The Dynamic Introvert - The Dynamic Introvert

10 Reasons to Read The Dynamic Introvert: Leading Quietly with Passion and Purpose

By Lesley TaylorPosted on October 20, 2015Posted in IntrovertsTagged Coaching, Extroverts, Introverts, Leadership, Personal Leadership Development Plan, Self-Coaching Questions for Introverts, The Dynamic Introvert

10 Reasons to Read The Dynamic Introvert: Leading Quietly with Passion and Purpose According to personality psychologist and author Dr. Brian Little “It’s cool to be an introvert these days”. And, as I’ve been discovering, the topic of introverts is “priming the pump” for a lot of interesting conversations. In fact, I had one of these conversations this past weekend with Corinne* a colleague who is enrolled in a leadership degree program at a university in British Columbia. As we talked Corinne informed me that the first time she thought much about her personality was in the residency portion of her leadership program. It seems that one of the most transformative experiences was when her cohort completed the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and then debriefed it with their instructor. Corinne is an extrovert and had never spent much time thinking about the challenges faced by introverts until she observed how they struggled with exhaustion during the 12 hour days that are typical of the two-week residency period. She confessed that “she had just assumed that everyone was like me, that we all process our thoughts in the same way”. She also recognized that her introverted colleagues were struggling to find a way to contribute to conversations in the group. But Corinne did something that I think is totally brilliant; she changed her behavior to accommodate the introverts in the group. Recognizing that she needed to talk out loud in order to express her ideas she took to writing her ideas down thereby providing some much needed “air time” for the introverts in the group. What Corinne observed is not unusual. Introverts often find that they are invisible at work or that they are overlooked for promotions or leadership opportunities. Unfortunately not everyone is as aware as Corinne. It may be cool to be an introvert but in most organizations there is still a need for awareness and education about the challenges that introverts face and the strengths that they bring to the workplace. The Dynamic Introvert is a unique leadership book that… 1. focuses on the strengths of introverts as leaders 2. provides evidence as to why introverts are effective leaders 3. encourages readers to create a Personal Leadership Development Plan or PLDP 4. offers a unique blend of research and practical ideas 5. provides information about how introverts can manage their energy 6. gives the reader self-coaching questions for each section of the book 7. debunks the myth that extroverts make better leaders than introverts 8. offers practical tips for self-promotion 9. challenges readers to think about introverts in a different way 10. advances the introvert conversation The Dynamic Introvert is available at the following locations: Village Books in Richmond, B.C. Odin Books in Vancouver Black Bond Book, various locations AND online! *Corrine’s name was changed to protect her privacy.

What is a Dynamic Introvert?

By Lesley TaylorPosted on August 19, 2015Posted in IntrovertsTagged Introverts, Leadership, The Dynamic Introvert, Yellow Point Lodge

