Introversion

 

Charm your way to the top and stop being an introvert!

If you are the one who spends most of your time hiding in the restroom during a valuable networking event, Coach Dan has some tips to take you out of your shell.

Are you the person who likes to stay away from parties? Or, an individual who stands in a corner and refuses to participate in social settings? Well, you are not alone. More than half of all of us are introverts, meaning we look inward and shy away from groups of people and social gatherings.

In business, being an introvert can be an advantage as well as a disadvantage. A lot of people associate success in business with being very expressive, sometimes bombastic and lively in conversations and in dealings. These are the extroverts, the polar opposite of introverts.

However, in recent years, we’ve seen a radical shift in our attitude towards introversion. With a slight switch of their frame of mind, introverts can add charisma, join a lively conversation and then go back into their own self.

Being an introvert is sometimes like being a tortoise. You hide under a shell most of the time but you come out of the shell and participate actively in the world around you occasionally. Once that is done, you can always get back into your shell.

In business, we often see leaders who are introverts. They might be very sharp, data-driven managers but take them to a meeting and ask them to give a presentation in front of a group and they might blow the whole thing.

Here is the story of Lisa Petrilli, the CEO of C-Level Strategies and the author of the book “An Introverts Guide to Networking.” Growing up, she was very shy very shy and had a deep aversion to networking. Ms. Petrilli avoided any outside events as she felt they made her uncomfortable. However, she soon knew that to succeed, she had to change and started using some simple but very effective tactics. The first tactic was to realize that there was nothing wrong in being an introvert. Introversion is simply a characteristic that allows people to return to their own quite moments of working with ideas. According to Petrilli, successful introverts are some of the best relationship builders in one on one settings.

If you think you are an introvert, here are some tips to get you started in being a charismatic leader. First, accept your characteristic trait of introversion but be willing to adapt as necessary. Step out of your shell when needed and meet and greet people with a big smile and a firm handshake. Attend networking events that are very important to building your career and purposefully change your attitude to how you view relationship building with individuals. Remember, every move you make will have a positive impact on your career. You do not need to be an “artificial extrovert,” to succeed in today’s business world. You can also reach out to people using LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and other social media tools and overcome your fear of being lonely and in your own inner world.

Introverts who do not network are making a huge dent in your career growth. Pace yourself between networking events, re-energize by going back to your mode of introversion but spring back into the charismatic leader you want to be. I have a variety of ways that can make you an effective, charismatic business leader and move you from being in your own shell. I coach individuals who want to better their lives by being effective salesmen and topnotch leaders. Give me a call and I am here to help.