Leading extroverts

- Understanding someone's level of extroversion is important because it has such a massive impact on the way that people navigate the world. Let's take a look at what you can do to lead extroverts more effectively. But first, let's talk about what it means to be an extrovert. People who are high in extroversion get energy from social interactions, so they look for opportunities to connect and communicate with other people. They tend to be talkative and assertive. They're not afraid to advocate for their ideas. People who are high in extroversion should be placed in roles that give them an opportunity to have high levels of social interaction. They lose energy, motivation, and drive when they feel isolated. They would be well-suited for roles like business development, sales, and reception. When it comes to leading extroverts, getting a clear commitment is an important part of the process because extroverts process both internally and externally. The problem here is that sometimes you think you have a commitment when you don't. So here's an example of what I mean. One of the most interesting things about extroverts is that they need to process verbally or think out loud, so you end up getting passing thoughts instead of true commitments. In one of my earlier leadership roles, one of my team members was highly extroverted. In meetings, he loved to brainstorm with people and think through ideas. When people would hear his ideas, they would get excited and want to move forward. The problem was that people would assume that these were commitments. In reality, talking through these ideas was his way of processing. So as you're working with extroverts, clarify commitments and next steps. The next thing you want to do is allow them to persuade themselves. Since extroverts tend to process externally, you may be impeding their ability to think through things by dominating the conversation. When it comes to persuading extroverts, you need to ask a lot of open-ended questions and get them to talk. They will tell you how they think and feel about the situation. The more information you get, the more persuasive you can be because now you have a better understanding of the situation. Next time you're talking to the extrovert on your team, remember to ask a lot of questions and be sure to clarify throughout the conversation so you don't mistake their thoughts with commitments.