The Quiet Effect of Introverts in an Extroverted WorldExtroverted World

The Quiet Effect of Introverts in an Extroverted World

The room went silent and a shiver creeped up my spine.  My teacher's eyes were like big spot lights shone right at me, and my heart raced as fast as a rabbit's.  The beating of my heartbeat was the only sound I heard.  My stomach was churning, and I felt my world spinning before me.  When I opened my mouth to speak, I felt myself choking at my own breath.  After what felt like an eternity, my teacher's eyes pulled away from me and all eyes moved onto the next victim.  Thank goodness, it's finally over.  How can I survive in a world filled with all these chatty people?!  Dictionary.com defines an introvert as "a person who prefers calm environments, limits social engagement, or embraces a greater than average preference for solitude."[7]  Yet, Thesaurus.com describes an introvert similar to the terms such as brooder, egotist, narcissist, wallflower, self-observer, egoist, loner, solitary and autist.[8]  We see many negative synonyms describing an introverted person, so is being an introvert an outcast in our society today?

Society favors extroverts for their social intelligence and willingness to contribute in discussions.  People tend to take no notice of introverts, and their abilities.  Introverts are seen as people who bottle up emotions, stomach churning whenever someone mentions "public speaking".  As an introvert myself, I have had enough with the standards we now value in society and the preconceptions towards introverts.  Being an introvert is not wrong, introverts are equally as effective leaders and learners as extroverts.  It should be the society who needs to change the stereotypes of how they define introverts.  Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, illustrates "... when psychologist look at the lives of the most creative people, what they find are people who are very good at exchanging ideas and advancing ideas, have a serious streak of introversion in them.  This is because solitude is a crucial ingredient to creativity."[2]  As introverted people spend a frequent amount of time by themselves, they are able to process information more deeply.  Some renowned introverts who used their creativity to turn their ideas into a reality include Bill Gates, Albert Einstein and Mark Zuckerberg.  Teachers throughout my school years grew concerned about how reserved I was and referred me to the counselor and a speech teacher for communication disorders.  After a few meetings and talks about making new friends, I am still friendless and teachers concluded I did not have any problems with speaking.  During this period, I pondered whether or not the moments I enjoyed by myself were unhealthy.  I realized it is actually from moments alone that helped me to develop a deeper understanding of books I read, strengthen my writing skills and identify my goal to become a neurosurgeon.

Many believe extroverts possess communication skills introverts lack.  According to Healthline, the psychologist Carl Jung argued that extroverts enjoy other people's energy and get engaged around them, and they tend to have a larger social network compared to introverts.[3]  As the spirit extroverts give will reflect onto others, this then builds a sense of comfort and trust within a community.  VeryWellFamily.com adds on, claiming introverts tend to be quiet and dislike being the center of attention.  This idea is not necessarily true, as introverts actually have what is known as social selection.  Although introverts dislike being the center of attention, appear to be antisocial and seem to lack social skills, they tend to listen more than they talk and will not hesitate to speak up if they are interested about a topic.[4]  An introvert myself, I have a tendency to get passionate about subjects I am interested in, and participate actively.  I was in my school's debate club and had the freedom to research topics I cared deeply about, that we would not learn from class.  As a result, I started to learn more about my teammates and was more vocal during both our debates and conversations outside of school.  It was from the support and sense of comfort within my group that allowed me to gain the confidence to present.  In addition, Stephen Covey, an American educator, businessman and author of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, mentioned, "When you really listen to another person from their point of view, and reflect back to them that understanding, it's like giving them emotional oxygen."[5]  Despite how much society wants to change introverts, they have some very valuable talent in society that builds relationships with others.  This then begs the question of how introverts apply their strengths in order to collaborate with others.

As a matter of fact, most introverts have leadership qualities, despite the fact they are not always the first to volunteer to take charge. Introverts will step up to the plate in necessary and appropriate situations.  A study by Adam Grant, an American psychologist and a professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, discovered extroverts were better leaders with reactive followers while introverts were better leaders with proactive employees.  Extroverted leaders tend to feel threatened by proactive employees, causing ideas of other employees to be disregarded and left people feeling demotivated.  On the contrary, introverts are great listeners, they make people feel valued and share better ideas.  We live in a world where we need more proactivity from employees because the world is more dynamic and competitive.[1]  Although leaders are the ones who take charge and guide others, acknowledging or seeing others as equals can build a better sense of community and collaboration.  Teachers and bosses need to understand how to have a collaborative team with different personalities, instead of trying to change a person altogether.  There will be some people that tend to be more vocal about their opinions in team meetings, while others may prefer to schedule a one-on-one conversation.  Schools and companies just need to bring awareness on how they are like, methods include taking personality tests or having team-building exercises.

In short, instead of enforcing changes in introverts, society should change their perspectives on them.  Although introverts do not have as outgoing of a personality as extroverts, introverts are skilled in their own ways.  I used to believe being introverted was a curse, it is actually a gift which relies more on my understanding and capabilities as a person.  Heejung Kim, a Stanford University cultural psychologist, wrote, "Perhaps instead of trying to change their [introverts] ways, colleges can learn to listen to their sound of silence."[6]  Trying to change 40% of the world's personality is unrealistic, but we can change ourselves by looking through the kaleidoscope of introverts.  My teachers acknowledge my quiet side and do not question my understanding in learning, as the effort I put in my work speaks for itself.  I may not ever be the student who raises my hand at every question and my ideas are confined to the paper.  Nonetheless, my occasional participation is always a breath of fresh air to my peers.

Works Cited
1. Silverstein, Sara. "An Organizational Psychologist Explains Why Introverts Will Make Better Leaders in the Future." Business Insider, Business Insider, 4 Mar. 2019, www.businessinsider.com/adam-grant-explains-why-introverts-will-make-better-leaders-in-the-future-2019-2.
2. TEDtalksDirector, Susan Cain. "The Power of Introverts | Susan Cain." YouTube, YouTube, 2 Mar. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0KYU2j0TM4.
3. Holland, Kimberly. "What Is an Extrovert? Personality, Characteristics, Type, and More." Healthline, Healthline Media, 30 July 2018, www.healthline.com/health/what-is-an-extrovert.
4. Bainbridge, Carol. "The Truth About Introverts and Their Specific Needs." Verywell Family, 17 May 2020, www.verywellfamily.com/all-about-introverts-1449354.
5. Covey, Stephen. "Stephen Covey Quotes." BrainyQuote, Xplore, www.brainyquote.com/quotes/stephen_covey_450792.
6. Cain, Susan. "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking." Wattpad, www.wattpad.com/487123298-q-untitled-part-10/page/3.
7. "Introvert." Dictionary.com, Dictionary.com, www.dictionary.com/browse/introvert.
8. "Synonyms of Introvert." Www.thesaurus.com, www.thesaurus.com/browse/introvert.