I've been throwing around the labels introvert and extrovert fairly liberally throughout this blog. This may beg an important question: how do you know if you are an introvert or an extrovert?
One of the most commonly used tests to determine your personality type is called the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).
The test checks for four different personality preferences or dichotomies, where you can be scored at anywhere between the two extremes of the dichotomy:
(I)ntroversion or (E)xtroversion (S)ensing or i(N)tuition (T)hinking or (F)eeling (P)erceiving or (J)udging
You'll find the following links to external sources about MBTI in this part of the Wikipedia entry.
Much of the underlying theory behind personality types came from the work of Carl Jung and his book Psychological Types.
I've taken the MBTI test twice: once in 1989 and again in 2000. I don't have a copy of the 1989 score, but I was classified as an introvert at that time. I was classified as type ISTJ in 2000.
Anyone else out there want to share their MBTI classications?
Why do we assume that you have to be a boisterous go-getter to succeed in marketing and the media business? Simple: these are the people who get most of the contacts, the deals and the glory. Extroverts, often thought of as “people people” with the “gift of gab”, seem to have an exclusive lock on this craft. Don’t rule out the introvert, though, because social media websites are leveling the playing field.
What is an introvert?
Here’s what the Merriam Webster Dictionary has to say about introversion:
the state of or tendency toward being wholly or predominantly concerned with and interested in one's own mental life
We introverts tend to enjoy having solitary time for thought and reflection. We are not as dependent on other people as extroverts are. Introverts are often quite happy to spend time alone.
Putting an extrovert in an empty room, on the other hand, is a cruel thing to do. The extrovert thrives within a crowd, which is why they can be very successful marketers, sales people, and public relations professions. These three career paths often depend on successful interpersonal relations, where personal contact and soft-skills are key success factors.
An introvert can function well in the presence of other people, but, quite frankly, after awhile we feel drained and frail like Superman does after being exposed to Kryptonite, his great weakness. Personal interaction can be exhausting to an introvert; we need quiet time by ourselves to recuperate. This tendency to minimize social contact can make us seem cold, aloof, shy, or even arrogant.
Introverts - unlikely social agents?
On the surface, introverts can find social situations very challenging. In fact, many of us would rather hide in an underground bunker than deal with other people: consequently, introversion can be a career-limiting personality orientation when you have to work frequently with extroverts.
Times are changing, however. The growth of the Internet and new Web technologies are making social interaction possible from a distance. This “breathing space” can help us avoid much of the emotional stress and strain that can result from spending too much time with other people.
The mighty introvert
Assuming that Web technologies will allow introverts to compete on a roughly even footing with extroverts, let’s look at the strengths that introverts can bring to a role:
- Strong analytical skills (numeric, written, logical, symbolic, pattern recognition) - Imaginative and creative (one name: Albert Einstein) - Self-awareness (we are often horribly conscious of our own faults, but we are good at spotting flaws in other people) - Strength of conviction: we won’t succumb easily to peer-pressure – we can be kind and encouraging, but we tend to stand our ground when we don’t agree with something or else, at a minimum, we remain silent when the rest of the crowd says “ditto”
To summarize, many introverts are superb analyzers and critics. We also tend to care less about public opinion and therefore we are more likely to be honest and candid about situations that we observe, particularly when face-to-face contact is minimized.
Web 2.0 and Social Media – the new enablers
New methods to communicate effectively at long distance are being churned out on an ongoing basis. Technology has evolved past E-Mail and message boards to include:
- social networking sites (e.g. Facebook and MySpace)
- social bookmarking sites (del.icio.us, StumbleUpon)
- social news sites (Digg, Reddit, Mixx, etc.)
Blogs and forums allow groups of people to read about and debate ideas. All kinds of new and different social communities are spawning across the World Wide Web because new technologies make it easier to collaborate. Cell phones and digital pagers provide increasingly important mobility and flexibility to those of us who travel a lot.
Technology has evolved to the point that meaningful, real-time communication can occur anywhere, anytime over the Web. The importance of face-to-face communication as a medium for real-time information exchange is now reserved for the most intimate, confidential conversations. The introvert can quickly and easily communicate with almost anyone in a safe, comfortable environment. Suddenly things that seemed impossible can now happen when we become active participants on social media websites.
The virtual “you” – as real as necessary
New media can add a touch of humanity and personalization to electronic interaction through user profiles, avatars, and homepages. Careful and consistent use of these tools can us establish ourselves as a dependable and talented contact in the virtual world. A distinctive, yet tasteful avatar is as powerful a branding tool as a world class logo. User profiles can provide important information to curious visitors. Yes, people do look at user profile pages!
