How Can Introverts Do Well In Jobs That Need Them To Be Sociable

Contrary to popular beliefs, introverts thrive in leadership roles as well as supportive roles in a team. But extroverts are those who speak up first, look more engaged and enthusiastic at work than those who are quiet, the introverts. Extroverts are great presenters of their ideas and often look like they command attention. They draw energy from public speaking and engaging with others.

On the other hand, an introvert also brings tons to the table. Introverts are more likely to put their heads down and get the work done. Some of the famous introverts are – Simon Senegal, founder and CEO of Costco, Larry Page Found of Google and even Sir Isaac Newton! The common denominator for all these great leaders is that they have an unflinching belief in their cause.

A distinction to make before we deep dive is that Being Socially awkward is not introversion. An analogy to take into account here is that an introvert loses energy with social interactions while an extrovert gains energy. The question is not which one you are but how you leverage what you got.

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Since you, as an introvert, will unlikely boast about your capabilities, you need to find ways to win and create situations in which your achievements speak for themselves.

Here are some of the actionable to follow to boost your social skills and confidence to set yourself apart in the workplace:

Shine Through Your Strengths

Try to leverage your skills as your strengths. You need to get out of your comfort zone every now and then to be seen.

For example, you are an HR professional and have good copywriting skills. Next time there’s a campaign in which you have to encourage employees to take a survey, volunteer to make the mail or message that would be circulated in the organisation. Push back and come out of your shell.

Power of Hands

You don’t have to be loud to put your points across. Simply raise your hands to give input in a meeting.

Also, if you feel there was not a chance to speak in the meeting, write a thoughtful mail to your manager/ team making suggestions and illustrating inputs with a plan of action.

This will bring more ownership to the work by devising deliverables instead of people only talking in meetings.

Use Of Technology To Your Advantage

If you are not your best self in face-to-face meetings, make use of technology. There are plenty of alternative communication tools in the workplace like email. An introvert can use Google Hangout, Teams to communicate with managers and team members.

Avoiding the “he said/she said” conundrum, a paper trail makes people accountable and helps you thoughtfully devise a plan which was the actual intent of the meeting.

Open Office

The modern office setup is open, with hot seats. This means anybody sits anywhere, takes work calls, has informal meetings, chats, answering calls, all in the open. There could be a kitchen nearby or a Table tennis table that could distract you. It can get loud. Introverts do their best work in solitude and quiet. Look for an outdoor area where you can work. Also, there are pods or meeting rooms where you could escape and get your work done. Investing in high-quality noise cancelling headphones could really help you in getting in your zone.

Block Me-Time

The work schedule with the hybrid/ work from home norm can be overwhelming with meetings scheduled for different projects. These meetings may or not be useful/ relevant at times. Blocking your calendar for an hour to complete your tasks at hand could make the work less overwhelming and can help manage your time effectively.

Develop Self Awareness

We feel ashamed to speak up in fear of being rejected or ridiculed. The more self-aware you are, the more confident you will be as you know your strengths and weaknesses. Take a personality test and learn about yourself. This way you can assess a situation more effectively, make decisions confidently. When you act in alignment of who you are, you are more relatable and likeable.

You have to build courage by putting yourself out there as much as you can.

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For example, as an introvert you know that you lose energy with social interactions and can only recharge by spending time alone. If you are aware of this, you can block alone time to do activities you love.

Trick Your Mind

Even if you don’t feel confident, present yourself such that it exudes the personality of someone confident. Stand tall, pull your shoulder back, unclench your jaw and smile. When you look confident, others treat you as you are. Your mind doesn’t know the difference between reality and fiction.

Prepare Before Interactions

Before meetings, office gatherings; prepare ahead of time and read. Fill in the knowledge gaps. Think of some intelligent questions you could ask. Stay up to date with work - progress and what’s happening. This way you can contribute to work in a more meaningful way, building your confidence to speak up in different setups. For social gatherings, having knowledge of current affairs could help to pitch in during conversation.

Practice

You have to build courage by putting yourself out there as much as you can. You can do this by starting small. Next time there’s a presentation in your own team, raise your hand to present. This way, you will find avenues to learn about how you did, get candid feedback from your team and work on yourself. You will gain insight into how you did and what you need to work on.

Journey To Become More Outgoing

There are certain tips you can follow to become less shy and more relatable in the workplace:

1. As a first step, you can start by making eye contact and smiling at people.

2. Then, avoid responding to people in one word. Try to give more information about yourself and what you are being asked as that would like you are also interested in speaking to others and not just them asking you questions.

3. Find common ground when talking to others so that you can build relationships. Remember those details as everybody likes to feel memorable.

4. Avoid Black and white thinking. Always question yourself- What’s the worst could happen if I speak to this person? Or if I ask a question? You don’t have to feel the pressure to say the most clever thing all the time.

In time you will have the confidence to go up to strangers to talk to them and also public speaking.

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We are strong because of our differences, not despite them. As an introvert, you bring unique qualities to your team just like the other coworkers. Be confident in your skills.

Remember, there’s power in someone who knows when to stay quiet in a world that doesn’t stop talking.