During a conversation with a friend at a recent networking event, I happened to mention how much I disliked those types of events—because I’m an introvert and I find it difficult to form deep connections at large networking events.
My friend almost spit out his drink in laughter.
Those of you who know me well may have had the same reaction if you’d heard me say those words. I am known as someone who’s always out and about, talking to pretty much anyone.
So how can I be an introvert if I’m an extrovert?
I believe that many of us are both—one is usually more dominant than the other. On the Myers Briggs introvert/extrovert scale, I fall pretty close to the middle.
I am extroverted in that I get energized when I’m in an environment surrounded by people. I’m confident, action-oriented and often easily distracted. I’m generally a pretty open person and I know a lot of people.
On the flip side, I usually prefer to have one-on-one conversations with people and I tend to be more reserved. I’m also a good listener and have strong relationships with people. Together, those traits make up the introvert in me.
So why is knowing this about oneself important? It’s all about building relationships, which is a core priority for us at J2.
If you recognize your own personal character traits, it will give you great insight into other people and how you may choose to act with them. For a project manager, this means understanding the different personality types on your team—which ultimately fosters better communication and drives more successful project outcomes.
What category do you fall into, and how can you use that knowledge to drive your own relationships?
“If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” – Atticus Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Have a nice weekend.
Vijay