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    Introverts in Business: Being Quietly Successful
    Introverts in Business: Being Quietly Successful
    Introverts in Business: Being Quietly Successful
    Ebook95 pages1 hour

    Introverts in Business: Being Quietly Successful

    By Alen Mayer

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    About this ebook

    This book explains how many introverts succeeded despite the odds, and how you can succeed in business too.

    For Introverted Team Members: How to Deal With Power-hungry Extroverts
    For Managers: How to Create A Cohesive Team of Extroverts and Introverts
    For Leaders: Why Introverts Make Exceptional CEOs
    For Entrepreneurs: Strategies for Networking, Social Functions and Contact-to-Client Conversion

    What is in the book?
    A rational no-nonsense practical approach to business communication

    18 Myths and Truths About Introverts in Business
    Extroverts’ perception of introverts is based on some pervasive and faulty myths, like introverts can’t make quick, bold decisions or introverts don’t participate; they are not good team players, or introverts never show initiative.

    Dealing With Power-hungry Extroverts
    Some people dominate, manipulate and steamroll their way loudly through the corporate ranks. There are ways to temper their obnoxious ways so you can not only coexist, but cooperate.

    Handling Confrontations With Extroverts
    Approaching the other person with brandished swords will only lead to escalation. That’s not the introverted way, of course, but be sure that you don’t fall into the trap of allowing your emotions to escalate if you are attacked personally.

    Creating a Cohesive Team of Extroverts and Introverts
    As a manager, you want to get the most out of your team: performance, happiness, motivation and team spirit. How do you create a team that plays to both your extroverts’ and introverts’ needs? And if you’re an introverted manager, how do you handle the constant barrage of interruptions and requests for direction?

    Why Introverts Make Exceptional CEOs
    At the highly experienced, polished level of CEO, it’s difficult to discern who is an introvert and who is an extrovert. Introverts have mastered some key extrovert tactics. The real secret is that many greatly successful people have simply learned to work with what they have, adapt and yes, play the part.

    Faking Extroversion and Other Uncomfortable but Extremely Effective Ways of Coping
    Learn how to interrupt; how to be extra friendly (in small doses); how to communicate your value more; and how to make more of an effort to socialize but manage those social commitments.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAlen Mayer
    Release dateMay 9, 2015
    ISBN9781928097020
    Introverts in Business: Being Quietly Successful
    Author

    Alen Mayer

    Alen Mayer is a sales expert, writer and trainer; author of a very successful sales blog. He draws upon more than 20 years of international sales, management, business development, training, coaching and entrepreneurial experience. He brings real-world knowledge and expertise into each article he writes, or training he facilitates. His high-energy, driven, and focused entrepreneurial spirit allows him to confidently approach a myriad of business problems with ease. Alen is very passionate about motivating sales professionals to achieve their goals even faster than they would without his guidance. He believes that secret of being successful in selling is the ability to transmit your energy and your enthusiasm about your product or service. If you fail to do that, you will not sell.

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      Book preview

      Introverts in Business - Alen Mayer

      Introverts in Business

      Being Quietly Successful

      By Alen Mayer

      www.IntrovertsInBusiness.com

      Introduction

      Business Culture and Introverts

      Business culture is geared toward the go-getter, the team player, the networker, the entrepreneur and the leader. It’s about power, getting ahead, cutthroat competition, deals and leverage. It is, isn’t it? On the surface, this sounds like an automatic recipe for success for the extrovert, and disaster for the introvert. But as you’ll soon read, introverts can excel in this culture, by making the most of their unique attributes.

      Since the early part of the 20th century – along with the rise of corporations – extroversion has been favored over introversion as a way of doing business.

      Think about most job postings and resumes and the buzzwords you hear both from the job seeker’s and the employer’s perspectives: work well with others; dynamic; driven; team player; shows initiative; strong leader; contributes ideas; outgoing and personable; sales-driven…

      While these are admirable traits, they are extrovert traits and they are not the only traits that are important in business.

