Four Tips for Introverts to Achieve Success in the Workplace
By Wendy R. Weidenbaum and Yuting Goh
With 50% of the general population extroverted, 96% of managers and executives display extroverted personalities. The higher the level you achieve, the more likely you are to find highly extroverted individuals*. Given these numbers, if you are introverted, how are you showing up at meetings to demonstrate your power so others listen when you speak? The key to success for an introvert is not about being the most outgoing person in the company; it is all about leveraging your strengths to have a strong seat at the table. The following changes will help to polish your personal brand and provide an advantage to achieving your professional goals.
1) Prepare prior to meetings
Do your homework before meetings. Ask for an agenda two days prior to the meeting, determine who else will attend the meeting, and then think about questions you will ask that are helpful. If you have the time, connect with key players ahead of time so you can learn their perspectives and support each other at the meeting. One-on-one meetings ahead of time help introverts build stronger relationships and help to create a level of comfort walking into the meeting. You know who supports your ideas and where there may be resistance. You can then plan for ways you will react to build your case.
2) Speak up early
Speak up early to position yourself as someone who is “at the table” and ready to participate. When you hang back in a meeting, only to offer your opinion toward the end of the conversation, your input is more likely to be discounted or even ignored. Establishing your presence early on will go a long way in getting your points across and heard.
3) Be aware of the importance of your body language
Social psychologist Amy Cuddy highlights the power of body language when she stated, “Our bodies change our minds, and our minds can change our behavior, and our behavior can change our outcomes.” Introverts can draw on that idea by shifting their posture at work. For example, open your arms and make sure they are kept visible above the table during meetings. Keeping an open posture ensures that you are sending out the right signals, that you are receptive to the conversation. In addition, lean in occasionally to demonstrate active listening and engagement, and emphasize your points with the use of gestures to appear more energetic, passionate, and convincing while speaking.
4) Take control of your schedule
Unlike extroverts who gain energy from being around other people, introverts need quiet time to recharge their personal battery before tackling their work again. Schedule meetings for only 50 minutes. This will provide you with the opportunity to achieve closure for one meeting and begin to focus on the next meeting.
While it may seem like there is a huge distinction between introverts and extroverts, making a small change will lead to a big difference in showing up powerfully. Introverts have tremendous assets to bring to the table, and applying these strategies will land you in a seat of influence and respect.
*Source: Deniz Ones and Stephen Dilchert, “How Special are Executives?” Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 2009