Recently at work, we had a team assessment based on the Highlands Ability Battery (or, as we affectionately called it,the Highlands Assault and Battery test.) It was a fascinating exploration and discussion of our individual temperaments and innate abilities and how that manifests itself in our team dynamics. One of the challenges that I have encountered at Chatham that we discussed in the meeting is navigating as a high introvert in what seems to be a predominantly extroverted environment.
As a follow-up to this discussion, one of my co-workers loaned me a book this week entitled The Introvert Advantage, by Marti Olsen Laney, Psy.D. With extensive physiological detail (the hypothalamus is the part of the brain that "regulates thirst, temperature and appetite and turns on the Throttle-Down System in introverts") the book explores the nature and behavior of introverts and how to most effectively respond to the world of extroverts. I am finding it to be insightful in new areas and a helpful reminder in others. If the study of personality and temperament intrigues you, I think you will like this book.
3 comments:
Steve,
I would like to know what your review on the book is when you are finished reading it. If you recommend it I will definitely want to read it. I really don't consider myself an extrovert or introvert. Is there such a thing as something in the middle?
There's definitely a middle range. Introvert and Extrovert are just opposite ends of a scale and you can be anyhwere between those two ends. Also, the key question of whether you are introverted or extroverted is where do you get your energy from? For instance, if you go to a crowded, noisy party with a bunch of friends, do you flit around from person to person and grab bits of each conversation and leave feeling like you have more energy than when you came and ask what are we doing next? That's definitely an extrovert response. An introvert at the same party is more likely to try to find a couple people to engage in deep conversation with and although he or she may enjoy the party, they're also ready to leave when it's over and go home or at least someplace quiet.
I find social interaction that isn't deep very draining, so I'm going to have to go with social introvert, but extroverted amongst true friends.
Steve isn't an Introvert, he's Inscrutable, the new super high level. The kind that sits at home, sips his tall glass of milk and waits by the door with a Louisville Slugger in case any of the neighborhood squirrels try anything.
;p
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