      The flip side of the coin is just as important - a strong work ethic and traits that ultimately lead to measurable results: Conscientious; follows through; independent self-starter; self-motivated; persistent; focus on customer relations; trustworthy; curious; autonomous, self-directed, innovative, problem-solver, independent thinker…

      Introverted people have been perceived in a very negative light in the business culture mostly because of a false association of introversion with shyness. Even the dictionary definitions portray introverts as somehow socially flawed or inept. Introversion is perceived as a personality disorder: Marked by interest in or preoccupation with oneself or one's own thoughts as opposed to others or the environment; shy or reserved. Definitions like these are written from the point of view of the extrovert, who sees the introvert’s tendencies as negatives; something akin to saying that introverts are self-absorbed, self-centered social outcasts who don’t care about anyone else, don’t have any people skills and can’t possibly succeed in anything except maybe basket weaving (that’s if they can market their baskets). This is a very one-sided bias, but a very pervasive one.

      And what about the introvert who is thinking about flying solo and embracing entrepreneurship? Entrepreneurs in particular are thought of as highly extroverted people. Entrepreneurs rarely achieve success on their own and common knowledge says that this must be because the most successful entrepreneurs understand the power of networking and surrounding themselves with people who can help them. Surrounding oneself with people makes the introvert cringe - and yet, there are many highly successful introverted entrepreneurs.

      You’ve heard of Bill Gates and Warren Buffet? Introverts. Wildly successful introverts. And they are not alone: Steve Wozniak (co-founder of Apple, partnering with the highly extroverted Steve Jobs) and Larry Page (co-founder of Google) are introverts. Other notable introverts include former First Lady and women’s rights champion Eleanor Roosevelt; civil rights activist Rosa Parks; the world’s richest woman, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling; and Albert Einstein.

      What about the introvert on the way to the top of the corporate ladder? The irony is, as every CEO knows, It’s lonely at the top. And who would thrive better at that lonely pinnacle of achievement than an introvert? According to some estimates, 70% of CEOs describe themselves as introverts. How is that possible, when CEOs are also required to interact with people on a daily (sometimes 24/7) basis, speak in public, attend functions and meetings - heck, host many meetings - and play the part of a gregarious, people-oriented leader… and schmooze to win clients and influence people?

      You’ve probably heard, it’s not what you know but who you know as a secret to success: putting yourself out there, being seen, striking up conversations, shamelessly promoting yourself and growing your list of contacts until you have one degree, not six, of separation between you and the rest of humanity.

      If you’re introverted, you probably feel a strong urge to hide right about now. That’s not how you roll and you don’t define success by the size of your address book. However, that gregarious, pushy business model is being forced down your throat. Go out there, meet people, network… Is it any wonder that introverts may feel hesitation when considering becoming business owners? Is it any wonder that the climb up the career ladder can be daunting to an introvert?

      Like sexism, there is a strong bias toward valuing extroversion in the business culture. Business culture is still sexist and upholds sexist ideals: men are paid more and valued more than women and yet, despite the progress women have made, this bias is so deeply ingrained that it persists. Even women perpetuate the bias. It’s the same with introversion. If a person grows up believing that introversion is a negative personality trait or worse, a psychological disorder, it will affect their success.

      It’s high time these biases are debunked! The old-school approach of valuing extroverts and dismissing introverts is faulty at best. To make the most of your business, or to thrive in your career, you will want to understand and employ the attributes of both styles of relating to the world. This applies both to yourself and to people you work with.

      What might surprise you the most is that introverts are not a tiny minority. There are far more introverts among the general population than is readily apparent; in fact, most people are neither completely introverted nor completely extroverted. So for most of us, it’s possible to take on traits that best serve our needs at the moment - for example, introverts can learn to make small talk and handle social situations; and extroverts can learn to value solitude. To a point.

      You can make a real splash in the business world if you’re an introvert. No, no, that doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily be in the spotlight, it simply means that you have the same opportunities to succeed as any extrovert. It’s all about learning to value and expand on your personality traits and attributes and use them to your best advantage.

      ~ ~ ~

      So why is the business culture so enamored with extroverts? Let’s look at the classic traits exhibited by extroverts. Most business education and self-help books are written from the extrovert’s point of view, and this is what we are all familiar with as the way to do business.

      Extroverts enjoy interactions with others- a bonus when networking,

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