It takes all kinds of people for a business to run. There are extroverts that are out there, smiling and willing to talk to anyone. Then there are thinkers that are the backbone for new ideas. Introverts have often received a bad name as they are thought to be someone that does not care about the business. They are often given characteristics like being a loner, not a team player, shy, awkward, unenthusiastic, unproductive and a slew of other terms that are less than complimentary. However, introverts are not any of these things. Employers should manage to suit their employees’ unique needs and preferences in order to take advantage of all personality types for the health and growth of the business.
Creative Solutions Come from Introverts
An introvert may be quiet, they may not be outspoken about things, but they are by no means someone that you want off of your team. Introverts are quiet, because in their minds there is a ton of things going on. In fact, many of the most creative people throughout history have been an introvert. Introverts are careful in what they do, they take time, look at all the angles, then often come up with a more creative solution for a problem. Who wouldn’t want this on their team?
They are Not Loners, they are Recharging
Since introverts are often thinking so fast in their heads, it comes as no surprise that they need time to recharge. So, if a person does not come to the break romo to lunch with everyone else, but instead opt to take a break at their desk alone or they go to a park across the street, don’t look at this as they are being a loner or anti-social. Many introverts are not seeing their lone lunch as being something that is lonely, rather their minds are recharging so that they can get back to the task at hand. Not everyone needs some down time from the work that they do for the social aspects of their job, but introverts do need this time. Otherwise, an introvert starts to feel overwhelmed and this is going to affect their productivity and overall mental health.
Quiet is Not Always Bad
Introverts are often more quiet than those who are around them, but does this mean that they are shy? It can be perceived that way. And in some cases, people see these introverts are being quiet and assume that they are not paying attention to what is going on. However, an introvert is taking everything in and processing this internally. While they may appear shy and quiet, this often means that they are looking at a problem in their heads to come up with a solution. This also comes back to the person not showing any enthusiasm. They may not, however this doesn’t mean that they are not committed to the goal or task. They are simply already thinking about what needs to be done or the angles at which they can be approached.
Introverts in your Business
With the above benefits that the introvert brings to the business world, you definitely want these people on your side. However, if you are managing these people, there are some tips to help you to cater to their personality type.
- Leave them to get their work done. You are going to find that constantly checking up on them can start to bring their productivity down. Do not doubt that they will give you the project that you need on time, just let them do their thing.
- Don’t force these people into social situations. This can make them uncomfortable and throw them off their game. Let them know that they are invited, but do not force them into it. Let them use an employee engagement platform in the digital world to stay connected, but avoid a lot of face to face social interaction.
- Use their personality in the workplace for a job that is best suited for this type of personality. In most cases, introverts make great researchers, writers and other creative forms of work. Find what is going to fit their personality and what fits into the business to get the most out of this person.
- When introducing innovative digital transformation in the workplace, give them some time to examine and digest as they are not going to have questions right off hand before playing around with whatever new tool is presented.
Introverts can be a great asset to your company! The key is realizing that there is more than what appears with an introvert.
