LMents of Style uses affiliate links. By clicking on certain hyperlinks and buying a product, you may help me make a small commission from your purchase. It's links like these that keep this site going. Thank you for your support!

Another Wednesday, another day NOT in the workplace thanks to COVID-19 / Coronavirus, but I’m glad that we are taking necessary precautions and can hopefully come out on the other side of this stronger than ever! I feel lucky that Nick is able to work from home and that I have this blog as an outlet during this time, as writing is truly therapeutic for me. Today’s Women in the Workplace topic was another request from you, that I’m finally getting around to. Hey! I’ve been saying that I’m not one of those people who are organizing / cleaning everything with all this new “free time” (mainly because my schedule has only gotten busier), BUT I guess I can say I’m working through a blog backlog of requests, so that is something!

Successful Tips for the Introvert in the Workplace, women in the workplace, witw, la blogger, lments of style, the perks of being a wallflower, how to succeed as an introvert

Madewell Slip Dress | Levi’s Denim Jacket | Vince Nude Flats (similar here and here) | Kendra Scott Hallie Earrings (c/o)

When I received the request for successful tips for the introvert in the workplace, I immediately was drawn to it, as I myself am an introvert. Now, I’m an extroverted introvert, but still. Side note - I also have a soft voice, which Nick describes as mouse like. LOL. It takes me awhile to feel comfortable talking to someone, so I empathized with this topic. It may seem hard to stand out and get noticed if you’re not an extrovert. While that may partially be true, I want to talk about how you can use being an introvert to your advantage and some tips to help you succeed! Today’s photos were shot on my patio a week or two ago with the theme of “perks of being a wallflower”. Do you get it?! I stood behind our fiddle fig tree (under $50 at Costco in February!) and called it a day. I’m pretty happy with how the photos turned out. This whole shelter-in-place mandate has unlocked some of my creativity that has been hiding away and I’m not mad about it!

Okay, so anyway. Back to the topic at hand! Keep scrolling for some tips and thoughts I have regarding being an introvert in the workplace!

BENEFITS OF BEING AN INTROVERT.

Use these to your advantage!

Listening Skills. Nick says my brain is like a database. I remember a lot of really specific things, which comes in real handy. I know that not everyone is like this, but you can at least learn to be a good listener if you aren’t already. Most introverts are naturally good listeners because they inherently speak less. Though you may not be the loudest or speak a lot in a meeting, you can still connect with co-workers and be remembered by, well, what you remember! If you don’t have a good memory, just try being genuinely interested in the lives of others. I always like to ask people personal things like “how their sister’s baby shower went” or “how their back has been since they threw it out” as they passed my desk or when we were both in the break room. You’ll come off less snobbish (some introverts are misunderstood in this way) and be able to build a relationship with others regardless of your personality. Side note, I’m not saying to ask and not care. You should care! This will be hard if you are only doing this to try and move up the ladder.
Leaning In. Introverts typically don’t speak a lot, so when they do speak, people often lean in and actually listen. You can benefit extremely well from this by catching the attention of others on the first try, and having your opinion respected more than an extrovert who talks frequently.
Taking notice. I know that this topic was requested because it may be harder to move up in a company if you aren’t noticed as much as extroverts. While that might be true/make you work a little harder, I will say that people will notice if you do a good job. At one of my jobs I felt pretty unappreciated. I never required a million “good jobs” or anything, but I really didn’t feel like anyone would care if I left. When I did end up leaving, I had so many people tell me how sad they were and that I would be missed. People I never knew even took notice said something! Also, make this a mental note to tell people when you think they do a good job BEFORE they leave and better yet, tell their boss.
Bettering meetings. I think introverts run better meetings. Maybe not better, but more on track? People know you are down to business and respect their time more than anyone, so are more apt to follow you back on track.

TIPS FOR SUCCEEDING IN THE WORKPLACE AS AN INTROVERT

Implement these now!

