The Talkative -Silent Sweet Spot
In the previous posts, I’ve discussed how introverts and extroverts can operate successfully in a work environment. But I think that the most successful people find the talkative -introverted sweet spot. That is, they can call on either set of skills as the situation warrants. So, I’m doing one final example of a meeting.
If you tend to extroversion, you should pay most attention to the left-hand column for tips on being effective. The introverts have a similar column on the right.
Starting the Talkative –Extroverted conversation right
| Extroverted Philippa | People | Dialog | Introverted Andrew |
| Prep for meeting: Remember to: · Ask opinions of others · Confirm agreement to solution · Build on suggestions | Topic of Meeting: How to coordinate use of 3D printer given recent complaints from both Philippa’s and Andrew’s units | Prep for meeting: · Prepare argument · Practice delivery · Identify possible objections | |
| You’ve signaled you want to work cooperatively. | Philippa: | I’ve got an idea of how this might work. Mind if I start things off? | |
| Andrew: | Sure, but I have a proposal, too. | You created a space to come back to your idea. | |
| You’re asking for feedback rather than assuming agreement. | Philippa: | This seems easy to solve. We just assign each section specific days for printer access. What do you think? | |
| Andrew: | I don’t think that will work. | Oops, slipping a bit by not clarifying. | |
| Good listening! | Philippa: | Why not? | |
| Andrew: | People may need the printer for a bit and then not for several months. | Back on track. | |
| Listening AND building on an idea. | Philippa: | Hmm—okay, I see your point. What about a sign-up sheet? |
Defending your point of view amicably
| Andrew: | But my guys think they should get more time, period. Because they run prototypes for every stage of their projects. | You got out your proposal and provided an explanation. | |
| Defend your idea without steamrollering. | Philippa: | Hey, whoa there. My guys need to prototype a lot, too. | |
| Andrew: | Not as much as mine. | Okay, now we’re slipping into no-you-aren’t, yes-I-am territory. | |
| Reprise Andrew: | (Hand out sheet). I did an analysis of the usage. My guys use it 60% of the time to your 40%. That’s how to split usage. | You had identified a possible objection and prepared for it. | |
| Philippa: | Just a couple of months isn’t a good picture. Tim hasn’t used the printer since June but needs a series of models soon. | ||
| Andrew: | So, you think usage will vary widely. | You’re listening—your strength. | |
| Philippa: | Sure. Why not have people project usage and assign days based on that? | ||
| Andrew: | I don’t know. People might not be able to predict well. | ||
| You are seeking agreement. | Philippa: | How about trying it for a couple of months to see if it works? | |
| Andrew: | I suppose that we could and then discuss it in February. |
Do you end up with the best solution?
Who knows. But falling into our proclivities—extroverts assuming agreement without checking and introverts not raising their objections—seems sure to make a good solution even less likely. If both introverts and extroverts try to move to some extroverted -introverted middle ground, then they can play both sides—coming up with ideas but checking for agreement; tabling objections but working through the solutions, etc. Sounds like good team work, no?
No Comments
Comments are closed.