Frances Horibe's

More Ways to be Successful with your Introversion In the last post, I discussed how to up your chances to get extra research money by taking a more active role in shaping how things roll out. There are other ways to be successful even with your introversion tendencies. Introversion prevents these extroverted actions Speaking up: There are undoubtedly situations where you have an opinion about how your unit should function. You typically might not engage in the debate or, if you feel really strongly, go to the boss afterwards to get him to change his mind. This is usually doomed to failure. You need to be able to speak up at the time if it impacts your work in a significant way. Putting yourself forward: It would be nice to think that all your good, hard, and even innovative work will be hailed and loudly lauded. If that is happening at your work place, stay where you are—you’re not gonna get it anywhere else. Typically, the quiet ones are either taken for granted or, at best, are thrown a bone (“Oh, yeah, that Amber—backbone of the unit.”) But backbones don’t get the to-die-for assignments—mouths do. If you want something that…

Faking Extroversion In the last post, I gave you an example of when introversion can prevent you from being successful even if it’s not about salary or promotions. This is where faking can come in. How faking extroversion helps There were several times during that interaction when your introversion didn’t help you get the extra research money. I won’t replay the whole conversation, but pick some bits to discuss. Narita claims she did an analysis: Narita: Great, I’ve done the analysis, Jeff, and I can deliver three months earlier with the infusion of new money. Introverts typically need time to reflect before they can react. Springing claims in the meeting can be off-putting. But you could have said: You: That’s great, Narita. Could you walk us through the analysis? This gives you time to reflect—still a bit on the fly but better than nothing. You try to get a focus on the data: 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 able to make the spring sales conference instead of the fall’s. She breezed by the lack of analysis to the carrot she is…

Being Introverted 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, you may still want to learn to fake extroversion. Here’s an example of what happens if you don’t. 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…

Can You Be Successful if You’re an Introvert? Business is the land of the extrovert, not the introvert. 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, even if they aren’t outside it. 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 is an introvert? Psychology Today has a good definition, but generally I think an easy way to recognize it in yourself and others is whether you draw energy from being on your own, or get invigorated when you are in the company of others. It’s not all or nothing, of course. You might enjoy the TGIF with the guys or the…

How to Combine Team and Career Ambition In my post, When Not to Take One for the Team, YOU were told that you had to take one for the team by not attending a conference you really want. You might have felt that, in that post, you gave into your boss Gwen’s insistence too easily. But as I pointed out in Downsides of Refusing to Take One for the Team, you can pay a price in your career ambition for refusing to accept the decision and stubbornly sticking to your ‘right’ to go. But you might be able to get something of what you want while avoiding the negative feelings that emanate if you insist. Compromise to help your ambition Let’s return to the conversation. This is what happened when you were pushing for an all-or-nothing solution. Gwen: Still, if nobody volunteers, I think we have to go with whose work is least relevant. You: Well, I think it’s relevant but if you think that it’s right for the team… Here’s another way to take this. Gwen: Still, if nobody volunteers, I think we have to go with whose work is least relevant. You: I was wondering if we could…