Introverts Aren't a Problem

It’s time to embrace the strengths introverts bring to the table – your team’s success depends on it.

I’m often asked what clients like to talk about most. At or near the top of the list is introversion vs. extroversion in the workplace.

In the work we do helping people understand themselves better, often starting with personality, many of our clients learn that they’re introverts. And when they do, they go through what feels like an existential crisis.

I’m kind of kidding. Kind of.

So why are we still playing this “extraversion is good, introversion is bad” game?

Let’s get into it.

Penn Cove, Whidbey Island, WA. Photo Credit: Us

The Five-Factor Model (FFM) is one of the most recognized ways to measure personality. One of those five dimensions is Extraversion:

Extraversion measures how outgoing and social someone is. High extraversion? You’re energized by people and activity. Low extraversion, or introversion? You prefer reflection and solo time to recharge. The catch? Because the model evaluates you based on how extroverted you are, it implies that the more extroverted, the better. So intro…