Comment:     by John Daughety 6/7/2006 I had a most interesting experience early in my career, when I reported to the CFO of a company. I attended many meetings with him, excited to have the chance to see senior management people in action. While my expectations were fulfilled, I also got to see a different type of personality, and I am wondering if he could be considered an introvert or an extrovert. He was very uncomfortable in meetings until there was a conflict, at which point his energy level increased noticeably. I also believe he relaxed a lot as soon as things got adversarial! I think he may have missed his true calling as a trial attorney, but I found it fascinating...Read On Author's Response: 6/7/2006     I’m glad you like the topic. Extroverts and introverts sometimes display similar behavior, but driven by different causes or internal motivations. So it would be inappropriate for me to judge, based solely on the information you provided, whether your CFO was an introvert or extrovert. Issues of harmony vs conflict are more often associated with other personality dimensions -- though it’s true that introverts sometimes remain very quiet till something pushes their buttons and then they let it out. It’s certainly the case that the more vocal people tend to drive the decisions, but here too, it’s important not to make assumptions. Remember, introversion and extroversion concern where people get their energy. They are NOT about air-time. Some introverts are just as forthcoming in meetings as extroverts (and conversely, some extroverts are just as reserved as introverts) There are wide variations in the behavior of each. As to how to handle situation with feisty ones (whether they are extroverts or introverts), possibilities vary depending on the context and circumstances. Possibilities include setting ground rules to ensure everyone has a say, having a facilitator to manage meetings (much as you moderate discussions with your staff), and allowing multiple methods of offering ideas such as written as well as spoken. Sometimes, the best method is good old honesty: letting the Feisty Ones know how they come across and asking them to let others have a chance – many people don’t realize how they come across to others because no one has ever told them and some would willingly modify their behavior once they know. Often, a private conversation is preferable to avoid publicly humiliating anyone. In certain situations, a talking stick is appropriate. No one can speak except the person holding the talking stick (which can be any object at all); others have to wait till it’s passed to them. This technique is usually more appropriate in team-building and conflict management situations than in routine interactions or business meetings – extroverts tend to dislike it because it stifles their spontaneity, and I can’t blame them. And much as I might be tempted, I wouldn’t recommend a talking stick for executive level meetings. :-)
	Comment:     by David Ramger 6/6/2006 It's a bit of a shame, in my opinion, that professionals need to resort to simplistic labels such as introvert and extrovert to understand each other. Where is the line between introvert and extrovert? Under what circumstances is an introvert actually acting like an extrovert? If an extrovert remains silent throughout a single hour long meeting, has that person converted to an introvert? How does mood or other external factors affect which category one falls into? Can a newly hired extrovert slowly change into an introvert once they learn the ropes and feel comfortable with the knowledge and resources they've acquired? Or can an...Read On Author's Response: 6/6/2006     You’ve raised many important issues and questions. It’s for the very reason that terms like introversion and extroversion are widely misused that I have found it so important to help educate people about them – so that people can understand what they’re really about and stop using them as harmful labels. It’s the understanding that people have of introversion and extroversion (or other personality variables) that is simplistic, not the phenomena themselves, about which there is a vast body of literature and 50+ years of research. Introversion and extroversion, according to type theory, concern inborn preferences. I’m not convinced this has been fully proven yet. In any event, though, they are not about skills or capabilities – both introverts and extroverts can learn to function in ways similar to the other, if they choose to. And introversion/extroversion are not about the behavior someone displays in a given situation. Most people behave in more extroverted or introverted ways in one context than in another (at work vs. at home, for example). Introversion and extroversion are neither good nor bad – they simply describe such things as the tendency to think out loud vs. internally and the pattern of gaining or losing energy through interaction -- any of which may change in a given individual over time. And they are just one tiny aspect of our personalities which, as you rightly pointed out, are extremely complex. I appreciate your comments.
	Comment:     by Jill Wilson 6/6/2006 The most interesting part of the article for me was the observation that introverts and extroverts derive energy in different ways. This helps me as a manager to better understand the needs of the people I work with. While extroverts are usually fun to be around, in some environments they are tough to work with since they don't work well alone and seem to "bother" others or involve others in non-work related conversations. As a manager, how do you get the extroverts on your team to focus on work without depleting their energy by depriving them of their energy...Read On Author's Response: 6/6/2006     Your team is lucky to have a manager who is motivated to understand their needs. Unfortunately, given all the other variables that influence behavior in addition to extroversion/introversion, there’s no one solution that fits all extroverts or all introverts. My preference is to treat people as mature adults and to ask them what would be most helpful to them. So if you’ve been clear with them about your expectations for their deliverables, consider asking them what will help them focus best while not draining their extroverted energy. They are likely to be more receptive to ideas that they themselves come up with.
	Comment:     by J Alexander 6/5/2006 So how shall someone handle things when the introvert is the supervisor and the extrovert is told to stop being such a "people person"? Someone needs to communicate to the team. Author's Response: 6/5/2006     Fascinating issue! I have no idea what the supervisor means by “stop being a people person” – and I doubt the employee knows either. If I were coaching the supervisor, I’d encourage him/her to privately offer the employee concrete feedback about the behavior of concern, along with expectations about future behavior. And if I were coaching the employee, I’d encourage him/her to ask the supervisor for concrete feedback. This will inform the employee, and possibly also open up a dialog about what the team needs more of or less of from the supervisor. From your comment, I also sense that the supervisor could benefit from guidance about introversion and extroversion, particularly as it relates to communicating with the team.
	Comment:     by Tanmay Vora 6/5/2006 One of my introvert team member came up to me and expressed his concerns over my ongoing communication with extrovert ones. The extrovert one usually visited me casually and threw his ideas and the introvert one did not take that in right spirit. He even thought I was being partial. It took me a while to convince/counsel him by presenting facts. Teams often have both these types and managing each one of them requires special skills and attention to personality traits. Thanks for your article. Author's Response: 6/5/2006     This is an excellent example of how easily people misinterpret the actions of others and see ill intent where none exists. Kudos to you for broadening the employee’s awareness of personality differences and for recognizing the importance of paying attention to these differences in how you manage your staff. You may find it useful to facilitate a discussion with the entire team about the communication preferences of the introverts and extroverts. If you do, I’d enjoy knowing how it turns out.

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