Frances Horibe's

Being Quiet Can Do You In As discussed in the last post, being extroverted rather than introverted is more likely to reap the rewards companies have to offer. Even if you are not interested in money or promotions, being too quiet can still cause you problems. YOU are in a meeting with your boss, Jeff, and a colleague, Narita. A limited amount of extra research money has become available and Jeff will decide whether YOUR project or Narita’s gets it. You know that your research is more important than hers, and therefore it’s only rational you should get the money. Why is Jeff bothering with the meeting? Narita: Hi, Jeff, how are the kids? Jeff: Great, thanks. Kaitlain’s team just won the regional finals. You: [silence] Jeff: Guys, I don’t have a lot of extra money and it won’t have much impact if I split it between you two, so I’m giving it to only one. Narita: Great, I’ve done the analysis, Jeff, and I can deliver three months earlier with the infusion of new money. You: Can I see the analysis? Narita: Sure, I’ll send it to you. Three months gives us a jump on production. We might be…

Can You Be Successful if You’re Shy? Business is the land of the extrovert, not for the shy. It is estimated that 75% of the work population are extroverts. I have some trouble with this stat. Seventy-five percent of the people I know aren’t extroverts. But I can round this square if I amend the statement slightly to say that 75% of the people act extroverted in the work place. Why would a reserved person fake extroversion at work? Because research shows that extroverts have more money-earning capacity and more promotions. Meanwhile, the hard-working quiet ones who do all the heavy lifting don’t necessarily reap the rewards they should from their efforts. So, can you be successful at work if you are an introvert? That’s what we’re going to explore, but first: What does being shy or introverted mean? Psychology Today has a good definition. Generally I think an easy way to recognize it in yourself is whether you draw energy from being on your own, or in the company of others. It’s not all or nothing, of course. You might enjoy the TGIF with the guys or the pick-up hockey games on the weekends and still need time on…