Introverts and Extroverts Working Together

Getting introverts and extroverts working together is about balancing these personality types in our teams.

How do we get introverts and extroverts working together? Researchers often share how to identify them. Few share how to lead them. Few have had to do that.

Current View of Working Together is Simplistic

When they do share, it is simplistic. Extroverts should handle the people aspects of a project. This means collaboration and coordination. Introverts should deal with the more task-intensive aspects. This means research and documentation.

Introverts and Extroverts Working Together on Projects

How would each look at a project? Their sources of energy tell us. Extroverts receive their energy from the world around them. They will see projects as ways of making their mark in the world. Introverts receive their energy from inside. They will see projects as ways to express themselves.

Working Together in Business

In business, extroverts will care less about the essence of the project as long as it works and makes money. Introverts will care less about these as long as the project shows the best of who they are. Extroverts will move with conditions. Introverts will hold the course. Extroverts look at now. Introverts look at long term.

Introverts and extroverts working together do better than pairs of extroverts or pairs of introverts. Extroverts tend to produce things that make money but don’t have value. Introverts tend to produce things that have value but don’t make money. Getting them to work together is about integrating value and money.

Working Together on New Ideas

When it comes to new ideas, extroverts will tend to brainstorm out loud with others. They will create a long list. Introverts will tend to think about many ideas, come together and share their best few. Their list will be short but good.

Introverts and extroverts working together is about balancing all these extremes. It is knowing that personality types are relative. Take any two extroverts. One will be more introverted than the other is. Take any two introverts. One will be more extroverted.

No Pure Extroverts or Introverts Exist

No one is 100% pure extrovert or introvert at all times in all situations. Every extrovert has an introvert inside balancing him. Every introvert has an extrovert inside doing the same. Thus, getting introverts and extroverts working together is about balancing these personality types in our teams. It is not about choosing one over the other.