts, and the way that they think and expend energy. As a result they changed processes such as brainstorming. Whoever is holding the brainstorming session has to create a brief and share it at least 48 hours ahead of time, to give people who need it, the time to do their research, and to think. That way when they show up, they're ready to contribute. And they have to find different modalities of contribution.
She said that if they don't take advantage of their strengths then the people who are the loudest like herself, will just overpower the room to the detriment of the team. You can listen to our full conversation at the podcast link below.
The second leader that I want to spotlight is Luke Manton, Founder of Manton Executives who shared the following post after attending my LinkedIn Audio event last week about changing the narrative about introversion in the workplace. This is what Luke said:
My whole team are introverts...
I've never really been a full introvert myself, so I have to do things slightly differently 👌
The small changes I've made have had hugely positive impact on my team.
🏆 I celebrate their wins and support their career goals. They don't always want to show off what they've done or share what they want to do, so I listen, notice and act.
💃 We celebrate in different ways. They don't really enjoy going out to busy places, so chilled dinners at my house it is.
📋I share my plans with then, no surprises here! Every meeting will have an agenda- no wondering or worrying. Changes in structure? I tell them.
We need more leaders like Lee and Luke who seek to understand and value the differences in their teams.
Harriet Green, Global Business Leader, Executive Chair at Mission Beyond, Board Member, and Diversity and Inclusion Activist published an interesting and insightful newsletter today about different personality types and leadership.
She lays out different personality types, with a strong emphasis on introverts and extroverts, and reflects on their characteristics and how they interact with each other in the workplace. It includes a section from me about the importance of visibility for introverted leaders.
You can read the newsletter at the link above.
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For regular listeners of the Quietly Visible Podcast, Spotify has created some insightful information about how it has done in 2022. The podcast is in the top 20% of podcasts most shared globally.
It is listened to in 38 different countries, the top 5 are as follows:
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Australia
- Canada
- Ireland
Here are some other insights about it:
There were an increase in followers of 72% in 2022.
It shows that there are some loyal fans of the podcast with 83 fans having it as their top podcast, 176 have it as one of their top 5, and 237 have it as one of their top 10.
The most listened to episode for 2022 is Public Speaking and Speaking up in Meetings for Introverted Leaders. This is a recording of a LinkedIn Audio event that was also very popular for which 500 people registered for it.
If you would like to be a guest on the podcast in 2023, you can apply here.
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And finally...
See what happens when you put a group of introverted dogs together:
First published on LinkedIn.
If you are an introverted woman and a senior leader and want to increase your confidence, influence and impact, take my free assessment and get a report identifying areas to develop. You can take the assessment here.