Stereotyping Introverts

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We are in danger of getting carried away with pronouncements about introverts.  I bristle when I hear this kind of stereotyping. In a sort of backlash, the scale has tipped away from extroverts, pronouncing them as ignorant loudmouths who are superficial.   Unfortunately. when we highlight introverts as being the best we imply that extroverts are not. It serves as nothing more than an attention getter.

It is true that introverts have a tendency to exhibit certain strengths but it does not exclude extroverts from claiming those strengths as well. In writing my books, I try to be careful about putting absolute labels on either group. Most of us actually straddle the introvert-extrovert line and are not firmly camped on either side of the spectrum.

Take a look at this infographic about introverts and how they “rule the world.”  I agree with mostly all of the myths and strengths highlighted here except for #5. “Introverts make better bosses” is questionable.  One research study says introverts make better managers with extroverted employees but that does not mean that introverts always make better bosses.

We need to be careful about making sweeping generalizations about introverts and extroverts. There is relatively scant research to make truth claims about either one. And people’s temperaments are complex and not so easily wrapped up. Yes – Introverts can be terrific at listening (Reason #2) however extroverts can also be, by using their natural skill of developing rapport and asking questions.

So in this article upon which the infographic is based,  7 Reasons Introverts Now Rule the World,  the author, Larry Kim writes that extroverts are okay BUT that introverts are particularly suited for the digital age.

“I’m certainly not trying to hate on extroverts. I’m simply suggesting that it’s time to rethink the qualities we value in business. The tendency has been to favor the boisterous, loud, whirlwind energy of extroverts. Instead, we need to take into account those introverted underdogs. They are the ones, with their thoughtfulness and creativity, who we’ll see pulling the strings in our increasingly more digital-oriented age, the one in which they were born to rule.”

Yes, I agree we do need to rethink the qualities we value in business. But let’s consider that both introverts and extroverts are both uniquely suited to meet the demands of a complex workplace and yes…. they were both born to rule.

 

Infographic Example
This infographic was created using the Visme. An easy-to-use Infographic Maker.

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