Most introverts are unfairly labeled as anti-social, quiet, and shy people – which is rarely the case. Introverted people are some of the most patient, understanding people because instead of demanding lime-light, they prefer to take the time to engage in meaningful conversations.
Introverts generally do get energy from spending time alone, can feel drained after social events, and are more reserved. Extroverts are the antithesis of this, thriving on social interactions and being the center of attention in big groups.
Contrary to popular belief, introverts make fantastic employees because they understand anxiety more than others do. They are often patient, loving people who need a gentler approach to starting a new job. If you’re introverted by nature, here are five tips to help not just survive but thrive in your new role:
-
Pick The Right Desk
If possible, pick a desk that is not at the center of all the action in the office. You don’t want to be in a dark corner on your own (as much as you might think that you do) because that might make things worse if you’re constantly getting overlooked when people forget you are there.
Choose a balanced space that requires some interaction with your colleagues, but where you can also work happily on your own.
-
Be Open
Being introverted can often feel like a rough deal when you’re forced to go into the world and (gasp!) speak to people, engaging them in conversation about their lives and sharing stories about your own. That is a necessary part of bonding with your team, and those relationships will matter down the line. If you don’t get to work from home, you’ll need to learn how to engage with people without being riddled with anxiety.
Be open and honest about who you are – with your boss, new colleagues, and yourself. Adapt your approach and be less apologetic; introverted people are just as important as their extroverted counterparts.
-
Focus On One-on-One Time
Just because you’re introverted doesn’t mean you don’t have valuable ideas to share. Getting your voice heard can be a struggle for introverted personality types, so focus on getting more one-on-one time with your boss and colleagues.
Luckily for many introverts, sharing ideas doesn’t have to come in the form of public speaking. Send an email with bullet points on how you think you can improve ideas or processes – but keep things short and sweet; you know how people are with reading emails.
-
Play To Your Strengths
Not being the loudest person on the team can be a good thing. Introverts are often fantastic listeners, and they notice things that their extroverted colleagues probably do not. Use that strength to your advantage and use it as a way to earn brownie points for catching problems before anyone else.
Find your introvert superpower and play it to your advantage. Most introverts are also incredibly well-read – which means you probably know things that some of your colleagues do not.
-
Build Relationships
Understandably, building relationshipsas an introvert takes more work than for the extroverted folks. By nature, most introverts have an intense dislike of idle chit-chat, but that makes it hard to build relationships at work.
However uncomfortable it is for you at first, push through it and build relationships with your colleagues – particularly those you have to work with daily.
To End
Introverts are a welcome addition to most workplaces, especially when there are plenty extroverts around. You balance each other out, and when you have hashed out your differences, you quickly realize that you each bring something of value to the team.
