How to manage introverts and extroverts

The tech world can be a haven for people who enjoy solitary, focused work, and it often attracts people who gravitate toward the quiet end of the introvert-extrovert spectrum. For managers, the challenge is how to make the most of introverts’ and extroverts’ strengths. Team diversity can be a tremendous asset if companies are prepared to accommodate divergent work preferences.

“It’s important to create an environment where everyone is comfortable communicating. We make sure our people managers are aware of the types of people they are managing, and don’t use a ‘one size fits all’ approach,” says Dan Cox, vice president of engineering at Yahoo.

Extroverts tend to thrive in group settings and are prone to multitasking, while introverts tend to value quiet reflection and prefer to work on a single task. People who naturally command attention might appear to have the advantage in the corporate world, but managers say it takes all types to create a successful work environment.

Introversion can be a powerful tool, say Rajeev Behera, CEO of Reflektive, which makes employee performance-management software. “Qualities like introspection and analysis allow introverts to listen to peers, stakeholders and external sources, and [introverts’ ability] to merge these findings together to make recommendations is extremely valuable in the innovative IT setting.”

“Having a diverse mix of introverted and extroverted employees makes for the best and most successful teams,” Behera says.

We asked managers in the tech world to share what they’ve learned about working with different personality types. One fundamental lesson emerged: It starts with education, not assumptions. Here’s what they had to say.

Be careful with labels

You can’t always tell whether someone is introverted or extroverted simply based on their actions and behaviors, says Leah Comfort, development manager at software design and development firm The Nerdery.

“As someone who self identifies as an introvert, I find that the label is not binary, but rather a sliding scale. There are times when I act very extroverted – leading a meeting, giving a presentation, networking at events – and in those cases many people believe I’m an extrovert. At the end of those days, though, my energy is drained and I require time alone to recharge,” Comfort says.

Software maker Jamf makes it a priority to help its managers understand the differences between introverted and extroverted preferences, says Matt Raskin, manager of development and training. “Introversion isn’t about talking less,” Raskin says. “It is about the preference for an individual to move inward to explore the rich and expansive corners – perspectives and experiences – of their mind and how those may inform the situation at hand.”

Many people will fall somewhere in between introvert and extrovert – the so-called ambivert. “Introversion versus extroversion is not a tidy dichotomy,” Raskin says. Employees bring a complex array of skills, preferences, experiences and motivations to the job.

Quiet Revolution is a company co-founded by Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking, with a mission “to unlock the power of introverts for the benefit of us all.” The organization defines introverts, extroverts and ambiverts this way:

Introverts: “Given the choice, introverts will devote their social energy to a small group of people they care about most, preferring a glass of wine with a close friend to a party full of strangers. Introverts think before they speak, have a more deliberate approach to risk, and enjoy solitude. They feel energized when focusing deeply on a subject or activity that really interests them. When they’re in overly stimulating environments (too loud, too crowded, etc.), they tend to feel overwhelmed. They seek out environments of peace, sanctuary, and beauty; they have an active inner life and are at their best when they tap into its riches.”

Extroverts: “Extroverts relish social life and are energized by interacting with friends and strangers alike. They’re typically assertive, go-getting, and able to seize the day. Extroverts are great at thinking on their feet; they’re relatively comfortable with conflict. Given the choice, extroverts usually prefer more stimulating environments that give them frequent opportunities to see and speak with others. When they’re in quiet environments, they’re prone to feeling bored and restless. They are actively engaged in the world around them and at their best when tapping into its energy.”

Ambiverts fall somewhere in the middle of the introvert-extrovert spectrum. “In many ways, ambiverts have the best of both worlds, able to tap into the strengths of both introverts and extroverts as needed.”

Managing larger groups of introverts works best when individual and collective goals are consistent, transparent, account for different skill sets and talents, and encourage coordinated efforts, says Amir Sharif, co-founder of cloud security vendor Aporeto. He likens it to basketball, where team members are recognized not only for scoring points, but also for rebounds, assists, steals and blocked shots. “Not only does the ‘scorer’ get recognized for the good play, everyone else involved in the game is also noted and recognized for their contributions,” Sharif says.

Think of the team

In the work environment, there are many factors – from how teams are assembled, to how many meetings are scheduled, to how office space is organized – that can be tailored to maximize employees’ strengths and temperaments.

It starts with transparency, tech managers says.

“My engineers know what I expect of them, and they also know when and how they will get information from me. A clear communication rhythm and framework are essential for a highly productive team, and can really assist introverted team members by allowing them to mentally prepare for interactions/meetings/communications,” Comfort says.

