Introvert or extrovert—you’re either one or the other. I mean, you could also be an extroverted introvert or an introverted extrovert, but let’s not get pedantic. Basically, you either thrive on engaging with people, or you have a limit for it and after that it exhausts you.
Yours is either the voice everyone can hear, or the voice that prefers to be heard only when necessary. In a social situation, you’re either flitting about, creating conversations or jumping into them, or you’re stood in a corner, content to observe or perhaps chat with no more than one person at a time.
Your disposition as either an introvert or extrovert has a significant and wide-ranging impact on your life. It determines how you interact with the world, and how the world interacts with you; it can help guide you towards careers more suited to your strengths, and influence your chances of success in whatever field you choose.
So, what about entrepreneurship? Both introverts and extroverts can be business owners, but how does each differ in their approach? What are their strengths and weaknesses?
The introverted entrepreneur
It might surprise you that most of today’s most successful entrepreneurs are introverts. Far from the image of the brash, ruthless and loud figure who convinces everyone to buy or invest in whatever they’re selling, the introverted entrepreneur has a higher chance of success for several key reasons: they listen more than they speak; they are deeply reflective so tend to learn better from mistakes and not take unnecessary risks; and, perhaps most importantly, they are inherently independent and enjoy working alone—a crucial trait, especially in the start-up phase.
However, there are downsides to being an introverted entrepreneur. Because of their insular nature, introverts tend to have smaller networks and their dislike of attention means they are not great at self-promotion and actively pushing their business into the public realm. Many introverts also struggle with verbally articulating what it is they’re trying to achieve or sell, especially when put on the spot.
To address these weaknesses, the introverted entrepreneur should first of all start a business that focuses on creative thinking and independence, and one that doesn’t require him or her to be the public face of the company. When recruiting, they should look to hire a good number of extroverts who can do all the talking, socialising and selling for them, while they spend their time doing what they do best—quietly thinking of ways to keep the company progressing.
The extroverted entrepreneur
Photo by Jenean Newcomb on Unsplash
While the most successful entrepreneurs tend to be introverts, there is a higher number of extroverted entrepreneurs. Outwardly confident, attention-grabbing and articulate, the extroverted entrepreneur finds it easy to convince people to buy into their business, and is an expert at networking. They will probably find things much easier, especially in the start-up phase, where it’s important that both you and the people you employ believe unrelentingly in what it is you’re doing.
It’s this same self-belief, however, that can trip up the extroverted entrepreneur if they’re not careful. Extroverts are prone to high levels of risk-taking, and their focus on self and lack of reflection can lead not only to breakdowns in relationships but in the business itself. The extrovert, for all their vision and charisma, is also a lover of novelty; their eyes are naturally attracted to the shiny, new thing—great for spotting an opportunity before anyone else, but not great for maintaining a long-term interest in it.
As with the introvert, there are several things the extroverted business owner can do to alleviate his or her weak spots—the obvious one is to hire more introverts! Using introverts as a sounding board for ideas and impulses will help to temper the extrovert’s natural urge to throw themselves into something just for the thrill of it. The extrovert also need to learn to listen more—and this can be in meetings and when it comes to advice about not only the business but personal life too; sometimes the high-energy, go-getter extrovert needs to be told when it’s time to slow down, relax and reflect!
The great thing about introverts and extroverts is that they compliment each other very well. Whether you’re one or the other, by bringing in your opposite and noting how they go about things differently to you—and learning from them—will only strengthen your business, enhance its chances of success and, perhaps most importantly, bring harmony to the workplace.