14 Ways Introversion Shows up at Work (That You Might Not Be Aware Of)

You’d have to be living on another planet not to have heard about introverts. But how do you know if you are one?

Many people misunderstand what it means to be introverted. It’s probably not what you think!

Here are 14 ways introversion shows up at work (including some you might not be aware of). Do you recognise yourself in any of these? If so, it’s likely you’re an introvert.

1.      You find it difficult to speak when you’re put on-the-spot.

You’re in a meeting and someone asks you a question or wants your opinion on something you hadn’t anticipated.

Your brain freezes, it’s difficult to think. You stumble over your words or say something garbled. You think of what you should have said soon after the meeting ends.  

2.      You dislike group brainstorming.

You find it difficult to process information and ideas thrown around at random by a group of people.

You do your best thinking alone. You like to reflect and decide what you think before sharing your opinions with others.

3.       You prefer one-on-one or small group conversations.

Big meetings, conferences, office parties. These are not events you particularly enjoy. You feel overwhelmed and it’s hard to participate.

You prefer situations where you can meet with one other person, or in a small group. You find it easier to stay engaged and take part in the conversation that way.

4.      You feel like a zombie after a day of back-to-back meetings.

Back-to-back meetings do your head in. They drain your energy, leaving you with nothing left over at the end of the day. Relationships with friends and family suffer when all you want is space to yourself to recover. 

5.      You dislike open plan offices.

The switch to remote and hybrid work is something you welcome. You enjoy being in the office occasionally but not every day because it leaves you feeling frazzled.

The noise and interruptions play havoc with your concentration and productivity. You find it easier to focus when you work from home.

6.      You express yourself better in writing than speaking.

You find it easier to communicate in an email or document than you do by speaking in a meeting or presentation.

7.      You’re reserved (but not necessarily shy).

You like being with people but don’t enjoy chit-chat and will go out of your way to avoid ‘water cooler’ moments. You’re not one for superficial conversations. You’d rather spend your breaks getting into a deep-and-meaningful with someone, or escape on your own for a bit.

Your immediate team know you well but colleagues in other departments might say you’re a bit of a mystery.

8.      You’re told you’re ‘too quiet’ (but have plenty to say when others let you).

You’re frustrated when people assume you’re shy or don’t have anything to say. In fact you have a huge amount going on in your head and would love to share some of it out loud.

But other people don’t let you get a word in. You find it hard to jump in at the right time. And by the time you know what you want to say the discussion has moved on.

9.      Your leadership style is supportive and democratic.

You might see yourself as a reluctant leader. You prefer to lead from behind or alongside people rather than from the front.

Your style has more in common with servant leadership than it does with command-and-control.

10.  You prefer to stay in the background.

You don’t seek the spotlight, it makes you uncomfortable. So you shrink into the background and stay hidden. You’d much rather give others the opportunity to shine.

The idea of ‘selling yourself’ fills you with dread. You don’t want to come across as boastful.

11.  You find presenting easier than answering questions.

It’s easier to deliver a prepared speech or presentation than it is to answer spontaneous questions or mingle with the audience afterwards.

12.  Listening comes more naturally than talking.

You’re not in a hurry to speak and are more inclined to take a back seat and listen to what’s going on around you.

When you are ready to speak you’re sparing with words. You don’t like speaking for the sake of it.

13.  You enjoy socialising with colleagues but find it draining.

You feel conflicted about ‘enforced fun’ (office parties and the like).

On the one had you enjoy connecting with colleagues and getting to know them more informally. But after an hour or so you feel drained and want to leave (but feel compelled to stay).

14.  You avoid networking events.

You avoid big events like conferences and drinks receptions. Not only are they exhausting, you find small talk boring and don’t see the point. It’s not that you’re shy, you just prefer more meaningful, in-depth conversations.

Over to you

Did you recognise yourself in this? How many of these can you tick off?

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