It’s also important to be direct: When in doubt, ask employees about their work preferences, experts say. Ask what makes team members feel most productive, what they like and dislike about meetings, and how they prefer to communicate, for example.

“We are careful to ask introverts how they want to receive praise so it is meaningful,” says Rachael Stedman, engineering manager at recruiting startup Lever. “Extroverts, for example, like to be recognized in public whereas many introverts want to be recognized in a one-on-one environment. Understanding and respecting these differences is key to managing introverts.”

Over the long term, introverts and extroverts may have different career goals. Offering a technical career path that rewards people who’d rather manage technology than manage people can be a significant differentiator for tech companies.

“As managers we need to learn how to leverage an individual’s strengths instead of focusing on perceived weaknesses,” says Kaushik Ray, vice president of global architecture & customer engineering, Sungard Availability Services. “Some people are born techies and may be more heads-down, but that can be their strength. Instead of trying to make a manager or leader out of everyone, allow employees who want to remain technical to pursue a parallel career path on the technology side.”

Patric Palm, founder of workplace collaboration vendor Favro, cautions against letting preconceived ideas about personalities limit managers’ expectations of their team members. “Just because a person is an introvert doesn’t mean they’re not good at something which might be seen as an extrovert thing to do,” Palm says.

How to make meetings palatable

Meetings are a constant in the working world. Employees meet eight times per week on average, while senior executives in high tech, collaborative industries meet 17 times per week on average, according to a 2014 study conducted by research firm Ovum for remote access vendor LogMeIn. (Related: Walking meetings hit their stride)

A number of managers weighed in on the importance of setting expectations before meetings, so attendees – introverts and extroverts alike – are prepared.

Ensuring that everyone has a meeting agenda and topics ahead of time allows introverts, in particular, to absorb the information and prepare their questions or comments. “We know that introverted colleagues tend to work best if they have time to prepare for meetings, and this is a very simple way to address that,” says Emoke Starr, head of human resources at presentation software maker Prezi.

“While more extroverted team members love group discussions and whiteboarding sessions to brainstorm ideas, I’ve found that more introverted team members prefer to brainstorm on their own time,” Yahoo’s Cox says. “Sharing a document in advance for introverts to comment on or jot down their ideas can be an effective way to make sure everyone feels comfortable participating.”

“In group sessions with extroverts, when doing idea generation, I’ll give everyone Post-it Notes and get them to write their ideas in silence. Keep the extroverts from driving group think, and give everyone an equal voice,” says Dom Price, work futurist and head of R&D at Atlassian, which makes software development and collaboration tools.

Another approach is to create speaking roles in meetings, says Shobhna Upadhyaya, senior manager, business operations, at LinkedIn. “Given that introverts may not speak up in meetings on their own, carve out a role for them to participate in meetings, [for example] have them present a certain section if they are up for it.”

Favro’s Palm agrees. “As a leader, you can and you probably should sometimes actively pull the person into the discussion,” Palm says.

There are tactics a manager can try, such as giving more introverted team members advance notice that their input is expected. “You could begin by saying, ‘Carl, this is something that I really want your opinion on in the end, but let’s start with Maria,’” Palm says. “Then Carl knows he is expected to say something about it, but he will have time to reflect on it first.”

Demos can be another way to encourage less extroverted people to share their skills in a group setting.

“On a technical team, good technical introverts will eventually gain technical respect from other team members. However, you might want to accelerate this by letting them demo something they have worked on to the rest of the team,” says Todd Loeppke, lead CTO architect, Sungard Availability Services.

“Every week, we host a casual internal event called Demo Day where we encourage engineers to share something they’ve recently created or learned,” Cox says. “Our introverted team members have fun getting up there and driving the demo, while extroverts love to talk and engage with the audience.”

Allow for solitary time

Managers can suggest cultural cues – such as a closing an office door or wearing headphones – that signal when someone doesn’t want to be interrupted.

“For introverts/engineers that want to ‘go into the zone’ uninterrupted we have instituted the headphone rule on our team. If someone is wearing headphones then they shouldn’t be interrupted,” says Lever’s Stedman.

The tricky part is finding a balance between encouraging employees to share ideas and socialize, and giving employees space when they want to retreat from communal gatherings.

“Introverts needs time and space to recharge,” LinkedIn’s Upadhyaya says. For example, they may want to eat lunch alone or skip a happy hour outing. “Make such social interactions optional and not a burden for introverts,” she says.

“Perhaps the most important thing to realize about introverts is that we, in general, kind of like being alone,” says Lauren McAdams, career advisor and hiring manager at ResumeCompanion.com. “This isn’t to say we don’t want people around, but sometimes the most refreshing thing for us is not having to force ourselves to interact. We focus better and are more comfortable if we don’t have to be constantly in conversations or highly social environments.”

