Managing extroverts and introverts

by Trish Smith

It is important to understand personality types and traits when working with and managing other people (check out my article about that here). There are two traits with the strongest influence on personality style. An understanding of these provides advantages for managing and communicating – advantages that are essential for success.

The two types?

You guessed it: extrovert and introvert

While the words introvert and extrovert are used often – and often used to justify behavior – it is useful to take a step back and consider the two types in a different light.

The extrovert
Extroverts are known for their assertive and outgoing nature. But extroverts aren’t assertive just because they like telling people what to do; they actually thrive on external sources of energy.

They seek out human interaction and lean toward the gregarious. They enjoy activities that give them the opportunity to interact with larger groups, both business and social, such as conferences, parties, community activities, public demonstrations, and highly active membership groups – all strong sources of energy they can feed on, amplify and contribute to.

In the workplace, extroverts are less likely to find reward in individual projects. They enjoy work that involves large groups and will engage in activities that introverts might consider risky, such as public speaking and assuming leadership positions. They are often comfortable expressing opinions confidently and vocally. This can give others the impression that extroverts have a greater self-image, which is not always the case.

The introvert
Classically, introverts tend to be more reserved in behavior. But consider this: introverts generate their own energy – and sometimes need to step back in order to do it.

They seek out fewer social interactions; this does not mean they are asocial, but rather that they prefer interacting with smaller groups or individually than with larger groups. They also take more pleasure in solitary activities such as reading and writing than their extroverted counterparts.

At work, introverts enjoy projects that allow them to work on their own or in small groups. They tend to prefer working on one project at a time (or on fewer projects at one time), and will be more likely to observe a situation before jumping right in. They tend to speak only after they can validate what they are about to say. Introverts need time alone to “recharge”; it is essential they be provided with opportunities to do this.

Successfully managing the two personality types
It’s important to leverage extroverts’ innate sociability. Their outgoing nature makes them naturals as salespeople, account managers, or in any other position where they deal with clients, potential clients, and other members of the organization – where they can thrive on available energy.

Take advantage of their leadership tendencies by providing them with opportunities to take the reins on projects.

Extroverts often make very good team members, so don’t feel that it’s necessary to always put them in a leadership position. Often, extroverts in team situations will serve to improve the energy of fellow team members.

Introverts, by contrast, usually prefer to be given projects they can manage individually, or with one or two others. They also tend to be more detail-oriented, and do better with projects that do not require them to perform many tasks simultaneously. Use their high level of focus to the business’s (and their) advantage. Introverts can often be quite taciturn until they produce desired results, so do not assume that lack of communication means they are not concerned with the outcome of the project; quite the opposite. Much of the processing that introverts do is internal, so they sometimes forget to communicate progress on the project to others.

As a team, these two temperaments can balance each other out well, if each can remember that the other has different work styles. Extroverts might find introverts’ natural analytical style to be too confining, and introverts might consider extroverts’ risk-taking to be too reckless. But if each can remember that the other has something to bring to the project, and that “different” can be beneficial, then these kinds of partnerships can be worthwhile – and even educational – for everyone involved.

Have you ever been in a position to manage these two temperaments? How have you used their natural strengths to the project’s advantage? And do you recognize yourself as one or the other – or do you feel you have elements of both extroversion and introversion in your own personality? Share with us in the comments!