What is a Dynamic Introvert? “What is a dynamic introvert?” “What does the title of your book mean?” I was taken by surprise by Colleen’s questions. I thought about them for a moment and then I mumbled something unintelligible. As the author of The Dynamic Introvert and an introvert myself I should have had the answers on the tip of my tongue. Colleen’s questions were “spot on” and my subconscious must have been on overdrive because shortly after I got back home, it hit me: the title* of my book The Dynamic Introvert is a “play on words”. Perhaps not in the truest sense: according to Wikipedia a “play on words” is “a literary technique, a form of wit, in which the words that are used become the main focus of the book.” I certainly didn’t intend for The Dynamic Introvert to be a comedy. My aim was to grab reader’s attention, encouraging them to think about what it means to be an introvert and how our understanding of introverts needs to change. I believe that introverts have been misunderstood for too long and that there is nothing funny about being an introvert when you feel overlooked and undervalued. If I have learned one thing while researching and writing The Dynamic Introvert it is that we are all very different and none of us can be “pigeon holed”. Of course there are introverts who are quiet and reserved. These introverts may prefer their own company to the company of others. But most of the introverts I’ve met along the way defy the way introverts are portrayed. So, back to Colleen’s first question what is a dynamic introvert? One of the most brilliant descriptions of a dynamic introvert comes from Judy Curson, a physician and educator in the UK who wrote “I think many of us are dynamic. We just make less fuss and noise about being dynamic than some extraverts. Our energy and enthusiasm is often hidden from the external world.” Many of us are dynamic in the way that Judy describes. We can be social and dynamic in the same way that extroverts can be dynamic. Words such as gregarious, outgoing, fun, interesting, and energetic could be used in place of dynamic here. These are words that I would use to describe the many dynamic introverts who I know and who could easily be mistaken for extroverts. The difference is that these dynamic introverts need “down time” or time to recharge their batteries. This spring Barry and I spent six days at Yellow Point Lodge on Vancouver Island. Yellow Point Lodge was built in the 1940s and hasn’t changed much over the years, or so I’m told. Guests stay in a variety of rustic cabins. Each cabin is strategically placed so that it faces a body of water called The Stuart Channel. There is also accommodation on the second floor of the main lodge. The main floor of the lodge consists of a large communal dining room, kitchen, offices and a great room which has windows on two sides and a massive stone fireplace on the third. This is where people congregate before and after meals and at any time during the day when they are not outdoors enjoying the spectacular scenery. Meals in the dining room take place around large circular tables that seat 9 or 10 people. At each seating we have the opportunity to meet new people and interact with people we have gotten to know over the years. On the surface it appears that the majority of guests are extroverts, due to their outgoing, friendly behavior. But I now know, having vacationed at Yellow Point Lodge for a number of years that things are not what they seem and in fact many of my fellow guests are in fact dynamic introverts. What is not so obvious, unless one looks for it, is that these introverted guests often disappear throughout the day to recharge their batteries. They quietly leave the group and return to their rooms or go for solitary walks in the woods. Back to Colleen’s questions: What is a Dynamic Introvert? What does the title of the book mean? What do you think? Is it a play on words or can introverts be dynamic? * I owe a great deal of gratitude to my editor and friend Margaret Davidson who came up with the title The Dynamic Introvert.

The Changing Face of Diversity Leadership – Why Introverts Need Apply!

By Lesley TaylorPosted on July 27, 2015Posted in IntrovertsTagged BlessingWhite, Catalyst, Diversity, Inclusion, Inclusive Leadership, Introverts, Leadership, Lesley Taylor, Talent Management, The Dynamic Introvert

The Changing Face of Diversity Leadership – Why Introverts Need Apply! I’m always on the lookout for new ideas to share with my readers. Recently I participated in a webinar sponsored by Blessing White and Catalyst. Blessing White is a global, employee engagement and leadership development consulting firm while Catalyst is a leading non-profit organization dedicated to creating more inclusive workplaces. These two organizations are known for their global research and their progressive leadership programs and recently they teamed up to provide a new series entitled Leading with Inclusion. Inclusion, which they described as “belongingness and uniqueness” is valued by both men and women around the world. Their findings suggest that workers want to be valued for their contributions, their talents and their experiences. But too much focus on uniqueness can lead to alienation. This might happen if your organization created a leadership development program that focused exclusively on one group. Too much focus on belongingness can lead to workers feeling part of the organization only if they conform to expected behaviors…such as introverts feeling they must act like extroverts in order to succeed. The focus of the webinar was on managing diversity in order to turn it into a competitive advantage. And although a part of me wants to see organizations pay attention to diversity because it is the RIGHT thing to do I realize that in most cases organizations won’t spend money on something that doesn’t have a positive impact on the “bottom line”. The way we approach diversity in North America has shifted over the last 30 years from equal rights legislation to affirmative action to diversity management. But, according to the experts at Blessing White and Catalyst, diversity management is not just about “appreciating differences”. If diversity management is to succeed it must deal with unconscious bias. Most of us are not even aware of the biases that affect our daily decisions. During the webinar we were asked to think about the people that report to us and to write down the names of 2 or 3 people. We were then asked to keep those people in mind as we answered the following questions: Who are you most likely to advocate for? Who are you most likely to engage with socially? Whose past experiences are you most familiar with? Who do you have the most conversations with about career goals, aspirations and development needs? And do these people have similar backgrounds, looks, education, personalities etc.? As human beings we tend to gravitate toward people who are most like us…people we feel most comfortable with. We were also asked to reflect on the people who did not make our list and what happens to those people? Being an inclusive leader is not easy and requires self-awareness and the ability to say yes to the following questions: Do you enable all direct reports to develop and excel? Do you admit mistakes, accept and learn from different points of view? Do you provide personalized feedback to help each member of your team develop his or her talents? Do you seek opportunities to mentor or advise employees from a different background than your own? Of course you don’t need to be in a formal leadership position in order to ask yourself the above questions. Diversity is not a new challenge for employers and a lot has changed in the 30 + years since diversity appeared on the human resources radar but there are still issues that organizations need to pay attention to. The most recent challenge for organizations and the one that Blessing White and Catalyst are trying to find answers to is that talented employees continue to leave organizations in droves because they don’t see a “fit” and they don’t feel supported.

