May 20, 2019

In every office, there are two types of employees: introverts and extroverts. Extroverts are easy to spot because they thrive in social situations: they love to talk with groups, they have no problem “thinking on their feet” and they feel energized around others.

Introverts are a little different. They do best in one-on-one situations and feel nervous or awkward in large groups (like team meetings). They feel best when they can consider their answer before responding, so they’re not as prone to quick answers during discussions. They have a tendency to get drained in social situations and need alone time to get their energy back up.

In short, introverts need a little coaxing and the right situations in which to speak up.

How to help your introverts communicate

By enabling a variety of channels for communication, you can encourage quiet employees to participate and share:

  1. Hold in-person and call-in meetings. Conference calls can be less threatening for introverts because they don’t involve the same “stage fright” as speaking face to face at meetings. Offerings different styles of meetings can make a big difference for introverts.
  2. Meet regularly one-on-one. A quieter employee who clams up in team meetings may have no problem sharing their thoughts and ideas during a one-on-one with the boss.
  3. Circulate an agenda before meetings. Introverts do best when they can think ahead and prepare what they’d like to say. By providing a list of topics to be discussed, you make it much more likely for an introvert to speak up.
  4. Don’t talk too much. Many employees won’t attempt to pipe up and interrupt their boss. When you speak with your workers, don’t jump right in with your own opinions—give others the chance to offer suggestions and say something.
  5. Keep an open door policy. This way, all employees know they can come to you whenever a question, concern or idea pops up.

Keep an open mind

Just because an employee doesn’t readily offer up their thoughts doesn’t mean they don’t have any. Extroverts are the “squeaky wheels” in your organization, but this doesn’t mean they should always get the oil. Give all your workers the opportunity to communicate by creating the means for them to do so.

Staff up with Inter-Connect

Regardless of your staffing needs, Inter-Connect is here to help! We’ll work with you to understand your goals and formulate a staffing plan that works. To learn more, contact us today!

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