Is Rob the talker an Extravert or Introvert?
Spoiler alert!!! To fully appreciate this blog take just a minute and read our last blog that sets the stage for understanding Rob.
As we closed our last look at Rob, he was preparing to share a presentation with colleagues by
- Pulling concepts together
- Reordering ideas
- Thinking through the time allocated and what concepts will provide the greatest value
- Noting a great deal of backup and background material and research but
- Summarizing and putting the best idea into a framework that’s quick to understand and easy to remember
But, the part that we missed were those quick conversations that Rob often had with his colleagues along the way or in specific preparation for his presentation. After Rob would do a great deal of reading, recording, thinking and noting ideas he often felt nearly there. He was comfortable with all of the data he had gathered but he just needed one more piece. He needed to talk. You see Rob was an Extraverted thinker. And even though Extraverted thinkers may gather a great deal of their data through means that appear to be very Introverted in nature, in the end they need to talk it through with someone. Rob would seek out several individuals and small groups of people to “bounce his ideas” off them. As Rob would begin to explain the gest of what he wanted to present, other people would begin to chime in on their reactions, thoughts, questions and ideas about his work. Rob would find this incredibly stimulating and right during the conversation would finally “see” the close, the hook, the hammer, the main point that needed to be clarified or driven home.
Rob was an Extraverted Thinker. He needed that final conversation to help him conclude and solidify his final beliefs about all of that data he had gathered. Don’t conclude that just because Rob spends a great deal of time reading or isolated thinking or seems to spend a great deal of time preparing for presentations that his is an Introvert. He still needs that final conversation to help reach conclusions on his own thinking.
Extraversion and Introversion are functions related to energy, not behavior. While you may see some of the classical talkative extraversion or quiet introversion don’t assume you know how they rank on their Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. I’ve worked with quiet extraverts and talkative introverts but if you know when they reach their final conclusions, finally solve that tough problem, come up with that great new idea you’ll begin to get some insight of their Extraversion Introversion preference.
Rob was a quiet Extravert. It might surprise you.