According to our guest, Berry Kruijning, approximately 30% of workplace leaders in North America are introverts. But instead of adjusting to a one-size-fits-all standard of expectations, Berry believes that introverted leaders should embrace their introversion and tap into the unique qualities that set them apart as effective leaders. In this eye-opening episode of the Transform Your Workplace podcast, Brandon Laws interviews Berry Kruijning — leadership development and communications coach, teacher, and founder of Crowning Communications — and learns how to maximize the untapped potential of the introverted leader.
GUEST AT A GLANCE
Berry Kruijning helps organizations recognize the different approach of the introverted leader. With a background in leadership coaching, communications coaching, and teaching, Berry is passionate about helping introverts “embrace their introversion” and find strength in their unique perspectives.
A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST
🔊 Podcast: Transform Your Workplace, Sponsored by Xenium HR
🎙️ Host: Brandon Laws
📋 In his own words: “The Transform Your Workplace podcast is your go-to source for the latest workplace trends, big ideas, and time-tested methods straight from the mouths of industry experts and respected thought-leaders.”
INTROVERSION AND COVID
The pandemic was the introvert’s dream. They didn’t have to be “on” at all times, and they didn’t have to brace themselves for dreaded unexpected conversations. According to Berry, the expectation of being constantly “on” is exhausting, so a lot of introverts were thrilled by the idea of working from home during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.
However, we would be mistaken if we assumed that introverts don’t need any social interaction in the workplace. Berry said, “What I’ve seen over the last few months especially is that introverts are craving those social interactions at a work level. And if they don’t get that, they may suffer a little less than extroverts, but they still suffer.” Learning about the needs of the introvert helps not only the introvert but also the business thrive, impacting everything from workplace relationships, communication, goal-setting, and productivity.
PODCAST EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
The Needs of the Introvert
“Introverts get recharged by being alone, so they need a lot of alone time. They need less stimulation than extroverts, so they get easily overstimulated. Then, over the last year, you didn’t really have a whole lot of that other than probably your family. And so what happened was that suddenly, upon re-entry into the workplace, you were surrounded by people and you had to be ‘on.’ You had to be at your best. And there was probably a lot of stimulation from other people and a lot of energy.”
Introvert-Friendly Meetings
“There are many things that a facilitator can do to make it a more introvert-friendly meeting. I want to just emphasize that it’s not all on the introvert to try to insert themselves into the conversation somehow. A lot of people like to use the chat function without first speaking up. First of all, when you put things into chat, you can think about it and write some things down. And then the facilitator can watch the chat and then call on people. But another thing that can help make virtual meetings more introvert-friendly is to have an agenda in advance. Introverts like to become prepared. And with long meetings, it’s really important to take frequent breaks. That helps an introvert to gather their thoughts about what was discussed and then come back later and say, ‘Hey, I thought about it during the break, and this is what I want to contribute.’”
Having Tough Conversations
“These conversations are difficult for everyone. Having said that, I think the reason that these conversations are difficult for introverts is that they typically don’t like to rock the boat. We would like people to get along, and because introverts are processing internally and they have such a depth in their emotions, they’re not sharing that as easily. And it’s more stressful to think and focus and speak than in general casual conversations. So introverts should really come prepared. And then another thing is to just really stay present. Introverts have so many great skills and one of them is listening and asking really powerful questions, all coming from a place of curiosity. So in that respect, introverts actually have an advantage in having these conversations.”
Skills that Set Introverts Apart
“Introverts love to prepare — sit down and think things through — before they say things. I think the most important thing is the listening and the observing and gathering information before introverts make a decision. And because they do that and because they’re so good at it, they tend to make really good decisions. They have a strong ability to concentrate, to focus, and because of the preparation and because of the thinking that introverts do, problems are solved thoroughly.”
What Motivates an Introvert
“Introverts are typically motivated by excellence, motivated by quality, motivated by productivity. And because of that, they work on establishing relationships in the workplace in a different way than extroverts do. Introverts seem to have more meaningful connections in one-on-one settings.”
The Introvert as a Leader
“Great leaders don’t just talk. Great leaders listen with intention. They listen to all the stakeholders, and they’re vocal about their ideas. They’re also really open to feedback and change. And because they have such a strong one-on-one relationship with people around them, they have this team around them that supports them. Successful introvert leaders embrace being an introvert, acknowledge that, and build a team around them with people that compliment them in their abilities. But because the world of work, especially here in North America, is designed for extroverts, a lot of introverts don’t come to their full potential. So that’s kind of where my mission and my passion comes in. I help introverts embrace their introversion and their strength in that.”
Some Misconceptions
“There needs to be that culture change. And that starts with recognizing that, in a team, you need both introverted and extroverted people. We need to learn from each other, how to give each other space, and how to move towards each other and still stay true to our true nature.”
LEARN MORE
Find Berry Kruijning on LinkedIn or Instagram. You can also learn more about introverts in the workplace — training programs, podcasts, webinars, and more — by going to Berry’s website, crowningcommunications.com.