Introverts Are Our Unsung Heroes!

By Lesley TaylorPosted on June 27, 2015Posted in IntrovertsTagged David Zweig, Happiness, Introverts, Invisibles Book, Leadership, Lesley Taylor, Quiet Leadership, The Dynamic Introvert

Introverts Are Our Unsung Heroes! Looking back over my career I’m aware of how often I tried to remain invisible at work. Not that I didn’t want to contribute or make a difference in the organizations that I worked for but more often than not I chose to do this quietly and behind the scenes. Despite keeping a low profile I was often singled out for leadership roles and pushed into the “lime light”*. On at least one occasion I protested this unwanted attention but to no avail and in the end I became the manager of a day hospital for elderly patients. If truth be told this was one of the most satisfying times in my career and I am forever grateful to the senior leaders who saw the potential in me, despite my trying to remain out of their sight and “off the radar”. You see, as an introvert, I was much more comfortable in the role of educator, coach or mentor. I loved networking and connecting people and ideas and coming up with novel solutions to problems. I also loved the concept of community building as it applied to the workplace. But I wanted to do this on my own terms behind the scenes. In other words I wanted to remain invisible! In 2014 David Zweig described invisibles as, “a breed of highly satisfied professionals who are outliers because they eschew wider recognition for their efforts.” In his book, Invisibles: The Power of Anonymous Work In An Age of Relentless Self-Promotion, he identifies people who operate behind the scenes in almost every field yet have a huge impact on the success of the firms they work for. It is ok to be invisible if you want to be and this should come as a relief to introverts who often are encouraged to be gregarious and outgoing. But, having said that, I would urge you to think about your career goals and to find ways to get noticed especially if it means the difference between being happy and satisfied in your work or unhappy and frustrated because you are not achieving the things you want in life. Being invisible is one of the challenges faced by introverts who want to become leaders. In The Dynamic Introvert I write, “We may be so good at “hiding in plain sight” that our ideas are ignored or we are overlooked for plum assignments or job promotions.” Does this sound like you? Tired of being overlooked? Here are three things that you can do right now: Be clear on your goals and what you want to achieve and develop a plan to help you reach your objectives. If being invisible is important to you then stand tall and let people know why you feel the way you do. Remember, you can still make a difference and feel satisfied by being an “unsung hero”. If you want to raise your profile and move into a more visible role then find ways to manage your energy and get clear on your values. Being clear on what is important to you will make it easier to say “no” when you need to. The Dynamic Introvert book * Although today being “in the limelight” means being at the center of attention in the 19th century it had a very different meaning. The limelight was an extremely bright light used in surveying and as stage lighting. It was first used in the theatre in 1837 at Covent Garden in London.

How Does Meditation Help Introverts Succeed?

By Lesley TaylorPosted on April 7, 2015Posted in IntrovertsTagged De-stress, Dopamine, Dr. Brian Little, Introverted Activity, Lesley Taylor, Meditation for Introverts, Psychology Today, Re-energize, Restorative Niche, The Dynamic Introvert, Thich Nhat Hanh

