Well, I don’t mean the belly buttons here. Do you know if you are an introvert (Innie) or an extrovert (Outie)?
If you are an introvert, you are in good company with some of the richest and most successful people in the world: Thomas Jefferson, Johnny Carson, Jackie Kennedy, Albert Einstein, Sir Isaac Newton, and Queen Elizabeth II, to name just a few.
Estimates show that between 33% and 40% of people are introverts, those who describe themselves as shy, who need solitude to regroup, feel intimidated in social gatherings, and often feel stranded when they are asked a question.
Extroverts, on the other hand, far outnumber their calmer colleagues. These outings are energized by being around people and crowds, thinking fast (though not always deeply) while standing, and often enjoying being the center of attention.
Generally, people are not 100% introverts or extroverts. We fall on a continuum somewhere between the two extremes unless we have a serious condition, for example agoraphobia (general fear of leaving the house) or mania (behavior out of control). Introverts can learn to compensate for shyness and become public speakers, entertainers, business managers, and even fun partygoers. Extroverts can learn to modulate their enthusiasm and even let introverts say something!
If you are an introvert and need some tips to manage your shyness, here are three that will help you in the workplace:
1. Act as if. This psychological principle helps without turning you into a fake. Pretend to be outgoing. How would you change your tone of voice, expression, attitude, behaviors? Do not worry. You won’t become extroverted, but it will enhance the best parts of your introverted self.
2. Eliminate energy-stealing phrases like “maybe-like-something-good-maybe-something-I’m not sure, but …”
3. Respond to gossip by saying, “I would never let anyone talk about you that way.” Then leave the room.
These and other behavioral techniques, and there are many, will not turn you into an outie and will bring out the best of you as a confident innie.
