Tag Archives: introvert

Quiet introvert Emma Watson is heard

This week at a press conference at the Davos Economic Forum a young actress shared some of the results of her now famous rallying call for gender equality. She also announced suggested actions for participating in this movement and how her organization will be seeking concrete examples of change.

Emma Watson, former Harry Potter star and leading British actor is a self proclaimed quiet introvert. In a courageous way she is using her platform as the UN Women’s Goodwill Ambassador to fight for gender equality around the world.

In an inspiring speech she gave at the U.N. last September, she first asked men to take up the mantle to support women in a new “HeForShe” movement. She believes that the movement will be helped by men AND women speaking up to protest injustice.

Ms. Watson said that her passion and the importance of this issue helped her to overcome her pre- speech nervousness and self-doubt. It is apparent that the preparation she put into both speeches helped her be poised and articulate. When quiet introverts who are not used to speaking put time into preparation the results clearly pay off.

I do encourage you to listen to her stirring speech and hear her eloquently describe her own experiences, share some sobering stats about women and explain why she is so strongly committed to seeing change occur.

“This is the first campaign of its kind at the UN…we don’t just want to talk about it….”

“Men and women should have equal rights and opportunities.”

“Feminism has become an unpopular word….it is not the word that is important. It is the idea and the ambition behind it because not all women have received the same rights I have. “

“…both men and women should feel free to be sensitive. Both men and women should feel free to be strong.,

This quiet influencer and introverted leader has wowed millions and given us a focal point for change. She has already made a tremendous difference by getting the world to pay attention.

Introverts finding their power

One of the many images on introverts onlineI

I once heard The Introvert Entrepreneur Beth Buelow joke in an interview with Jonathon Rauch that only a few years ago when you researched the word “introvert” “serial killer” was one of the top hits on the list of search results!

Beth is not exaggerating! One great result of the current introvert revolution is that awareness about introverts has increased exponentially. It is not unusual to get over 40 daily Google alerts in my inbox with everything from a great Pinterest graphic to a moving blog post such as 7 Things A Quiet Student Wish Their Teacher Understood by Marsha Pinto a teenager who writes for the Huffington Post.

I also enjoyed this recent insightful piece from Fairbanks, Alaska by Judith Kleinfeld called Quiet But Strong: Deciphering the Hidden Power of Introverts . I am glad the writer realizes that she can step into her own power by not changing who she is but by building on her natural strengths. As she is figuring how to do this she describes the differences between E’s and I’s.

“One of my friends, “Ned,” is basically an extrovert. He makes friends easily, is very talkative, loves to have parties and invites people he hardly knows to come over for dinner. Other people I know, like “Laura,” are typical introverts. They need time alone to recharge their batteries. Laura can be more extroverted when the situation calls for it. But she has chosen to be an academic, a career field which is particularly attractive to introverts since they can be engaged in solitary work.I myself am a good example of an introvert. I much prefer to spend my time alone writing this column or writing books than going to a party or just hanging out with friends. My favorite activities require a lot of solitude, like doing research or exercising on the treadmill while watching DVDs of cooking techniques.”

Extroverts are starting to pay attention to the needs of introverts and so, thankfully are organizations. Writing is power and with more quality media about introverts emerging we have a chance to see our society and our workplaces becoming more inclusive. I say, bring it on!

Do Extrovert Personality Traits Work on A Mission To Mars?

Extroverted Spaceman played by George Clooney

I have some bad news to break to you Extroverts itching to jump on board the next NASA Mars Mission. You best wait for some Introverts to balance out the equation. According to an interesting new study reported in Live Science extrovert personality traits contribute to success but need to be balanced with those of introverts.

The research team of experts pulled data from previous space missions as well as mission simulations of a 100 days or more.

Study researcher Suzanne Bell of DePaul University in Chicago spoke about the plusses and minuses of having Extroverts aboard. She said that the talkative extrovert can really get annoying to the introverts on the flight.

The article described it this way, ” Typically, extroverts — who tend to be sociable, outgoing, energetic and assertive — are good to have on work teams because they speak up and engage in conversations about what needs to be done, which is good for planning, Bell said. And because of their social interactions, extroverts tend to have a good understanding of who knows what on a team (such as who the experts in a certain field are), which helps foster coordination.”

The researchers said that the extroverts may have a hard time adapting to the lack of stimulation.

“People who are extroverted might have a hard time coping because they want to be doing a lot; they want to be engaged in a lot of things,” said study researcher Shanique Brown, a graduate student in industrial and organizational psychology at DePaul. “And [on these missions], there won’t be that much to do — things become monotonous after a while, and you’re seeing the same people.”

Bell noted that a team of all introverts is also not the solution. The question is, where’s the balance, and once we find the balance, what can we do through training” to promote team compatibility?” she said.

The article focuses on the pros and cons of extrovert personality traits on board. I can imagine that the introverted personality traits of solitude, careful preparation, focused conversations and a high tolerance for calm are a few of the assets out in space. I wonder if George Clooney’s fate in Gravity is an example of what happens to Extroverts on their way to Mars?:)

Being An Introvert

Thankfully the veil of confusion and ignorance over introversion is slowly lifting. More people realize that being an introvert does not mean you are a wallflower, misfit or anti-social geek. They realize that introverts have many strengths and draw on their vibrant internal energy. The explosion of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, a plethora of press attention on introversion and the popularity of Susan Cain’s book Quiet and others have all contributed to this welcome shift.

Between 2009, the publication date of my first book, The Introverted Leader and 2013 when Quiet Influence came out I have tracked this openness to learning about the topic of how Introverts can thrive and how we can get the best out of them in the workplace. As an example, here are some comments I received after a program I delivered last week at Freddie Mac where introversion is being embraced and seen as another key element of valuing differences:

“ I didn’t realize I really am more introverted and need to honor my time for solitude.”