How Does Meditation Help Introverts Succeed? The other week I participated in a meditation workshop at Tandava Yoga in Kelowna, B.C. While I was sitting on my mat I started thinking about how meditation might be of benefit to introverts. The purpose of meditation is to help us quiet our minds and over the years research has proven that meditation can help us to, among other things, reduce high blood pressure, sleep better, and improve our body’s immune functioning. In fact, meditation even helps students achieve better grades in school. But how can meditation help introverts to succeed? Stephen A Diamond, PhD writing in Psychology Today suggests that meditation is an “introverted activity one that extroverts should do more of and introverts less”. Diamond argues that introverts need to spend more time extroverting themselves in order to find balance in their lives. Fair enough. Getting back to the meditation class at Tandava Yoga, our instructor informed us that humans are capable of processing 2000 thoughts per hour. Those of you familiar with meditation will know about the “monkey brain” which refers to how our thoughts jump around in our heads not unlike a monkey jumping from tree to tree. I believe that the concept of the “monkey brain” applies equally to both introverts and extroverts. And I have to disagree with Dr. Diamond. Meditation may be an “introverted activity” in that it is typically done quietly but I believe that introverts should spend more time meditating, not less. You see, introverts tend to think too much. We like to spend time in our heads and when this activity is combined with the excess dopamine that naturally occurs in our introverted brains we are in danger of being overstimulated. And this is what saps our energy and why we need to meditate in order to help us calm down and function better! There are many different types of meditation but the one thing that is common to all of them is learning how to slow down and focus on our breath. I found the following passage from Thich Nhat Hanh. It is called Thinking Less: “While we practice conscious breathing, our thinking will slow down, and we can give ourselves a real rest. Most of the time, we think too much, and mindful breathing helps us to be calm, relaxed, and peaceful…Of course, thinking is important, but quite a lot of our thinking is useless.” As an introvert thinking is my “fall-back position”. Even in a social situation I will often resort to thinking about what is going on or what I might say rather than just saying it. This is the exact opposite of what an extrovert will do. Most extroverts are more comfortable talking and don’t get stuck with words going round and round inside their heads. Meditation is an important skill for introverts to learn. It can help us to get control over our “monkey brain” so that we can focus on what we want to say or do. This is especially true when we are in situations where there are a lot of distractions because these external distractions make it difficult for us to think clearly. Meditation can also provide what Dr. Brian Little calls a “restorative niche”. This is the place we can go to in order to de-stress and re-energize.

Take a Break: Your Life May Depend on It!

By Lesley TaylorPosted on February 23, 2015Posted in IntrovertsTagged breaks at work, decreased stress, Energy, Introverts, karoshi, Productivity, Psychology Today, The Dynamic Introvert

Take A Break – Your Life May Depend on It The government in Japan recently announced that it is considering a new law requiring workers to take a minimum number of vacations days each year. Why? Japanese workers are renowned for karoshi or “working themselves to death”. In the rest of the world we may not be “working ourselves to death” but our inability to stop and take a break from work is having a negative impact in other ways. A short article in the February, 2015 issue of Psychology Today magazine begins with “Workers who take the most breaks get the most accomplished” and goes on to describe a study from the University of Illinois that specifically looked at the link between taking breaks and worker’s ability to focus. Not surprisingly, those who stopped to take a short break about once every hour were more productive. Which begs the question: Why is it so difficult for most of us to stop and take our breaks? In a 2014 study, Staples, the giant office supply chain, discovered that more than a quarter of us don’t take regular breaks because we feel guilty. Recently I emailed a colleague who works in health care. I wanted her to join me for lunch as we hadn’t been in touch for a long time. I know that she puts in long hours each day but she declined my offer saying that her place of work was now “a “human tsunami” resulting in even more demands on her limited time and making it impossible for her to meet me for lunch. In The Dynamic Introvert: Leading Quietly with Passion and Purpose, I encourage introverts to become aware of their need to take breaks in order to manage their energy requirements. Although introverts and extroverts have different approaches to recharging their batteries and we all need to stop work and take our breaks, introverts in particular need to stop working and detach themselves mentally in order to restore their energy. Introverts also need to communicate why it is important for them to take a break and how this benefits the organization. For instance, instead of leaving your desk or workspace quietly, without saying anything, you might want to tell your colleagues why you are taking a break. “I’ve had back-to-back meetings all morning and I need to go for a walk.” Some of you can’t stop working except during your scheduled breaks. You have earned this respite so make sure you use that time to do what is important for you. Remember, by taking your regular breaks you will be more productive and less stressed. This may be difficult at first and you may feel guilty but you will also make it easier for others to stop and take their breaks. So, take a break, your life may depend on it!