Introversion: Maybe it’s not what you think it is

Sometimes it’s really hard to tell why people are the way they are, especially coworkers or managers. There are so many different factors that go into a person and who they are. However, even understanding a little about that person will help build comradery and a productive work place.

What introversion is, and what it isn’t

There’s a common misconception about introversion. It goes something like this: introverts are shy, quiet, underconfident, delicate creatures who hate being around other people, are heading for a lonely old age and who will likely die sad, regretful, and alone. Fortunately, the truth is rather different. Introversion isn’t about social confidence, it’s about what energizes us, and about where we focus our attention.

Carl Jung originated the concept of introversion way back in 1909, as referring to people who prefer to focus on their inner world of thoughts and feelings, where extraversion refers to people who prefer to focus their attention on what’s happening in the outside world. Notice that word ‘prefer’. Introverts can and do engage with the outside world, typically very successfully; but given the chance, they prefer to spend more time in their inner world. If they can’t do this, they will eventually need to go and spend some time on their own to recharge their batteries.

Extraverts, on the other hand, will get de-energized if they have to spend too much time on their own. So if you are someone who likes to think things through before saying anything or before getting into action, enjoy spending time reflecting on things and find this energizing, and don’t want to be around people too much of the time, maybe you are someone with an introversion preference.

All introverts have their extraverted side

Just because someone is an introvert, that doesn’t mean that they spend all their time locked inside their own skull. The full framework of personality type, as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment, shows which activities an introvert will prefer to do out in the world, and which they would prefer to do inside their head. Here’s an example – me.

My MBTI type is INTP. That stands for introversion, iNtuition (I prefer ideas and the big picture to facts and details), Thinking (I prefer to make decisions logically rather than based on my values or on how people will be affected) and Perceiving (I enjoy going with the flow and tend to feel constrained by plans and structure). The way in which these different aspects of my personality combine dynamically means that when I need to solve a problem, using my Thinking, I need to do this quietly by myself, but when I need to be creative and generate new ideas, using my Intuition, I’m better off doing this with people – even though I’m an introvert, I enjoy brainstorming.

All introverts have their extraverted side – and all extraverts have their introverted side. Type dynamics, the way in which a person’s extraversion or introversion preference combines dynamically with other parts of their type shows what aspects of their personality they will use in an extraverted way, and what aspects they will use in an introverted way. Type dynamics also accounts for why, if you only see someone in one particular context, you may think that an introvert is an extravert, or vice versa.

Five flavors of introversion

Having an underlying preference for either extraversion or introversion is likely something we’re born with, but genetics isn’t the only thing that determines who we are and what we do. As we go through life from childhood onwards, we all have different journeys, and these shape the way in which we typically behave. Depending on our past experiences and our current situation, we may express our underlying preference for extraversion or introversion in different ways. The MBTI Step II assessment explores five flavors of extraversion and introversion, five nuances in the way people apply their underlying preference:

• Initiating – Receiving. Most introverts behave in receiving way when they meet new people. They tend to wait for another person to initiate contact or to find a person they know to talk to rather than approaching someone new. They generally don’t enjoy small talk, but they can (and will) talk at length about subjects they are interested in. However, most extraverts, and a small percentage of introverts, typically take the opposite initiating approach, happy to introduce themselves to new people and start a conversation.
• Expressive – Contained. Most introverts process their thoughts internally and may not share their views; when they do it’s likely that they will only share what they see as relevant, and only to the people who they think need to know. They can be hard to read and they typically see themselves as private; they are good at keeping secrets. They have a contained style, in contrast to most extraverts, who take the opposite expressive
• Gregarious – Intimate. Most introverts would say that they have a small number of close friends and make a clear distinction between these and a larger group of other people that they would see as acquaintances. They develop relationships with a few significant people over time. They have an intimate, rather than a gregarious, approach.
• Active – Reflective. Typically, introverts learn best by reading and writing, and prefer a quiet place to do this; extraverts usually learn best by doing. Introverts like to reflect on issues and think things through before meeting up to discuss; extraverts would rather get straight down to meeting people face to face. Most introverts have a reflective style, most extraverts an active
• Enthusiastic – Quiet. Most introverts have a quiet They tend to avoid the spotlight, can be seen as reserved and quiet, and prefer calm to noisy environments. At their best, they are seen as serene and can be a calming influence. Most extraverts have an enthusiastic style, enjoying being the center of attention, wanting to be where the buzz is, and finding conversations stimulating.

Related: High-performing teams: The hidden dynamics team leaders need to know

The Step II assessment looks at how we express our preferences, and so it accounts for individual differences in personality, where for example an introvert sometimes behaves like an extravert, and why. It’s also great for coaching and leadership development, especially with people who feel they have “done” the MBTI before. And it can also be used for more advanced teamwork applications.

Bringing it together

In some ways, every introvert is like every other introvert; in many ways, they are different from every other introvert. Type dynamics lets you see which parts of their personality an introvert will use in an introverted way, inside their head. The MBTI Step II framework a more personalized, tailored, unique picture of their personality. Together, they can give an insight into the rich reality of being an introvert.

John Hackston is a chartered psychologist and Head of Thought Leadership at The Myers-Briggs Company where he leads the company’s Oxford-based research team.