Working at any company of any size allows us to work with many different people, personalities and communication styles. There are those employees who are very outgoing and extroverted while others are more withdrawn and quiet. Usually the extrovert gets noticed because they feel comfortable communicating in any environment and often times speak their minds. The introvert can be perceived as quiet and possibly lacking confidence which is usually not the case. So how can both of these personalities be equally noticed as confident speakers and contributors?

Perceptions of an Extroverted and an Introverted Communicator

An extroverted individual likes to speak their minds which is usually their strength but just like any strength, if overused, it becomes a limiter. So if a person is constantly speaking their mind without letting others speak,  it may be perceived as dominating, resistant, hostile, and sometimes annoying. On the other end of the spectrum, there are employees who need time to process information and may not say anything until ready. These employees may be perceived as disengaged, lack enthusiasm and just don’t care.  So how can all employees contribute equally and truly be heard?

Meet in the Middle

Leadership with any level of employee is about ensuring everyone is heard and able to contribute. A good leader will understand the communication styles and use the strengths of each individual to progress the issue at hand. If there is a person in the group who is known to talk first, a leader may ask this person before the meeting to let others speak first to ensure others feel comfortable. It must be stressed, if this is done, it should be made very clear that the leader wants to hear their input and never make this person feel stifled.  For the quiet employees, a leader will usually ask for their feedback or thoughts on an issue. If the employee is ready to provide their input, that’s fine but they may need more time to process which is fine too. This sends the message that each person’s input is important and valued. For quiet employees, once they know they will be asked for the input, they usually will feel more and more comfortable discussing issues to the group.

Processing Information

Some employees talk out loud as they process information and you can almost see their minds flowing since they are talking at the same time. They may start changing their mind as they are talking and it may be somewhat confusing to others. How do I know? Because I’ve been told it myself! For employees who are more linear problem solvers, this trait can drive them nuts! The strength of this kind of communicator is that they are flexible with their ideas and/or solutions and can lead the group with their thought process. As stated above, there are others who process internally and are analyzing the information until ready to provide their input. Once they provide their input, others often know it’s thoughtful and comprehensive. I’ve seen these individuals literally change the direction of a meeting with this analytical and thoughtful approach. It is a very powerful and strong approach that can build a great reputation as the go to person for comprehensive solutions.

Every employee is any organization has their own communication style. There is no right or wrong style but there can be under or overused styles which should be balanced to ensure every voice is heard. It allows meetings to be far more productive and perceptions of all as confident and thoughtful solution oriented employees. Whether we are introverts or extroverts, our input can be heard as long as we understand how each person processes and communicates information.