Several years ago I was attending a meeting with a group of about 15 people who know me but not particularly well. We were each asked to say something about our self that the other members of the group might not know. I was chosen to lead off and quickly stated what comes to mind first when I think about my personality: “I am an introvert who plays an extrovert for my job.” This caused several in the group to protest, “Mary, you are far from an introvert.” But that just proved my point. I play an extrovert (and I guess I do it fairly well) but I am truly an introvert.

I have simply learned how to behave like an extrovert when I need to. I’ve always known that I was an introvert at heart, and then I read the book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain. As I read that book I felt like Ms. Cain was talking specifically about me.  There are a lot of people out there just like me. And I agree with Ms. Cain that this subject has important implications for business people, particularly for anyone involved in talent management—especially recruiters.

So who or what is an introvert? Introverts are people who find their energy to function in the world in the ideas, imaginings, and images that come to them when they are alone. Therefore, alone-time is attractive to them. Extroverts are the opposite; their energy is generated by their interactions with other people and other external stimuli. Therefore, extroverts crave contact with others and social environments in general.

According to Ms. Cain, studies show that anywhere from one-third to one-half of all people are introverts. Some of the most important contributions to western civilization have come from people who were either avowed introverts, or whose personalities or known lifestyles clearly labeled them as such. They include people like the scientists Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein, the poet W.B. Yeats, the composer Frederic Chopin, and more contemporary personalities like Warren Buffet, Mohandas Gandhi, Eleanor Roosevelt, Steven Spielberg and Rosa Parks.

One popular misconception is that introverts are shy and extroverts are outgoing. The reality is that there are shy extroverts (Barbara Streisand, who suffers from acute stage fright) and outgoing introverts (Bill Gates, who maintains a high public profile but prefers to be by himself).

For any organization to be healthy it needs both extroverts and introverts. It is a form of diversity that is just as important as racial, ethnic, gender or age diversity. Every organization needs quick decision-makers and consensus builders, but also deep thinkers and those who are instinctively cautious. The mix is needed at every level, including top leadership. The problem is that our society favors extroverts at every stage of life, from babies who are smiling and bubbly to political and business leaders who come across the best in front of a camera.

Consider also the daily job in organizations of recruiting, hiring and managing talent. Who tends to come across better in interviews—the candidate who takes time to think before responding to the most challenging questions, or the candidate who “sells” herself best because she speaks with the most self-confidence and exhibits the strongest body language? We all know the answer to that question—it’s the latter candidate, whose outgoing personality excels in the format of the traditional job interview. It’s not the former candidate. But while seeming less confident, the former candidate may simply have the habit of thinking before speaking—i.e., is more introverted—and may be formulating a far more compelling response to the question. But we tend to infer that the extrovert will be more self-confident and a better team player than the introvert. In an organization that values teamwork, we may be missing out on someone whose contributions to the team include better, well developed ideas and more willingness to empower others on the team. What organization does not need those qualities?

I recommend Cain’s book. It is full of insight into how introverts function and how organizations can get the most from them. For me, it validated my personality type and empowered me to stop hiding the fact that I am an introvert and a business executive at the same time. I’m an introvert, and proud of it!

As always, I love hearing back from you.  Are you an introvert who plays an extrovert in your position?  Do you have introverts on your team?  I’d love to hear about your experiences.  Email me at [email protected].