Let your words do the talking
Most of all, your words are your strongest asset. If verbal communication stymies you, you have the time and ability to choose your words, shape your message, and tell your stories with deft writing. Social media and blogs provide many ways to build solid contacts, and a credible reputation, through your words. Speak plainly, thoughtfully, and smartly through your writing. Over time, people will start to notice you and judge you not by your interpersonal skills, but on the quality of your ideas.
You can introduce yourself into multiple on-line social circles with ease using Web 2.0 apps. Start with one site, preferably a niche site that matches your existing knowledge. Learn the rules of conduct inside and out. Study successful contributors and research the medium. Carefully, but with spark and enthusiasm, contribute good analysis and new ideas to these networks. Do not overload or “spam” these networks, but steadily contribute. Read the contributions of other users, publicly acknowledge them, and build upon them. You will start to make online contacts who will respect you, encourage you, and promote you if you do the same for them. With patience and hard work, you will insert yourself into this network and become a vital part. Once you master one network, you can work on others. Best of all, you can contribute remotely without the draining need for personal contact.
The introvert’s new playing field
Web 2.0 is turning out to be a blessing for the introvert. This new frontier is not perfect. Buffoons and louts are present on-line and in person, but they can be shut down by software or by ignoring them. The Web allows you to strip out less efficient layers of socialization and communication so you can operate on a more cerebral level.
By skillful use of skills, knowledge, and on-line communication tools, you can handle most of the things that an extroverted marketer can do in person. It’s a liberating paradigm shift for the inwardly focused person and it’s about time. Introverts, our time has come and we can master the new media to our best advantage – without having to “press the flesh”.
You can read the full article at the link above (just click on the article title).
Here's an excerpt:
If you are looking for a symbol of strength and power, just think of Superman, survivor of the destruction of the planet Krypton. In the old days, he was outracing bullets, stopping trains, and jumping over skyscrapers. The more powerful versions of Superman can outrace both light and time; bench-press the planet Earth; and withstand a nuclear explosion without a scratch. His mighty abilities come from two sources: Earth's yellow sun and its lighter gravity (Krypton's gravity was apparently so powerful that human beings would never be able to get out of bed in the morning; it would be like having a mountain on your chest).
In spite of his mighty powers, there are two things that can turn the man of steel into a man of paper towel. The first weakness is Kryptonite, radioactive remnants of his home planet. It can weaken or kill him after prolonged exposure. His second weakness is magic. He might be able to stop bullets, but your standard magic fireball or lightning bolt would probably turn him into charcoal. Or you could transform him into a newt - that would fix him.
If you really want to get an appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses of both Superman and the stereotypical introvert, let's compare them.
Do you agree with this analogy? What do you think? Please share your thoughts.
Introversion is not shyness, timidness, or weakness. Let's establish those things right away.
Here’s what the Merriam Webster Dictionary has to say about introversion:
the state of or tendency toward being wholly or predominantly concerned with and interested in one's own mental life
Here's a few points to consider:
(a) Introverts think. We think a lot. We like to think. Sometimes we like thinking more than talking or socializing. Sometimes we like to think to much.
(b) Introverts can be entertained by their own thoughts. You might think of this as "intertainment".
(c) Introverts are not dependent on having other people around to keep themselves amused.
Now let's add a couple of other characteristics related to the definition of introversion:
(d) Introverts find interaction with other people to be tiring or draining after a period of time. Extroverts generally feel happy and energized around other people and they "wilt" without interaction with other people.
(e) Introverts usually need time to "recharge" their internal batteries after being around other people. Time alone watching TV, reading a book, listening to music, or otherwise contemplating things in solitude will refresh the introvert.
Finally, let's address a few misconceptions about introverts:
(f) Introverts do like other people, usually in moderation.
(g) Introverts do have feelings. In many cases they have very powerful feelings, but they may tend to process them in solitude.
(h) Introversion is not the same thing as shyness. Shy people are afraid of interacting with other people, probably due to a lack of self-confidence and comfort, but at the same time they crave love and affection. Introverts aren't afraid of interacting with other people and they aren't afraid to speak their mind when needed. As a general tendency, however, introverts tend to prefer small groups.
(i) Introverts are not all alike. Extroverts are not all alike. It's possible to have a mix of introverted and extroverted personality traits. It's possible to have a slight tendency towards one or the other. It's also possible to be strongly oriented toward introversion or extroversion.
Hopefully this article will give you a better idea of the characteristics of the introvert.
My challenge is to show you how introverted people can function effectively in society, the business world, and in roles that you would normally associate with an extrovert.
Time to go sharpen my pencil and start thinking. I'll need some time alone now...
