Extrovert or Introvert

[64BEL]

We all took the Myers-Briggs personality test about 30 years ago as part of a work exercise among the management team. I tested as introvert, but close to the line. There are degrees of both. Extreme introverts and extreme extroverts are at the opposite sides of the scale. Those close to the line are able to cross over at times and usually are the easieast to get along with. Many of those who've posted above are close to the line - comfortable crossing back and forth.
What I've learned over the years is extreme exroverts drive introverts nuts. Too loud and demonstrative. The more extreme extroverts have a hard time understanding introverts. They can misinterpret the extrovert's lack of over the top enthusiasm as being a stuckup prick. I've seen this play out a lot over the years, and understanding it helps understand why some people don't get along with or undersand other people.

 

[Big Bad Dad]

You don't say.

Now that was uncalled for, RC! You hurt my feelings.

 

[WileERobby]

I used to be an introvert, but now I identify myself as an extrovert.

 

[eldubb440]

both......and maybe a little bi-polar

 

[cr8crshr]

So a thought here...Is one an Introvert if they come across as a Reserved type??? Seems to me that they are about one and the same.cr8crshr/Bill

 

[droptop]

.......we were all shocked when you became a salesman; you've been talking us into doing stupid **** for years..

 

[peabodyracin]

I'm with Big Bad Dad on this one. Work life forced me to be an extrovert although I've always tended to be a loner. I'd not thought much of it until somewhat recently when I experienced the following. Apologies in advance for the length:

We had an issue at church, dealing with money, which I'm sure is not unique. There were two camps involved: one wanting to save and refurbish an old rectory building, even with no hope of it being occupied in the foreseeable future, the other wanting to demolish the rectory and spend money on a much needed update to the interior of the church. I was with the later camp.

The debate had gone well beyond stupid. The poor pastor was getting the crap kicked out of him over it. Some people were definitely showing their dark side. There was no middle ground to be had and it had been like this for months. We had a council meeting which once again got nowhere trying to resolve the issue. It was decided we needed to present the cases to the parish at large. Time was a wasting because we needed to get moving one way or the other before contractors moved on, pricing changed, etc.

That led to the question of who should present? The pastor sure didn't want to, as everything he'd tried so far had blown up on him. As usual, most of the council members, big talkers that they were, did not want to do it. I finally said "Let me do it this Sunday". Sunday came and I got a very tepid introduction from the poor pastor.

I took the podium and spoke for almost 20 minutes. I explained the cases as best I could. The whole thing flowed well. I didn't have any notes, just spoke frankly and sincerely.

After church, two contacts came up to me right away. One was my younger brother, who said "How can you talk for 20 minutes with all the facts and figures you presented and not have any notes?" The second one was the one which startled me. An older couple who I've known superficially for some time. Nice people. The husband is sort of a car guy, but we always have spoken about cars just casually. The wife was a teacher her whole life.

She opens with: "What did you do before you retired?" I told her quickly and at a high level of my work history. She then says "That explains it. We always thought you a shy, retired guy. Today you showed you'd obviously been a leader of men. You spoke in a way we'd never have expected. You sure sold us. Thanks for speaking about this today."

I talked to my wife about it later in the day and she said "You talk differently when you're in work mode. Even the kids have commented about that over the years". I was not remotely aware of this.

Anyway, the rectory came down a month later and the church interior work commenced shortly after.

 

[Hey-O]

Introvert or extrovert, doesn't matter anymore. You say the wrong thing to the right person these day and you could find yourself in legal trouble. The world is a different place these days with everyone so hyper sensitive about everything. I can strike up a conversation with a fence post, but, it's best to know your audience first. I do enjoy a good conversation with a good person.

 

[HawkRod]

I think I am more towards the introvert side, although I have always had a knack for standing up and talking to a group in meetings and presentations. I like talking with people, I just suck at it. I am not witty, quick with general conversation topics, etc., so I probably come off as quiet and/or boring. Find me a topic I know about and I can do OK.

 

[Ron H]

Another long post, my apologies. This topic takes me back to a span of my life I regretted more than I liked. I was part of the executive staff of a company for some years, it was usually more uncomfortable than not. Too many were fine drinking the Kool-Aide. The exec team, about 15 of us, spent four days going through the M-B personality profile. I have mine somewhere, it assessed four traits as I recall. I ranked just inside the I and was an analytical sort; something to do with ‘processing’ info before acting on it. This fits as when I want to build stuff, I usually make a print of exactly what I want to do down to the location of bolts. (Building a large table now.)

The job forced me outside of my boundaries; but did well for a time. Except a few found my traits an irritation as well, there were a few I found irritating. The company prez, before he moved on, ranked as far E as the scale would allow! We had some testy debates as he was one getting a hair-brained idea and never thought squat about how it needed to come together and would get pissy when I’d try to discuss some details he didn’t want to listen to. Yeah, a couple huge failures were a result. The job involved tons of public speaking. It was when micro-managers just above my rank, wanted to intrude on my area of expertise such as when planning a bi-annual meeting with all staff under me (about 100 people across the country) that made things real uncomfortable. Basically, they wanted everyone to drink their Kool-Aide and telling me what I should do. I got them peeved when I said something like “If you’re looking for advice from a plumber, do you want to consult with an electrician?”

The company went ape-**** over culture and team building, like wanting an army of people so locked down it made my stomach turn. Endless workshops and role playing taking people off their jobs for egg-tossing and card games. Geezuz, some it reminded me of kindergarten class. And it got worse. People would have to come in and were bussed to a movie theater to watch the leaders show them their flavor of the week. And worse. The company prez (another schmuck that I once thought was a good friend knowing him for eons) paid consultants to mess with our brains on the senior staff. How’s this for an intro from a **** wad consultant: “Today, before we’re done, I guarantee one or more of you in the room will break down and cry”. He started with “I want you to look at the person to your right and tell us why he/she shouldn’t be fired”.

The prez was a sick mofucker relishing leadership by fear. Eventually he got a hate on for me cuz I’d tell him exactly what I thought. I wasn’t the only one. We got nice severance packages to depart after he tried to make our work so miserable to get us to resign. I would have; but my-coworker and close bud in the same shithole talked me out of it. After this ****, I started my own biz devoid of corporate kool aide bullshit…