All Ears: The Gift of the Introvert

Introversion and New Ways to Work

Let's face it. After a couple of years staring into the Zoom camera, most of us no longer marvel at how the world of work has changed or how we've adapted to that change. Still, adapting clearly has been more difficult for some than for others. In particular, we've noticed that many introverts have adapted well, even flourished, in the face of lockdown, isolation, and remote work.

Who are we? We are two US-based scholar-practitioners, educators, and fellow introverts. Introversion is generally understood as the more-reserved companion of extroversion, on a spectrum of preference for processing and interaction that manifests across cultures. Typically, introverts need quiet to recharge their batteries, while extroverts thrive on external stimulation.

Loving Lockdown (and Other Lessons)

"Are you dreading a return to normal?" That was the question asked in a poignant video published by the New York Times in June 2021. In the video, one self-identified introvert described the relief she felt during quarantine: "Like how a circus animal would feel on a day when there's no shows."

By and large, our introverted clients and colleagues reacted in much the same ways to lockdown: happy to be working alone and apprehensive about the return to pre-COVID work conditions.

The Zoom Paradox

Paradoxically, in the midst of solitude, Zoom arrived, and in a matter of weeks, video conferencing took over our work lives. How have these virtual technologies affected the coaching experience, particularly from the perspective of the introvert?

On the plus side, video conferencing is a game-changing tool that has facilitated the rapid shift to virtual work. Arguably, Zoom also plays to the introvert's innate powers of listening and observation.

But Zoom is a mixed bag, and it wasn't long before the phrase "Zoom fatigue" was coined. Brain researchers tell us that people can feel foggy and burned out after long Zoom days because the brain is trying to do its job interpreting visual cues while digitization messes with our ability to understand facial expressions.

Keep It Simple. Listen!

So what conclusions can we draw from this inquiry on introversion?

First, coaches should check their biases, preferences, and default assumptions. And experiment: Try shutting off the camera, working by phone, encouraging clients to stand, pace, snack, or even stare out the window to engage other senses and enrich their experience.

In the end, whatever modality, coaches must try to honor and optimize both their own and their clients' introverted superpowers. Only by listening and observing can coaches and clients experience the thoughtful silence, careful attention, and deep reflection that are the gift of the introvert.