Do you feel a bit uneasy putting yourself in a category of being an introvert? When I started doing this more overtly I experienced a definite uneasiness. Historically there was a negative connotation to being an introvert so who on earth wanted to claim it? The new movement, I like to call the “Introvert Uprising” has replaced that outdated model. Now we are reclaiming our style with pride (and that is the point of this blog). Another source of uneasiness is a low-grade worry that by calling myself an introvert and claiming this distinction that I am “dissing” the extroverts in my life and the world.
Also my many years of Buddhist philosophy and practice have softened the clear lines and edges of the many boxes I put people in. Everyone seems more similar to me than different these days. So creating a new box seems incongruent.
If we broaden our view, turns out that most people have a knee jerk negative reaction to being categorized. I refused to take the Myers Briggs for years in part because I didn’t want to be labeled. Then when I finally took it and learned what it meant to by my type – the information helped me understand myself better. In my coaching business I use the StrengthsFinder– which identifies client’s top skills and qualities. When we sit down to discuss the results – the client invariably spends the first few minutes arguing with the results, “I don’t think I am a connector.”
When it comes to the Intelligent Introvert I invite you to see the benefits of categorizing. Understanding the key distinctions of having an introverted temperament (as is outlined in the first 4 blog posts) allows us to better understand ourselves. This in turn allows us to better understand ourselves in relationship, at work, as a leader . . . and in doing so we can reclaim and honor our introverted style.
