Communication Toolkit for Introverts: With practical techniques optimized for introverts, find your voice in everyday business situations

Self-reflection is conscious introspection. In our thoughts and through our talking, we examine our beliefs, feelings, and observations to improve our self-awareness.

One of our introvert preferences is to seek depth over breadth in issues and ideas. This often comes out as thinking before we speak, needing to let thoughts percolate over night or acting on specific practices, like meditation and journaling. It's likely this extra time we need to make some of our decisions that may drive some extroverts crazy.

A 1999 study's findings by Gustafson and Bennett seems to blend the best of introversion and extroversion to deduce what kind of environment might be the best for fostering self-reflection. There is no general acceptance of a definition for self-reflection, not even among researchers. There are however some simple (and some more complex) definitions.

Gustafson and Bennett define self-reflection simply as thinking over a longer period about...

Planning is a process with a range of actions: assess the current situation, set a clear goal, identify priorities and action steps, inspect what you expect, and clarify, possibly communicate a plan before implementing. There are many decisions that get made along the way of planning. Depending on what we are planning we could end up with a written plan. And of course with the plan complete, we may either want feedback or need to communicate feedback ourselves.

What is it exactly that gives introverts somewhat of an edge in this process?

There is one explanation that Dr. Debra Johnson and John Wiebe are credited with in their study of cerebral blood flow and personality. If you are interested in the study you will find it referenced at the end of this chapter. The men and women selected were close in their temperament scores. Using a positron emission tomography with 18 people they showed images of events and people to detect what areas...

You are in a conversation with a co-worker. It is a conversation to help each of you complete a particular project you are tasked with as a team. You find yourself being interrupted, regularly. Your co-worker often looks away from you to acknowledge something going on or someone walking by; you find they have more interest in something other than your current conversation. Then something you say sparks your co-worker to say, "You know that reminds me…" and the conversation goes off target.

Could you have ever imagined you would "tweet" about relevant news stories or research findings that interest you? Or did you ever think you would share ideas for people to "like" on Facebook with simply writing about them? Maybe posting a discussion question or an idea in a LinkedIn group is your preference if you are online?

Many people claim that the Internet and online social media give an advantage to introverts.

Others say this communication venue gives people, including introverts, the excuse to show up differently from who they really are.

Our communications, whether online or in-person, come from both our head and our heart. As introverts, our passion to communicate comes in part from being able to be authentic, and connect with people at a genuine and often deep level.

In allowing connected communication online or person to person to develop, there are some things that might get in our way. Whether we call these things misconceptions...

We can hear about how to do something new, but we forget it. We remember a little more or a bit better when we read about or see some new idea in action. The best learning comes from understanding and doing the thing you wish to learn.

Yes, we see or read about an introvert's strength and we do understand. We already act in these ways with our customers, close business associates, and friends. The learning is ingrained.

In the brief discussion earlier in this chapter we found how we can use our authenticity in three specific areas to pull our passion into our communication. Now let's also bridge our natural tendencies in close friendships to the wider workplace to keep grounded and maintain energy.

When we talk with someone we have a close relationship with, we are more comfortable and less inhibited...

Our introvert strengths, like the sails on a sailboat, can help us better navigate daily communications and their challenges. With this chapter completed, you may find yourself feeling better about being just as you are. At this time you know or are reminded:

Just like paying attention to the holes in the sails of a sailboat, when we focus on our strengths to build our weaknesses we can usually expect better results.

It is actually in our strengths that we build upon any weakness and if need to pull that strength along side to do it.

As you reflect back on this chapter about the introvert strengths that can help you achieve better results in your everyday business communications, ask yourself these three key things: