When I saw the following I strongly resonated with the message. I am not sure of the source but I wanted to share it.

I’m not shy. I’m a noticer. I am a thinker. I’m an observer. I’m not stuck up. I’m not anti-social. I treasure my solitude. I’m not a fan of small talk. I prefer a few close friends. I am reserved, until I’m not. I appreciate true connection. If we connect, you matter to me.

Source Unknown

I am a big fan of Susan Cain’s book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. It has been on my recommended reading list for a number of years and I share some of my takeaways in my Excellence in Training Course and in the leadership workshops I teach.

As an introvert I treasure my solitude. To me being alone does not mean being lonely. Yes, I teach and speak for a living. That does not mean I am an extrovert. It means that like all introverts I have the ability to be a situational extrovert. Having said that I need my alone time after teaching all day to recover. I do not go out for lunch with the group when I teach and I rarely go out with people after class. At conferences I stay clear of the hospitality room, as that will suck the life out of me. Instead, I may go for dinner with one or two people in order to have a deep conversation and build connection. 

In a world of introverts and extroverts people fall on a spectrum. One is not ‘good’ and the other ‘bad’, they just are. The important thing is to avoid judging and labeling people based on their preference. Seek to understand and appreciate their preference. As a leader, trainer or teacher find appropriate ways to encourage the introverts to contribute and share their thoughts and ideas. If you are an introvert then be ok with implementing strategies to be able to manage your energy. 

What’s Important Now? It’s ok to value solitude. 

Take care.

Brian Willis

www.lifesmostpowerfulquestion.com. 

ONE QUESTION BRINGING FOCUS AND CLARITY IN THE CHAOS AND COMPLEXITY OF TODAY'S WORLD.

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