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Introversion in the workplace- are introverts discriminated against?

That's not real twins, only noob twins are male/female.

Trust me, I'm an expert on twins.
 
ENTJ, but closer to I and P the last time I took it (at 24) than the first time I took it (at 19). The N and T are both under 10 but haven't really changed.

WFU03- You may not have total control over your personality, but you most certainly have a choice of how you act in a social or work situation.
 
cookoutdeac said:
That's not real twins, only noob twins are male/female.

Trust me, I'm an expert on twins.
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The way I see it: You have a boss. Your boss wants you to do something (be more socially engaging/extroverted/write TPS reports/whatever). You do it. Or, you don't do it and live with the consequences. Or, third option = stand up to your boss and say what you think and feel in a professional way and then see what happens.

But overall, you are voluntarily doing the job so 'you best be doing' what the bossman wants. If you don't want to, then I urge you to quit and find a work environment that is more in line with who you are.

All this being said from experience.
 
lbE08 said:
ENTJ, but closer to I and P the last time I took it (at 24) than the first time I took it (at 19). The N and T are both under 10 but haven't really changed.

WFU03- You may not have total control over your personality, but you most certainly have a choice of how you act in a social or work situation.
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To a limited extent, I agree. However, there are very few industries that are not structurally biased in favor of extraverts and extraverted associated behaviors. Off the top of my head, I can think of academia, monasteries, and many technical jobs.

The real question for me is, let's say you take the OP. He just blew his targets away. Would you rather him spend 50% of his energy pretending (perhaps only halfway convincingly) to be an extrovert and only beat his targets by 10% or have co-workers think he's weird and beat his targets by 81%? In my view, it's poor management to try to get him to become an extravert. If you have a solid performer, but him in a position that allows him to maximize his talents and minimizes his shortcomings. If his boss views the current position as that position, then quit complaining about him not being outgoing and friendly enough. Just deal with it as part of the overall package you get from him.
 
I'm gonna love that guy as a worker. I am also going to point out the other stuff in reviews and never promote him to another role that requires stepping outside the introvert box. Reviews arent normally all rah rah you're awesome, they are for criticism to help you improve.
 
I don't think a lot of you really understand what being an introvert means. It doesn't mean you have no social skills, or simply CAN'T function in a social setting. I am quite introverted and I can operate just fine in typical business settings, but it exhausts me.

In my work, I have to be on the phone and presenting a lot. I would probably be much more productive if I didn't have to focus on that so much. Not so much because it eats away at my time, although that is true to an extent. It's more that constantly talking and interacting and presenting takes a LOT out of me, both in preparation and recovery. Now you put me in a situation where I can work on my own and write, etc. I'll knock stuff out all day long and not even be tired.
 
RaleighDeacon said:
I don't think a lot of you really understand what being an introvert means. It doesn't mean you have no social skills, or simply CAN'T function in a social setting. I am quite introverted and I can operate just fine in typical business settings, but it exhausts me.

In my work, I have to be on the phone and presenting a lot. I would probably be much more productive if I didn't have to focus on that so much. Not so much because it eats away at my time, although that is true to an extent. It's more that constantly talking and interacting and presenting takes a LOT out of me, both in preparation and recovery. Now you put me in a situation where I can work on my own and write, etc. I'll knock stuff out all day long and not even be tired.
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Very well described. It's all about where you get your energy from and what drains your energy. Almost all people can function in social settings. The big difference is that this re-energizes extraverts, while it drains introverts. The opposite is also true.
 
Well if you don't have a good personality then you shouldn't be a leader.
 
CerealPiss said:
Well if you don't have a good personality then you shouldn't be a leader.
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i don't know where this person came from, but i agree with the post. if someone doesn't have the personality to lead people or the ability to fake it for work, it's unfair to everyone to put that person in a leadership/management position. this is not discrimination, this is a matter of making the best decisions for the workgroup and organization as a whole.
 
I play Stevie Wonder's "Innervisions" in my workplace. I realize thats not the same, but its pretty awesome.
 
cookoutdeac said:
Interesting article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...95d-11e2-95b3-272d604a10a3_story.html?hpid=z2

bump
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I saw this on reddit last night. It's a good article but I think it kind of points out the obvious. The fact is most people in this country are a little bit of both and human beings in general are far more complicated than a Myers-Briggs personality test. That's not to say that these type of tests aren't useful because they most certainly are. Too many people believe that being introverted means being shy. Those two are not one in the same, even though they are often paired together. There are plenty of people who feel energized and refreshed after socializing on a large scale and there are also plenty of people who feel like closing themselves off from everyone after a lot of socializing. Obviously depending on your mood, you may feel both from time to time.

I've learned, in my limited sales experience, that listening is far more important than whatever crap is floating around your brain at the time. Like people have said earlier in this thread, there is a time to turn on the aggressive socializing and a time to turn it off and relax. If you grew up a spoiled and selfish individual, you may find it difficult to listen to people who are your potential customers. And to their defense, it can be tiresome to listen to some people because some people are really boring. But if you have an opportunity to help your career out, it's probably worth sucking it up and concentrating your efforts into making it a positive experience. It's just like dating, conversations need to be organic and not forced. People like interacting with other humans, not energy-sapping droids.
 
buckets said:
thought it was a whack conclusion. basically, the extreme ends of one personality trait end up selling less software than those who are more moderate. great research, bro.
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So total extroverts aren't optimal employees, which is what seems to have been suggested throughout this thread.
 
I had my annual review a few days ago. I've been here almost four years and my direct supervisor is leaving at the end of August - so naturally much of his review was in the context of me potentially taking over his position. One of the things he said I need to "improve" was my "visibility around the office" and my "participation/body language in meetings." Apparently I don't walk around and talk to people enough (at least not enough to be immediately promoted to VP) and I tend to look annoyed during meetings (guilty).

I consider myself an extrovert, but I'm purposely not at the office because a) most of the people I work with are morons, and b) I'd rather just get my shit done and leave when I want. So I had to withhold my aggressive laughter until after my review ended.

Oh, and the best part? He also said I should chime in and say something during every meeting just so people know I'm paying attention. Speaking just to hear your own voice! Corporate America! Ugh. I need to pull a Peter Gibbons.
 
PhilliesDeacs said:
I had my annual review a few days ago. I've been here almost four years and my direct supervisor is leaving at the end of August - so naturally much of his review was in the context of me potentially taking over his position. One of the things he said I need to "improve" was my "visibility around the office" and my "participation/body language in meetings." Apparently I don't walk around and talk to people enough (at least not enough to be immediately promoted to VP) and I tend to look annoyed during meetings (guilty).

I consider myself an extrovert, but I'm purposely not at the office because a) most of the people I work with are morons, and b) I'd rather just get my shit done and leave when I want. So I had to withhold my aggressive laughter until after my review ended.

Oh, and the best part? He also said I should chime in and say something during every meeting just so people know I'm paying attention. Speaking just to hear your own voice! Corporate America! Ugh. I need to pull a Peter Gibbons.
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Truthfully, if you're not saying anything in meetings, do you need to be/should you be there?
 
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