Schedule One on Ones. You should, at the very least, do this with your boss. I typically have weekly one on ones on the calendar to block off their time and use it as I need it. I think a monthly one on one should be done bare minimum BUT you can schedule one one ones with other departments too. This is not only helpful to make sure you are aware of upcoming projects and possible issues and how they might affect each other, but it gets you noticed with other department leads. You can also do this with people above your boss, I’d just make sure they are aware of it. A lot of times higher ups will take time with you to talk about your career path / trajectory and what you want out of working there. This shows initiative and will help them think of you when it comes to special projects and new roles.
Gain Confidence. I tend to speak up not only when I feel comfortable with someone, but also when I have confidence in an area, whether it be sales analysis or with a certain program. Take the time to get certified on certain softwares that are relevant to you and/or study up on your numbers/ knowledge your role should possess. When you have accreditations and solid evidence, people are more likely to listen to you and do so again in the future.
Make alone time. I have been lucky enough to work flex hours for awhile. I have chosen to work 7:00 - 4:00 for traffic purposes, but also for work efficiency. I work best in the morning and just so happen to have always sat around chatty people (who I loved!), so the morning for me was essential to getting my most tedious work done. For you it could be the late afternoon when most people are gone; regardless, figure out works best for you and when you have the least amount of distractions. I also often blocked off when I wanted to take my lunch break on my outlook calendar, so people wouldn’t schedule meetings over my “me” time. I’ve worked with a lot of people who decide not to take a lunch (usually those who get to the office later) and while I have done my fair share of that, I try to always take a little break! This is good for getting work done, not burning out, and ensuring accuracy.
Practice Speaking. Big presentations have never really bothered me - maybe because I typically use a PowerPoint presentation? However, I typically feel the need to prepare for one on one discussions , especially if there was going to be a tough conversation. Either way, I wanted to feel comfortable with what I was going to say and not get tripped up. I’ve always had a bit of a commute, so I use my car rides to speak out-loud and practice! Form your bullet point thoughts and elaborate. Work out saying it different ways and find out what works best for you.
Keep notes. Though I think even extroverts should do this, introverts reallllly need to do this. Introverts typically aren’t ones to toot their own horns and good deeds may even go unnoticed; however, if they left stopped would for sure know. Hah! It’s especially great to keep a list of good things, wins, and accomplishments you contributed to when it comes time for a promotion or raise, but it is also good for a mental pick-me-up when you are having a rough day and feeling invisible. Be sure to communicate these things monthly or at least quarterly to your boss, as asking for a raise when its finally time may result in a delayed promotion.
Wear headphones. LOL. If you sit near chatty people, this is how to 1) make sure that you aren’t tempted to join in and 2) make sure they don’t try to bring you into the conversation when you know you need to get something done. Some days I have even worn headphones without anything playing to deter conversations. Introvert much?!
Set a timer. I am horrible at networking. Okay maybe I’m not bad, but I do not like it. I despise small talk and feel very awkward. That’s half the reason I married Nick! He can talk to a wall and I can just stand there and not feel weird. Not really, but hey it is a perk of the partnership ;) When I need to go to a networking type of event and I have to go alone, I make sure I have an “out”, so I can avoid feeling trapped there and also so I can go in with a “mission”. If I do that, I have to get it done in my allotted hour or whatever versus just standing by the food table, which is typically where I can be found. Hah! A fun game I play during these type of things is to try all the passed plates or food, because I really like food, but also it makes as a great ice breaker! “Hey did you try that fried mac and cheese ball? SO GOOD!” Food unites people.

Any tips I missed for a more introverted person? Do share! I’m always looking to get better. In all fairness, I can hold a conversation when I want to/need to, but often it exhausts me and I need to recharge. Weirdly enough, when I worked retail I had no issue talking to people, because it literally was my job to do so I had more motivation / didn’t feel awkward approaching people. I also felt like I was truly helping people, which is one of my favorite things. Weird? Oh well! We all have our things ;)

P.S. A lot of these tips apply well to an extrovert’s life as well! Best practices are always a good idea to implement. Should I do a blog post written by Nick from an extrovert’s perspective?!

P.S. If you liked this post, you’ll probably enjoy these:

How to Ask for a Raise

How to Gracefully Leave your Job

Should you Drink with your Co-Workers?

Tips for Negotiating Benefits