U sing Introversion at Work
Earlier this year, I read The Introvert’s Complete Career Guide: From Landing a Job to Surviving, Thriving, and Moving on Up by Jane Finkle. It’s based on her personal journey as an introvert navigating her career. The book covers everything from job hunting to handling interviews and standing out in an office full of extroverts.
Before diving into what I took away from the book, let’s quickly clear up what introversion and extroversion mean.
It’s not about being shy or outgoing—it’s about how we react to stimulation and social interaction. Susan Cain (via Simon Sinek) puts it this way:
- Introverts wake up with five coins. Each social interaction costs them a coin, and by the end of the day, they feel drained.
- Extroverts wake up with zero coins. Each interaction earns them a coin, making them feel energized by the end of the day.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re an introvert or extrovert. What matters is how you use your strengths.
As an introvert, this book taught me to make the most of my personality at work.
Even in an office dominated by extroverts, you can stand out. I work in a product development team, mostly with introverts, but the advice still applies.
One major advantage of being an introvert is our ability to observe. For example, if you have a great idea during a meeting but can’t get a word in because someone is dominating the conversation, use your observation skills to spot problems and come up with solutions. You can always reframe what you want to say to communicate more effectively.
Introverts may prefer working solo, but we still need to be able to work in teams. If you’re feeling left out, use your observational skills to understand what your teammates need and offer help where you can.
Standing out at work as an introvert takes practice, but it’s worth it. Just enjoy the process, keep learning, and improve bit by bit.
This article is part of the 30 Day Writing Challenge. I’ll challenge myself to write whatever comes to mind.