It was very intruiging to hear you describe yourself as an inytrovert – reading your posts here, I would never have thought of you that way. Interesting how
Having just come from a conference myself, I want to caution a bit on the flip side as well. At the end of the conference, in one of the last discussions I had, I was going on in my usual passionate, hgh-sprited way, when someone asked “Do you take uppers or something? you have so much energy!”
I was quite taken aback by this, but realized I really do get energy from good discussions. I also realized that my job has changed and I don’t have as much interaction with customers as I used to, and I really miss it.
But at the same time, that comment helped me notice that I was also going on and on, not even pausing enough for others to jump in. So not only was I being extroverted, which is fine; I was dominating nearly every conversation I was in. This is not a good thing, IMHO, certainly not in
It didn’t help that I spent the entire conference doing presentations – 5 back-to-back in 2 days – so I was sort of in “authority mode” – but fact is, I know I need to “throttle down” and focus on making sure I stop and listen to others, and really take the time to hear them.
After all, even us *apparently* extroverted IT folk don’t like those “really social” folks – marketing types, etc. – who seem to know everything, but don’t really say anything… and I realized I had allowed myself to become one of them.
If nothing else, I expect some of my opportunities at this conference were lost because I kept jabbering on, and didn’t take the time to hear the other side, or even just let others express agreement with me.
So, it cuts both ways – but with a bit of effort, we can all seek the happy(-ier) middle.
