A friend shared how frustrated she gets when she offers an idea in a group and no one responds.  Then moments later a more gregarious person repeats her idea and the group goes wild.

Hey that was my idea

I have a tendency to want credit for my actions and ideas.  My partner teases me about it.  Yet when I reflect on this behavior in the context of my introverted nature I understand that at times what I say or do is easily overlooked because of my understated style.

We are not the only ones

Turns out this lack of acknowledgement or not being heard is a common experience for introverts.  In the workplace our contributions are often overlooked and we are much less likely to be promoted than our extroverted counterparts even though we perform similarly well or better.

Quietly acting rather than announcing

When I do a chore in the house I simply do it.  My partner typically announces it. 

“I am going to vacuum the living room now and wash the blankets.”  She may tell me more than once.  No big surprise then that when we have the classic couples’ argument over who has or has not cleaned the house she has no idea I’ve contributed.  It makes me crazy!  I now often tell her afterward “I vacuumed the living room.”  Not because I want a gold star but it is a way of acknowledging and helping her see my efforts.

This tendency to quietly act without announcement bit me in the butt when I was policy director of a small organization.  It didn’t come naturally to me to communicate all that I accomplished.  The consequence was that some key stakeholders didn’t see my value.  And that is a dangerous place to be.

Listening is love

Introverts have a deep desire to be heard.  Listen to and acknowledge your favorite introvert today!