At the same time, McAdams says it’s important to reach out to more introverted colleagues. “We’re not particularly likely to show initiative in social situations or insert ourselves into events or activities. We need to be invited. If there is a team lunch, approach us directly and ask if we want to come. Don’t just assume that we’ll tag along. If we are having a group meeting and we haven’t said anything, ask our opinions.”

Ray is an advocate of regional annual summits to bring Sungard AS employees together. “It’s not cheap, but I can’t emphasize how important it is to bring everybody together at least once a year,” he says. “As offices become more virtual and remote, nothing can replace the in-person ice-breakers and team building events.”

Another tactic is to encourage meet-ups for remote workers, Ray says. “With HR’s permission, we shared the city and state information of each of our associates within the group so that everyone knew if they may be within driving distance of another remote worker. They were encouraged to ‘meet up’ with their ‘near neighbors’ for an after-work happy hour/dinner. We saw this increased camaraderie within the team and added that social touch to folks who are typically introverted,”

When in-person meetings aren’t practical, collaboration tools can help bring team members together.

“One of the most impactful tools we’ve found that helps communication between introverts and extroverts is the messaging platform Slack,” Yahoo’s Cox says.

At Parse.ly, distributed team members have access to project management, code management and team collaboration tools that have changed the way software engineers work with one another.

“Where many companies see a distributed workforce as a problem to be managed, Parse.ly has learned that remote work allows for radical transparency about how we collaborate on projects together — and allows a swarm mentality for solving problems,” says Andrew Montalenti, co-founder and CTO at Parse.ly, which offers a platform for publishing data and content analytics. “It also gives every employee the flexibility to work when and where they want to, without worrying they don’t have all the tools they need to be productive.”

Companies’ growing dependence on online tools for collaboration, workflow and planning is an advantage for introverts, says Favro’s Palm. “The center point of work is no longer in the physical office. It has really moved online,” he says. “It’s much easier to shine as an introvert in this kind of new work environment.”

Consider space planning

Open office layouts are a staple of corporate life these days, but they’re not always a great fit for people who prefer quiet work settings and shy away from constant collaboration. Creating more private zones within an open-office environment can help balance the needs of all employees.

The Nerdery has embraced open office layouts because of the collaborative benefits that they produce. “We know, however, that this isn’t ideal for everyone,” Comfort says. “We’ve provided soft seating and quiet rooms around the office for this reason. Employees also enjoy a flexible work schedule and a variety of communication channels. This not only sends a message of trust and empowerment to our Nerds, but it also allows them to decide when and how they can be most productive.”

“The open-office floor plan is very popular in tech right now, however it is not ideal for those that need a quiet area to focus and get work done,” Cox says. “We encourage the team to find a spot on one of our many couches in a less crowded area or plug in their noise canceling headphones to show others they are focused and don’t want to be interrupted.”

Software makers Atlassian and Prezi have made similar efforts to add privacy and quiet areas to their respective work environments.

“We have an open plan office, so we also have lots of one-person booths, a library, and casual work areas, so people can find the environment that suits their needs,” says Atlassian’s Price.

“We have silent rooms for some peace and quiet, separated spots where employees can work together without outside distractions, and big open spaces with a little more noise in the background,” says Prezi’s Starr.

 At the same time, the company lets employees decide when to work. “We don’t mandate working hours at Prezi,” Starr says. So, if an employee prefers to work when the office is quieter – after 6 p.m. – for example, they can.

Cloud services company Appirio also makes workplace flexibility a priority. “We use one primary managing method to ensure employee engagement — offering a truly flexible work environment. We give flexibility on work location, which helps a lot because introverted people need peace and quiet to be productive,” says Steve Pruden, vice president of strategy and partnerships at Appirio, a Wipro company. “We offer a full work remote view, where employees can decide where and when they are most productive and design their workday to fit their unique needs.”

It takes all types

Introverts and extroverts have different personalities and work preferences. For managers, it pays to learn how people with different styles prefer to work and learn.

“We’ve found that introverted and extroverted people are looking for an inspiring environment where their work has impact on the world. The thing that makes each person different is how they reach their individual goals,” Starr says. “The cornerstone of our philosophy is we can only have a truly creative work environment if we build appreciation for different approaches.”

One-size-fits-all isn’t going to work. “Investing in making your employees happy is key,” Appirio’s Pruden says. “If you don’t know what each employee needs to be engaged, put in the time and resources to find out. It’ll pay off at the end.”