Mighty introverts, we can think and analyze very well, but sometimes we don't show that same brilliance to the world to our best advantage when we're face-to-face with other people. Shy people (who may or may not be introverted) may feel the same way. Sometimes it's easier to put our ideas down on paper or the computer screen so that we can plan them out and express them properly.
Web 2.0 and other Internet technologies have given us great communication tools that will allow us to communicate as well as anyone.
Here are the five easy ways for an introvert to communicate:
1) E-mail: you can compose E-Mails on your own time and craft the message that feels write to you. You can take as long as you want to get it right the first time. Just make sure that you are using an effective E-Mail writing strategy. If you are looking for ideas, you might want to try this article about writing effective E-Mails. Don't worry about the heavy emphasis on business E-Mails, this guidelines will apply in many scenarios.
2) Instant messaging: short, quick bursts of thought in real-time that can still be meaningful. Emoticons can help you deal with your feelings in a humorous and positive way. Believe it or not, if you get your audience's (nearly) undivided attention, you can have a good conversation without having to worry about body language, tone, or word selection. You can just send and receive the message without the physical filters. There are many IM clients out there, including AOL, (Microsoft) Live, Yahoo, and Google.
3) Twitter - you can broadcast to the world similar to the way that IM works, but you can reach a massive audience. Twitter is part of the microblogging phenomenon. You can also direct "Tweets" to individuals and/or send private messages. Beware the 140 character limit, however! You might want to couple this one with instant messaging or E-Mail for better effect. Caroline Middlebrook has written an excellent Twitter guide.
4) Blog - you can set up a swell blog like this one! ;)
5) Blog comments - blog comments can provide an excellent way to both make intelligent, thoughtful commentary while getting yourself noticed. Again, Caroline Middlebrook and ProBlogger have both written excellent stuff about blog comments. Note: search their blogs because they have multiple posts on blog commenting.
What are you waiting for? Give it a try!
7 comments:
k, I am living proof that another part of yourself can evolve as a result of these tactics. Introversion led me by the nose until I began exressing myself through these channels.
Great post. Thanks.
@spostareduro - thanks for the support! Glad to hear that you are making your way forward through these five easy ways.
Alright Boss. I hear you. I didn't see anything there about sitting around the dinner table with ob noxious relatives. And in some very important ways I believe introverts sigh a loud sigh of relief (to themselves) when the festivities are over and they can return to their lives. But all of these things are cool. IM seems over the top to me but I'm too old maybe to see its value.
@davidlind - IM is an option and you, as a free-willed mighty introvert, are able to pick and choose from the options. :)
And thanks to you as well, because I'm happy to have at least one regular reader and commenter. :)
I need your help. Read my latest post on sunday evening. It's about you and Howie.
I thank the god Al Gore for the Internet everyday. ;-) If it weren't for email, IMing, txt msging, , blogging, etc, I'd never talk to anyone. Face-to-face, my tongue gets tied around my eye teeth and I can't see what I'm saying. But I can write it with ease.
@mary - Welcome! I can emphasize with your difficulties in face-to-face communication, but I do think it can become easier with practice.
Post a Comment