The Power of Introverts

Objective

One-third to a half of all people are introverts, living in a world designed and catered towards extroverts. “Introversion doesn’t mean someone is shy, being shy is fear of social judgment … introverts feel most alive in quitter environments.” Introverts are typically quite, more reserved and more intelligent (according to research). Schools and workplaces promote team collaboration and group efforts, but we need to promote individual thinking to avoid the downfall of groupthink.

“There is zero correlation between being the best talker and having the best ideas.”

In groups we often mimic the ideas and thoughts of the group and we will listen to the loudest person.

Leadership positions are most often given to extroverts, but introverts offer a different, safer leadership style and are less likely to make knee-jerk decisions. There is a spectrum of introversion and extroversion, and culturally we have been putting too much weight on the extrovert end.

Reflective

This talk really resonated with me, we do live in a world where students who speak up most in classes, whether or not they have the right answers, are rewarded the most. Leaders are almost always the loudest most outgoing characters, and we need more balance overall. I have a newfound respect for introverts as this talk has made me realize how wrong we have been doing things.

Interpretive

I myself am somewhat introverted, during my first semester studying Business we had to take a public speaking course. I was so out of my element, and I became completely stressed out about this course. I was a great speechwriter, but other students who never practiced, just got up there and started talking. Even though their speeches were typically less in-depth, the course was about the delivery of your speech it didn’t really matter so much what you were saying. I felt there could have been more balance with regards to both aspects.

I have worked for companies with CEO’s who are constantly going in a million different directions at once, and take little time to hear what everyone else has to say. Currently our program manager is the opposite, he listens to what everyone has to say, and then makes his decisions, utilizing the individual strengths of everyone on the team. I have witnessed that this is a much more rewarding approach for everyone.

Decisional

I can start by making small changes in my classroom to create more of a balance of activities catered towards the entire spectrum, and even providing choices of activities that will appeal to both sides of the spectrum. For group assignments, I will always start off with an individual component so everyone brings their own original ideas to the group.

Through this assignment I have realized that I am catering more towards introverts, probably because that is the style I prefer, but I now notice that I need more balance in my classroom.

Some of the activities I am currently doing that are catered towards introverts are:

Working on class exercises individually, so that I can ensure everyone is learning the software for themselves.
Working through e-learning modules individually so that everyone can go at their own pace.

I noticed that I need to provide more opportunities for the extroverts to thrive as well. Some ways I can do this will be to:

Have the students come together in groups at the end of class after working on their own to share what they have learned and how they are going to be using these techniques when they go back to their own desks.
Provide the opportunity for students to work in pairs on some activities such as role-playing the customer/employee.

Cane, S. (Director) (2012, February). Susan Cain: The power of introverts. TED Talk.