Today’s go-go business world favors extroverts. Don’t believe it? Just ask an introvert, says workplace expert Jennifer Kahnweiler, author of The Introverted Leader: Building on Your Quiet Strength.Did you know that though introverts may be less noisy at work, by all accounts they outnumber extroverts. Even many high-powered executives – a full 40 percent - like Microsoft’s Bill Gates, top Avon CEO Andrea Jung, uber-investor Warren Buffet and even President Barack Obama describe themselves as introverts
Kahnweiler is a woman on a mission—determined to help introverted professionals thrive in an extroverted culture. In our gung-ho workplace, introverts are routinely ignored, overlooked, and misunderstood, asserts Kahnweiler, an Atlanta-based corporate speaker and executive coach. Her new research—a national workplace survey and hundreds of personal interviews—provides important “ahas” for individuals and organizations. For starters: four out of five introverts say extroverts are more likely to get ahead where they work. What’s more, over 40 percent say they would like to change their introverted tendencies, but don’t know where or how to begin.
You will hear about how Introverts confront several challenges in the work place. With their low-key personalities, they regularly undersell themselves, let their ideas go unheard, and avoid “playing the game.” They also suffer from people exhaustion and, due to difficulty saying no or asking for help, can feel overwhelmed by projects and deadlines. Additionally, more than 80 percent of introverts indicate they struggle with networking—a major liability in career-making areas such as relationship building and job hunting.
The good news? Introversion can be managed, declares Kahnweiler. There is no one-size-fits-all strategy but with time and practice, introverts can learn to build on their quiet strength and succeed. Managers and team members can learn to better “get” introverts and improve their collective results.
You will learn about the highly regarded “4 P’s Process” for introverted professionals: preparation (devising game plans); presence (focusing on the moment); push (stretching and growing); and practice (rehearsing and refining new skills). Moreover, you will to apply the 4 P’s in areas that are particularly difficult for introverts—leading people and projects, performing in meetings and presentations, managing higher- ups, and more. You will hear about dozens of success stories from real-life introverts—covering a wide range of roles and industries—and be able to take an eye-opening self-assessment tool.
Other advice and insights you will gain:
• Five unique strengths of introverted leaders—projecting a reassuring, calm confidence
• Why social networking is every introvert’s new best friend
• How to get airtime in meetings as a quiet, low-key introvert
• How to deal with people exhaustion at work—and why hiding behind E-mail and texting is not the answer
• Why introverts avoid office politics—and wind up working harder, not smarter
• How introverts and extroverts can find common ground and learn from one another