Discover the 4 superpowers that introverts have and how to amplify them to unleash their authentically bold and powerful selves.
Bold and powerful may not be the first words you would use to describe an introvert. But those are words that I use to describe myself and many amazing introverts that I know.
Just because introverts are not the loudest voices in the room, doesn't mean that we don't have powerful messages to share or bold lives filled with bravery and adventure. In fact, our superpowers come from the silence of pausing before acting and observing behaviour that speaks truer and louder than words.
The powerful voice of the introvert is often drowned out by the deafening, noise-polluted world we live in. Many introverts submit to being silenced and not realizing their strengths and potential. I used to be one of them.
In this week's blog, I want to shed light on the underestimated strengths of the introvert. Discover the 4 superpowers that introverts have and how to amplify them to unleash their authentically bold and powerful selves.
Labels Matter
As defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
introvert / noun
A person whose personality is characterized by introversion: a typically reserved or quiet person who tends to be introspective and enjoys spending time alone
NOTE: Introverts are typically more comfortable interacting with small groups of people rather than large groups (as at parties). The psychologist Carl Gustav Jung first introduced the terms introvert, introversion, extrovert, and extroversion in the early 1900s to describe personality types that focus a person's energy on either the inner or outer world. The terms introvert and extrovert have since become widely popularized, with introvert often broadly used to mean "a quiet or shy person."
Does the label of introvert or extrovert really matter in life?
It does, according to 80% of the top Fortune 500 companies that use personality tests like the MBTI Test, DiSC Tests, Clifton StrengthsFinder, and the Big Five Personality Test. All of these tests are influenced by the psychologist, Carl Jung's work on personality types.
For most of my adult career, I have been assessed as leaning toward the introvert side of the personality continuum by the competency/personality tests. Knowing my preference has been helpful for me to understand my leadership style, communication style and even my development style. However, being labelled introverted has also limited my belief in my potential and confidence in my abilities.
The introvert label also influenced the company's approach to my career potential as they assumed to know what I was and was not capable of.
In the competitive corporate world, the confident, vocal and outgoing extrovert has been popularized as the winning candidate to drive teams, productivity and profits. While the reflective, analytical, mild-mannered introvert is cast in supporting roles.
Data from a 2020 World Introverts Day Myers-Briggs Company press release supports the theory of the underrepresentation of introverts in top leadership.
"Myers-Briggs global research sample, about 56.8% of us prefer Introversion, while 43.2% prefer Extraversion."
"Despite the fact that there are significantly more people with this preference, introverts are vastly underrepresented in top leadership."
"In the US, for instance, only 39% of top executives and senior leaders prefer Introversion."
"This trend is even more pronounced in the UK, where on average, 28% of top executives and senior leaders prefer Introversion and 9 out of 10 of people report feeling pressure to behave in an extraverted way."
The Myers-Briggs research findings explain what I have felt throughout my corporate career, the pressure to behave more like an extrovert despite the success I was having with my introvert characteristics.
While introverts may be underrepresented in leadership roles, they are also some of the most iconic leaders in the world such as Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, Rosa Parks, Warren Buffett, and Barack Obama, just to name a few.
So to the 58.6% of fellow introverts out there, I say "Don't be limited by a label! Use your instinctive introvert superpowers to be the boldest and most powerful version of you."
The Powers That Separate Us
As explained in an article by Rachel Ellis, Introvert Personality on WebMD.com
"Scientists don't know for sure if there's a cause for introversion or extroversion. What they do know is the brains of the two personality types work a little differently from each other. Researchers have found that introverts have a higher blood flow to their frontal lobe than extroverts do. This part of the brain helps you remember things, solve problems, and plan ahead."
Introvert personality traits include:
Need quiet to concentrate
Are reflective
Are self-aware
Take time making decisions
Feel comfortable being alone
Don't like group work
Prefer to write rather than talk
Feel tired after being in a crowd
Have few friendships, but are very close with these friends
Daydream or use their imaginations to work out a problem
Retreat into their own mind to rest
A key difference between introverts and extroverts is how our brains react differently to dopamine. "That's a chemical that turns on the reward- and pleasure-seeking part of your brain. Introverts and extroverts have the same amount of the chemical, but extrovert brains get an excited buzz from their reward center. Introverts, on the other hand, tend to just feel run-down by it."
Source: Introvert Personality - Online Article - webmd.com
While the introverts' kryptonite may be overstimulation, our superpowers stem from how our brains are wired differently for awareness, remembering and retaining information, analytical problem-solving and planning.
Here are 4 natural introvert superpowers that help us be the most authentically bold and powerful version of ourselves and what can be done to amplify them.
1. The Power of Awareness:
Not only are introverts more self-aware by nature, but we are in general more aware and observant of the world around us. These observation skills help us to anticipate problems and connect the dots more creatively for possible solutions. That's why introverts make great sounding boards as friends and leaders.
Amplify this superpower by moving beyond awareness to action.
As introverts, the connections and conversations inside our heads move a mile a minute and are often dismissed with self-doubt and overthinking. Our observations are valuable creative solutions and opportunities. Write down the ideas, flesh them out, communicate them and make them happen.
2. The Power of Insightfulness:
Introverts love to attain knowledge and are good at retaining knowledge on a vast range of topics. We process and connect the knowledge into insights that can be applied to various topics and situations. This makes us the "Swiss army knife" in a team, a knowledgeable mentor/coach and a diverse leader. It also makes us an interesting friend to share a conversation with.
Amplify this superpower by sharing your insightfulness.
All the great learning that introverts do is wasted if not shared with others. Connect your insights to issues and people who would benefit from them through 1-on-1 and small group conversations. Take on a coaching or mentorship role where your knowledge will help grow someone else's potential. Write a white paper, an article or a blog to get your insights out for the world to benefit.
3. The Power of Compassion:
Introverts are great listeners who seek to deeply understand others. We listen attentively to others' viewpoints and can put ourselves in the other person's shoes. Our sense of empathy and compassion makes people feel safe to share and confide in us. We are able to build trust connections easily. This makes us great collaborators and confidants.
Amplify this superpower by making more trust connections.
Introverts generally hate networking and social mingling, but it's a lonely and limiting existence if we don't. It would also be a waste of our ability to deeply connect. So, connect in a way that comes naturally to us with one conversation at a time. Building these valuable connections expands our understanding of others and our ability to influence others.
4. The Power of Inspiration:
Introverts have a talent for expressing words of wisdom. This is a result of our observant nature, ability to understand diverse viewpoints and to analyze and process information deeply. Introverts may not be people of many words, but we are often able to provide inspirational and timely words because of the care and attention we put into expressing our thoughts.
Amplify this superpower by capturing your words and creating opportunities to inspire.
Writing down our thoughts helps us to capture those words of wisdom or inspiration when they strike. Then they are at the ready for sharing in opportune moments. We can also create opportunities to share inspiration with an appreciation note or a thank you card to inspire through our words.
Introverts, are you starting to sense the strength of your superpowers?
Empowering the Next Generation of Introverts
The science is still inconclusive as to whether our introversion/extroversion personality traits are created by nature, nurture or most likely a combination of both. I think we are born with a balance of introversion and extroversion and then are conditioned by circumstances in life to become more of one or the other.
This would explain so much in my spit personality life where I have gone against my introverted characteristics to do bold and unexpected things like skydiving, white water rafting, winning a beauty contest, performing on live national TV, and a career in presenting and public speaking.
My hope for the next generation of introverts (and extroverts) is that they are valued and recognized for their unique personality, talents and potential. I hope that the less visible qualities of awareness, insightfulness, compassion, and ability to inspire are valued equally with surface behaviours of assertiveness and sociability for leadership roles.
In fact, I hope that companies will move away from labelling employees by the introvert/extrovert-based personality assessments to value individuality, diversity and our unique contributions.
Until that future comes to fruition, I remind the 58.6% of fellow introverts out there to value your unique superpowers and amplify them to share your awesomeness with the world!
I leave you with a powerful TED Talk by Susan Cain, the author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking.
Here are some great articles to learn more about where you are on the Introvert/Extrovert spectrum and how to benefit from your personality traits.
8 Signs You're an Introvert: Understanding Introversion vs. Extroversion - Online Article - verywellmind.com
Introvert vs Extrovert: A Look at the Spectrum and Psychology - Online Article - positivepsychology.com
I would love to hear your comments!
Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
If you are an introvert or an extrovert, what is your biggest strength that has helped you as a leader?
Thank you for spending time on AYCLimitless.com
Please share and subscribe if you enjoyed your time on the site.
Comentários