Introverted Personality Traits at Work

How Introverts Can Succeed in the Workplace

Dec 7, 2007 Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen

Some jobs require traits that aren't natural for introverts. Understanding introverted personality characteristics makes it easier for introverts to succeed at work.

If introverted personality traits affect your work, remember that introverts have a different set of characteristics, skills and talents than extroverts. These characteristics make interesting (and sometimes challenging) for introverts and extroverts to work together!

When introverts at work are misunderstood, they are thought to be uncooperative, withdrawn, or unmotivated. An introvert at work may appear not to be a team player.

“Unlike extroverts, who wear their personalities on their sleeves, introverts often keep their best to themselves. With extroverts you see what you get,” say Otto Kroeger and Janet Thuesen, authors of Type Talk at Work. “With introverts, what you see is only a portion of their personality. The richest and most trusted parts of an introvert’s personality are not necessarily shared with the outside world. It takes time, trust, and special circumstances for them to begin to open up.”

Introverts at work may not appear as “together” as extroverts. Since introverts are quiet and prefer to listen instead of speak, introverts at work often surprise coworkers and supervisors with their depth of knowledge.

The following characteristics of introverts at work are adapted from The Introvert Advantage by Marti Olsen Laney.

Characteristics of Introverts at Work

Introverts at work tend to:

• Like quiet for concentration.
• Care about their work and workplace.
• Work well with little supervision (you can usually trust an introvert at work to stay on task).
• Work alone contentedly.
• Seem quiet and aloof.
• Need to be asked for their opinions (introverts at work rarely volunteer information).
• Need to think and reflect before acting.
• Have trouble communicating (though not all introverts at work struggle with communication)
• Dislike intrusions and interruptions.
• Be reluctant to delegate.

Since North American culture promotes teamwork and communication, introverts at work may struggle to succeed at work. Extroverts at work enjoy attention, network well, and are good at marketing themselves. These personality traits make them appear to be better at their jobs than introverts, but appearances are often deceiving!

Happy, Successful Introverts at Work

To be succeed at work, introverts must:

1. be aware of their introverted personality characteristics; and
2. be willing to tell coworkers and supervisors about their introverted characteristics

The more introverted personality traits are understood, the more comfortable introverts will be at work -- and the more they'll succeed!

If you found Introverted Personality Traits at Work helpful, try:

• Am I An Introvert?
• Introverts Aren't Highly Sensitive People
• The Big Five Personality Traits

The copyright of the article Introverted Personality Traits at Work in Psychology is owned by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen. Permission to republish Introverted Personality Traits at Work in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Introverts at Work

Comments

Nov 27, 2008 3:45 PM

Guest :

I recently received a performance review, and my supervisor kept talking about how I don't communicate, and how she feels as though she does not know who I am. I had to explain to her that I am an introvert.

Dec 29, 2008 9:19 PM

Guest :

Wow... So I spent 20 years of my life figuring out what was wrong with me to come to this? It IS OK to be normal. Weird. I was always told by my father that it was not normal and that I should practice being a socialist. It didn't work, so I thought something wrong with me. Now I read this and there actually isn't something wrong. It's just a person's personality. Ian

Jan 10, 2009 7:40 PM

Guest :

This is a useful overview- I am a natural introvert with a highly extroverted boss and was recently pulled up for my "standard of behaviour" as I don't make enough small talk and am "too focussed" and she "wishes she knew me better". It is tough, and draining, to play the extrovert to keep colleagues happy and sit through endless meetings, presentations, conferences etc - though I do all these things well I feel exhausted by the pressure towards extroversion in the workplace. It seems if you're not talking you're not worth anything...

Aug 22, 2009 5:28 PM

Guest :

I am an introvert and I struggle in the workplace... I specially hate small talk and any social event (which are very important in hte workplace today.) And I do realize that I hate to talk about myself. But I am willing to make the effort... If it doesn't work, I will have to work from home...

Sep 9, 2009 7:41 AM

Guest :

I know that I am an introvert and do my best to be socialable. I have trouble with job interviews and tests. I recently found out that I failed a test in a job competition which required that I participate in three situational role plays. For another competition, I was informed that I was not "exuberant" enough when responding to a situational question. I answered the questions fully, correctly and thoughtfully - just without the compassion or gushing emotion that was desired. How can introverts compete for jobs when the tests are based on extrovert communication skills? Suggestions welcome -

Sep 9, 2009 6:57 PM

Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen :

Hi,

I’m sorry you’re having so much trouble finding a job – especially when job hunting is stressful enough on its own!

You didn’t fail the test in the job competition; you just weren’t the right person for the job. Those aren’t pass or fail tests, they’re just designed to assess whether you’re the right person for the job. It sounds like you just haven’t found the right match yet…but you will. And trust me, it’ll be worth the wait. It’s better to wait for the right job than to have to twist your personality to suit the wrong job.

I wrote an article called Job Interview Strategies for Introverts, here on Suite101. I can’t post links here, but if you search for “job interview strategies for introverts” in Google, it should be on the first page of results.

Also -- I've written several other articles about introverted personality traits and talking to people. The best way to find them is to go to my Psychology blog. To get to those articles, just click on my name in blue at the top of this page, then click on "Read Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen's blog" on the right side. Scroll down to "A Letter From an Introvert" or “Resources for Introverts and Extroverts.” You can also find it in the August, 2009 and May, 2009 list on the side panel.

Best wishes,
Laurie

Sep 27, 2009 1:38 PM

Guest :

This article proposes to give tips for introverts to succeed at work, and instead spends most of the time describing what an introvert is. Then it gives two points on how they might do better. Not a very useful article for the introverts who need it and completely uninteresting for extroverts. I wish I'd never read it.

7 Comments