Even though I’m more introverted, I speak in public regularly. It’s both part of my marketing plan and part of my business. I get similar reactions like, “You’re no introvert!” I can exclaim three times over, I’ve always assessed as INTJ. But it seems to fall on deaf ears. Is being accomplished, successful and able to speak in public, something that some people disassociate from you because you are more introverted? Do you do it to yourself?
Arts, sciences, mathematics, technology, health – if I bet, I would wager that there are more accomplished introverts than extroverts in these fields. Kari Kenefick actually has statistics about the distribution of introversion and extroversion in some of the general science categories. You guessed it – more introverts than extroverts.
Want names? If you do an internet search on “successful introverts” you’ll get names like – Warren Buffet, Condoleeza Rice, Ashley Judd, Steven Spielberg – all introverts. Some of their work requires that that be on the platform, on stage or speaking in public. You can’t dispute it; they’re accomplished. But the myth tends to be that if someone is on the platform, on stage or speaking in public and then they have to be an extrovert.
There’s just no direct correlation.
Here’s why I’m really sick of this one:
Because so many people (wrong or right) associate success with public speaking, there’s a popular but irritating misconception that introverts must be poor at public speaking because they lack the social skills. The truth is that public speaking uses many of the natural tendencies of introverts already have in place; but that’s another myth isn’t it?
Do you really think you are not accomplished and that you can blame it on lack of extroverting skills? I hope you will think again because it just isn’t so. Check it out yourself with that internet search!
It’s interesting, but in my opinion it’s true. You can be an introvert and yet, because you speak from the platform, people will think you’re an extrovert. I believe, part of that stems from the fact that so many people are afraid of speaking in public. So, when they see someone else speaking in public the inference becomes, that person must really like people and thus the perception that he or she is an extrovert.
Changing our thinking changes our reality. I think you are doing a good job with this blog Pat.
It is good thing I did not have people who knew I was an introvert to tell me I could not speak or teach in public. I have done it successfully for 25 years and I, like Pat, am an INTJ.
A good friend has a good quote I enjoy. “In life as well as chess, It’s really what you make of it and where you position yourself.”-Laura Sherman That helps me see myself and others– introverts and extroverts– as different pieces on a chess board with different skills.
Both introverts and extroverts can speak in public and introverts have some distinct advantages. For instance introverts tend to think before they speak. Guess who has less quotes-gone-bad floating around. I suspect these below came from extroverts speaking on the record and considering if it made sense after they and millions heard it.
QuoteGoneWrong: “If we don’t make some changes, the status quo will remain the same.”
QuoteGoneWrong: “We do not have censorship. What we have is a limitation on what newspapers can report.”
QuoteGoneWrong: “Candidly, I cannot answer that. The question is too suppository.”
QuoteGoneWrong: “Let’s jump off that bridge when we come to it.”
QuoteGoneWrong: “I resent your insinuendoes.”
GregTheMasterNegotiator, right on the mark that since people are afraid to speak in public generally, the logical inference of extrovert follows.
Jim, love that metaphor to chess! But even more what makes me laugh are the QuoteGoneWrong! LOL!
Thanks for your comments!