There is a lot of talk in the news about introverts lately. It’s the topic of conversation regularly for my publicity shy prospects and clients, and me.
The stories and articles I am seeing sometimes make it sound like it’s a competition – the introverts vs. an extrovert, which always troubles me. Why not celebrate our uniqueness and each other’s?
Introversion or extroversion are not new concepts or ways of being. Carl Jung is credited with coining the term ‘introverted person’ in 1918. Susan Cain’s book “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking”, published in 2013, became a bestseller and has helped bring the conversation into the forefront.
The only reason that it matters if you’re an introvert or extrovert is that it can help you to know yourself better and help you leverage your strengths in your business, marketing and promotion, and in life. It can also help you in your interactions with other people by understanding their natural personality tendencies so you can communicate better with them.
Businesses have long recognized the value of personality and strength profiling and have adopted the use of tools like the Myers-Briggs or DISC assessments as part of an interview process or during on boarding of new hires. Entrepreneurs have used Strength Finders to help assess their natural strengths in an effort to better understand and improve the way they work.
There is no such thing as a pure introvert or extrovert. Such a person would be in the lunatic asylum. Carl G. Jung
Meet the “Ambiverts”
I just recently came to understand that I am an ambivert – a combination of introvert and extrovert. I didn’t even know there was such a personality type or a name for it before I started exploring introversion in my publicity mentoring work. As I sought to better understand some of the resistance my clients were experiencing and how I could help them get better results for themselves by harnessing their strengths, I observed publicity shy folks who were introverts, extroverts and ambiverts. This initial foray into understanding introverts formed the research for my book Publicity for Introverts™.
I never would have thought of myself as being an introvert, even if only partially, as I am outgoing in social situations and like to talk about my thoughts and feelings [just a few of my extrovert tendencies]. That said, I really enjoy and need to spend alone time working, reflecting and recharging my energy [my introvert traits]. I actually never gave this much thought to this until it became part of my client work, but if I had to choose one team, I would have leaned toward extrovert.
Turns out that according to Jung’s analytical psychology each of us has both – traits of extroversion and introversion. One set of traits may be more dominant in individuals, and to make it even more interesting, people do not always behave according to their behavior type all the time.
I’m not a big fan of labels, but I do find them empowering as a tool, and use their associated traits to understanding myself and my clients better. It makes sense that our personalities aren’t all black and white, and it’s clear to me now that I am an ambivert.
How do you identify yourself, and what impact does it have on your marketing and promotion?
The biggest challenge I see with my clients is the way they think and speak to themselves about doing publicity. This includes a lot of ‘shoulds’, ‘ought tos’… and generally, unnecessary and self-defeating thinking.
What makes this self-talk abuse is the comparing yourself to someone else and how they are promoting themselves and their business. The only thing you should be doing is what is right for you, and then finding a way to do it that is empowering, and transforms it from a ‘supposed to’, to a ’want to’ and has you taking action, without the internal struggle.
I am a firm believer that life begins at the edge of your comfort zone.
The key is to figure out your own PR Persona™, which harnesses your own unique strengths and traits, as well as where you have decided you are willing to step out of your comfort zone [for a new action or strategy].
Writing this article made me think of a cartoon book I read years ago entitled, “I Am in Training To Be Tall and Blond”. You don’t need to be in training to be anyone but the best version of yourself!
If you’re interested in getting visibility whether you’re an introvert or someone who is spotlight shy, but the thought of it makes you uncomfortable, then let’s talk. I can show you ways to become more being visible and getting media attention without compromising who you are.
To your publicity success!
with love,
Jane
PS. After I drafted this article, I saw a copy of “I’m in Training To Be Tall and Blonde” sitting on the top of the free bookshelf in my apartment building! Synchronicity?