What if I’m an Introvert?

The thing with networking, though, is I mean, I think extroverts are, you know, it comes more naturally to them. But a lot of people are introverts or they're intimidated, they don't know how to start a conversation. What advice do you have for them, and especially now we're in a more virtual environment, you're not even able to do that in-person many times. How do people navigate that?

Yeah, it is a challenge. I mean, to be candid with you, people probably don't know this but I'm an introvert.

You are?

Yeah, yes.

Well, you sound very well.

Yeah, this is the thing. You have to stretch and so though it's much more comfortable for me to be alone than it is to be a large group, you adapt, you learn those skills. And so I guess some advice that I would give folks that are concerned about that is one, when we're in a place where you actually can mix and mingle with other people, just walk around. I've said this to lots of people, walk around, look at people's faces. If there's somebody that's smiling at you, go up to them and have a conversation. It really is as simple as that. It's taking a baby step, making an effort, having a conversation. More of those conversations you have, the more comfortable you'll feel having those conversations, and you're building reputation, you're building rapport, you're getting to know people, you're getting to tell your story, kind of practice your elevator pitch. And so those are simple things that you can do. I also suggest to folks, do the elevator pitch in front of the mirror, right? You're telling your story so that when you go to talk to somebody, you're not so anxious about telling your story because you've rehearsed it, you've practiced it. So those are some simple things that you can do just to get comfortable with the networking thing. It's not just the land for the extroverts, introverts can actually be very effective. In fact, I think introverts have the potential to be more effective, because we are more listeners than we are talkers. However you're having a conversation with somebody, they want to be heard, and so introverts don't need to dominate the conversation, they're willing to listen, you're building a relationship and you also build respect when you do that.

That's a really good point. But what if youÕre, you know, now we're in a pandemic, you're not in a room where you can walk to someone or acknowledge someone who smiled at you. How do you do that in a virtual environment?

Yeah, well, honestly, I think it's a bit easier now, because now you don't have the stress of the concentration, right, you can do it on the phone, you can do it on video, which is a little less intimidating because you don't have to walk up to someone and have a good story or be funny or entertaining in some way, right? There's a reason that you're on a video, and you have an opportunity to kind of talk about your interests and your contributions and your goals, your ambitions, your passions. I think it's a little less intimidating when you are in the comfort of your home and you can do that. So it's probably easier now than it will be when we're back in post-pandemic, for an introvert.