“I learned a lot about my sister and her potential to become a great leader. I also learned more about the introverted part of myself. “

“ I am going to swing by my boss’ office today and give him his needed face time.”

“I reached out to a colleague by phone rather than email, I really needed him to hear my voice.”

How much do you know about introversion? Take this quiz to test your knowledge about how being an introvert and using the strengths of quiet influence can make a real difference in getting results.

Come Learn With Me at Mobile Business Academy

I am so fortunate to have friends who are doing such cool things! Dave Basarab is one of those people who may just be revolutionizing the learning scene. This week his brainchild, Mobile Business Academy, 12 years in the making has launched and It is bound to be a big hit.

Dave has brought over 30 years as a training expert and learning professional to the problem of finding time to learn. And he has emerged with a beautifully elegant and simple solution called “Learning Bursts, ” which are 8 to 10-minute talk-show style audio casts with accompanying punchy workbook material, They cover subjects like innovation, marketing, creativity, collaboration, being brilliant and introverted leadership.

Bursts can be downloaded and listened to wherever and whenever, making world- class business training accessible for busy people on the go. Companies like IBM and Booz & Co. have successfully trained thousands of employees using Basarab’s learning burst methods. And lucky for us, they are now available to anybody and everyone for a very reasonable cost.

I was honored when Dave asked me to offer The Introverted Leader in the first wave of offerings. As you will hear in our recorded conversation about the launch (at the top of this post) he calls the learning burst approach “voyeuristic”, similar to listening in on a conversation. We recorded my bursts in his kitchen over a cup of coffee and you might even hear cups in the background!

Dave reminded me that we have learned through stories for thousands of years and it is the way we are introduced to life before learning to to read. This audio approach with written reinforcement (all the short workbooks have quizzes and summaries) is truly time tested.

Listen while waiting in line for the groceries or driving in the car by downloading them to all your devices. How easy is that? And since we learn best in short segments, only one topic is covered at a time. Hear snippets of any of the many bursts as many times as you like.

I am upping my game by listening to Simon T. Bailey’s Shift To Brilliance. Browse all 5 programs and download your samples today. Like with any new venture, feedback on the content and delivery system is welcomed. Won’t you join me on this learning journey? I look forward to it!

The Introverted Networker’s “Ace In the Hole”

I love when I speak with colleagues who walk their talk. I met my new friend and colleague, British networking expert Andy Lopata at (where else?)….a networking event!:) Back in December at the Global Speakers Summit’s opening reception we grabbed a few quiet minutes to gab about how introverts can effectively navigate these types of meet and greets. Andy is a business networking guru with a giving mindset. He gave me the stage and didn’t make the discussion about him (one of the first rules of effective networking).

Take a look at our short dialogue here.

He is simply passionate about the benefits of networking and shares many tools though his website and speaking, training and coaching programs.

An amusing aside:

Andy shares a bit of his personality on his website as well: “I was a typical moody teenager listening to The Doors, Hendrix, Lou Reed and Bowie while at Uni. I hasten to add, they had all long disappeared from the scene by then.” Well Andy, they were live when I Iistened to them in my university, or uni as you call it. I look forward to our next networking conversation where we can compare notes about these greats!:)

After Childbirth, Is Anything Possible?

My daughter recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. It was a long labor and stressful delivery but thankfully all came out well in the end. She said it was the hardest but most incredible thing she ever accomplished.

Her experience brought me back to the birth of my own two daughters. Though being a new mom was challenging I can still feel the euphoria and kickass confidence that made me feel I could do anything.

On that same theme, I received an email from Charlotte, an introverted new mom in the Netherlands who told me how her own birth experience bridged to more confidence in the workplace. She wrote:

“Our group was split for many years between the sales team (typically extroverted individuals) and my team (more introverted) who do the actual compliance work. Very recently the two teams have merged. It is really interesting watching it unfold. Since I have had kids I find myself far more inclined to speak up and be braver in our meetings. Perhaps once you have been through child birth and exposed yourself to complete strangers and not caring because you are in so much pain, speaking up in a meeting does not seem so bad!!!”

It is all about perspective. Surviving those tough experiences does build confidence. In the 4 P’s Process in The Introverted Leader the third P is Push. Every successful introverted leader moves through challenges and develops their leadership strengths. They all say this is what helped them the most as their leadership careers progressed.

So maybe it wasn’t childbirth for you; but was there a pivotal life experience that was your confidence tipping point? You can email me at jennifer@jenniferkahnweiler.com or tweet me at jennkahnweiler.

Take It In or Talk It Out?

http://youtu.be/CNG7-fMX3X4 http:/

I recently attended the show Harmony, a musical playing at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta. I went to this engaging show about a singing group in pre-WW II Germany alone and had a great date with myself. With no partner occupying the next seat, I had the chance to commune with my thoughts and feelings and check in with my experiences during the production. I felt totally in the moment and fully present with the unfolding love stories, Nazi encroachment and dicey group dynamics. As I left the theater and transitioned to the outside world I actually found the audience chatter distracting.

I recommend the show to my friend Sean and he LOVED the play. In fact, he texted me about it during intermission and right after he left the theater to compare notes. Sean said that his introverted partner doesn’t like to talk out his reactions and that is frustrating for him. Why? Because Sean is an extrovert and he needs to express himself and “text it out” to make sense of the experience.

I am sure I would enjoy going to a play with Sean. It can be wonderfully enriching to connect with others who can bring new light to the experience. However, there are times that absolutely nothing beats being alone.

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER AND BLOG!