Monday, March 12, 2012

Introversion

Stumbled upon a TED video today by the author Susan Cain.  Never heard of her before but she was speaking at a TED Conference on the topic of Introversion.  I watched the 19 minute segment.  It was very good.  She talked about her own life experiences at being an Introvert and then parlayed that discourse into a review of the 20th century changes that have impacted the work place and our schools.

While working in corporate America I became certified as a Myers-Briggs facilitator. One of the 'Types' of MB is Introversion vs Extroversion.  While learning the instruments I did some reading on the topic and learned that more than 60% of Americans are Extroverts.  They dominate most social discourse.  The Introverts on the other hand step back and bide their time.  If they are anything like Susan Cain, their time does come...but for many it can be hard fought. 

Susan Cain values the changes in open office plans and classroom pods, but she made the very valid point that such environments are not in the best interests of the Introverts of the world.  Those environments aren't in the best interests of most of us.  Having lived in both worlds....I hated the open office floor plan.  No walls.  No privacy.  You always had someone in your face.  Just to find a place where you could Think required leaving the office and if nothing else, just sitting in your car.  It was weird....it seemed like the work place didn't want us to think...or the only one's whose thoughts were valued were those with offices that had walls and doors. Thankfully I am no longer confined to those spaces. 

Another thing I had to learn regarding Introverts is that they are different from us Extroverts.  Like really different.  I had to learn those lessons the hard way.  One of the hardest involved someone in my family whom I love very much.  It took me forever to learn that with almost every breath I was tromping on toes and psyches and feelings.  When I finally took off the narcissistic mirror that was clouding my vision I found this person who just needed more space and privacy...and if I allowed that, oh what a beauty I found. 

Now, thanks to that lesson, I can step back, back-off and and allow space.  I am usually able to recognize Introverts ... not always, but usually....and my world is a better place for that recognition.  They don't always recoil from my energy because I strive to control it and I've gotten much better at that...not perfect, but better.




http://www.ted.com/talks/susan_cain_the_power_of_introverts.html

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