16 Strategies To Being An Effective Introverted Worker

According to a series of studies, roughly one-third to half of the US population may be introverted.

Thanks to this, along with the efforts of Susan Cain’s manifesto, “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking,” more and more people have started to become more accepting of introverted employees. Not only that, but it’s helped immensely introverted workers to embrace and champion their overly serious and reflective style within the workplaces.

While all of these efforts are great, it’s still not enough. Many introverts at work can still be faced with a lot challenges and that’s especially true in team dynamics. It becomes especially tough when teams or offices are full of individuals who want to brainstorm, collaborate and be constantly around other people. Particularly, if these groups expect you to be similar and to be more involved.

The reality about introverts is that it’s not about whether these individuals are shy or outgoing. According to Karen Wickre, former Google executive, now editorial director of Twitter and the author of “Taking the Work out of Networking: An Introvert’s Guide to Making Connections that Count,” being introverted or extraverted boils down more to how you recharge after long days that drain your energy. In the cases of introverts, they recharge by having quiet time. More or less, it’s time alone that helps them recharge and regroup themselves before they are ready to get back out into the world.

But there are other factors that determine whether you are an introverted or extroverted person. Fortunately for you, there are a lot of online tests you can take that’ll help you figure that out. And if you find out that you are introverted, below we share 16 strategies that will allow you to excel in the workplace.

Taking Your Super Powers To Work

As an introvert, you might not think you have super powers, but you actually do. You actually have some pretty valuable super powers that work well in a workplace atmosphere. Introverts are known for their ability to listen on a deep level, have the capacity to be both curious and highly observant too. This is particularly important, as a workplace has a lot of unspoken things about it. These unspoken rules and customs are based on folkways, as well as the history of the place. For introverts, being able to understand the dynamics of this and the people within it is valuable. It adds context and explains why certain people do something specific and prioritize some things over the others.

Learning To Make Small Talk Completely Painless

As much as introverts cringe at small talk, it’s important to know that small talk, regardless of the person, creates a momentary bond with that person. Not only that, but it also puts people at ease and is generally a lot better than just being silent. If you participate in small talks, people are going to find you approachable, which can only help you in the long-term. The only thing you need to keep in mind is that small talk is never anything deeply personal. On top of that, small talk is simply that it shouldn’t be taking a long amount of time. On top of that, small talk is pretty harmless to begin with, anyone can say just about anything about the weather, their favorite sports team, or the traffic.

Building A Brain Trust

Cross-training is another great thing for workers allowing departments and employees the opportunity to work closely with one another. But while there are many upsides to this, this can be quite challenging for introverts. In team settings, networking and being able to speak up at larger team meetings can be challenging. In those situations you’re going to need a solid network of contacts that you can count on. This is doubly important for introverts.

But one thing that is available for introverts is the idea of a brain trust. In short, it’s a small group of people that you introduce into your network one by one. How you do this is you go out with the goal of looking for one person after a meeting or event and invite them to a one-on-one chat with you. Whether it’s coffee lunch or even a hallway chat and walk, the idea is to build a connection with them. In the end, you’ll grow a network that you can informally turn to what’ll help you understand the ins and outs at work.

Showing Up To Office Parties

I get it, you’re not a huge fan of parties and for an introvert they can be especially draining and unpleasant. However, regardless of what the office culture is like, there are particular events that should never be skipped. Those being holiday parties and summer outings. But before you start groaning, do keep in mind that there is nothing explicitly telling you that you need to be at the event from the beginning to the end.

Taking this sort of approach is perfectly fine in this case, but there is a certain way to do it. For one, you need to get there early as there will be less people. On top of that, it’s important for you to make a few circuits around the room with a drink in your hand. Through this circuit the idea is to talk to a few of your colleagues, the manager, and even the CEO, if the company is small enough. You also want to take some time to talk to other stakeholders of the company if any are present. In short, you want to be doing this for an hour, making small talk and saying hello to others before heading off.