Understanding different social personality types isn’t easy. This is because everyone views the world through their self-created filters, assuming that things should be done in a certain way. Extroverts and introverts fall under two contrasting ends of a spectrum. Introverts are known to have good listening skills; unlike extroverts who can say anything. An introvert prefers to observe first and only speaks when they have something meaningful to add to the topic. As such, introverted people have unique qualities that extroverts can learn from as discussed hereunder.
- Independence is Key
There is a huge misconception that extroverts dominate the world since they are more confident and assertive. While they make great leaders and are more famous, it doesn’t mean that introverted people cannot be in the spotlight. Some mega-successful people who have been highlighted at AlKeyTAB are introverted. Mark Zuckerberg- the founder of Facebook, and Warren Buffet- the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway are just to mention a few.
One of the greatest strengths of successful introverted entrepreneurs is the ability to work independently. They excel at working in solitude. It is no wonder that most inventors, writers, and artists are more reserved. They tend to be more disciplined, self-motivated, and focused. However, extroverts are known to take control when it comes to delegating tasks and teamwork, which is okay in leadership. But they should learn from introverts how to take initiative at workplaces and pay attention to details. An extrovert would do better if they learned to keep off distractions and work independently.
- The Importance of Thinking Before Verbalizing
In his book ‘The Introvert Advantage’, Marti Olsen Laney asserts that introverts process stimuli through a longer neural pathway. This is the channel responsible for planning and long term memory. It means that introverts take a long time to process events and interactions. They must carefully attend to their feelings and thoughts before speaking up. Like internal processors, they take time to reflect on what’s going on in their mind and speak once the ideas are fully formed.
On the other hand, extroverts process information by speaking out loud. It is until they verbalize that they can work through their thoughts and come up with a conclusion. This communication conundrum has led many people to conclude that extroverts don’t think before uttering words. On the contrary, introverts are known to think before verbalizing. Extroverted people should, therefore, learn to be thoughtful and composed during a conversation.
- Knowing the Depth of People’s Souls
The society has a way of glorifying extroversion. This has been seen in the way extroverts take the center stage in politics and social events as introverts work behind the scenes. But a study carried out by Myers-Briggs organization reveals that the majority of leaders around the world prefer introversion. Apparently, introverts have few relationships which are very deep connections. They make the most loyal and committed friends, workers, and colleagues. These are good traits extroverts should emulate.
Extroverts and introverts can be compared to two different species. It is hard for an introverted person to change into an extrovert, or vice versa. According to scientific studies, the disparities between these two personality traits are deep-rooted in genetics. The differences start manifesting in early childhood. All in all, there is no superior personality like many people have come to believe. As shown above, extroverts have so much to learn from their reserved counterparts.
