How to Deal With Extroverts and Introverts in a Meeting

People can be divided into two types — extroverts and introverts. Some folks fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, but the rest of the population lean more toward one disposition than the other.

Extroverts and introverts interact with people differently. As a leader, knowing the distinction between the two types will help you communicate better with your organisation's board of directors, investors, managers, staff members, clients, and other stakeholders.

However, there are many myths about the characteristics of extroverts and introverts. It is a common misconception that introverts are shy, sometimes even anti-social, while extroverts are loud and at times, obnoxious. Of course, there are shy introverts and loud extroverts, but they don't represent the majority of their respective personality types.

To better understand extroverts and introverts, there's one key difference between them that you need to know first: Extroverts are energised by dealing with many people at the same time, while introverts are drained by it. This doesn't necessarily mean that introverts don't like people or that they can't face many people at the same time — they do and they can, but after all that, they need to have some alone time by themselves to recharge. The reverse is true for extroverts. It doesn't mean that they don't like being alone and can't enjoy themselves with only a few friends. It's just that they need to regularly mingle with a lot of people to be in their element.

How does this affect the way extroverts and introverts communicate in a meeting? A lot.

Generally, extroverts thrive in meetings. Because being with people energises them, they have an easier time even when surrounded by people in close quarters for hours. They talk and participate without a problem, and they feel comfortable where they are. It's faster for them to open up and share their opinion with others, even those they don't know well. Given their personalities, people are drawn to them. It's no surprise extroverts are usually the life of the party — or in this case, the meeting.

In the same situation, introverts prefer to stay quiet and simply listen. A meeting chair who fails to take into consideration the nature of introversion will try to get introverts to talk, but this will only lead them to retreat into their shell even further. It's not that they don't have much to say; it's just that they're not comfortable enough to do it in the presence of many people. Pushing introverts to be like an extrovert will leave them feeling overwhelmed then drained.

Some introverts can act like extroverts for a time, but only in short bursts. Thus, if your organisation always has big meetings in which everyone is expected to actively participate, introverts will burn out soon enough.

To reach out to introverts, follow up on them with a one-on-one discussion after a meeting. This will give them enough time to process and and analyse their thoughts while providing them an environment that they can feel at ease in. But for a longer-term solution, it's better to mix up your meetings. Keep the big meetings for extroverts, but make some meetings smaller and more intimate to give a platform for introverts.

Another way to cater to the needs of extroverts and introverts at the same time is by using a paperless meeting solution. Extroverts will love using the solution during the meeting because they can follow a presentation in real time, allowing them to stay on track and engaged all throughout. Introverts, on the other hand, will love using the solution before and after the meeting because they can remotely collaborate on documents with other participants from their iPad, iPhone, Android device, or Windows PC.

A paperless meeting solution is also applicable as a board portal for board meetings, or a meeting app for other kinds of enterprise meetings. The versatility of the solution can address different needs within your organisation, making it a good investment on your part.

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Alexandrea Roman is a social media specialist and copywriter for Azeus Convene, a highly usable and efficient board and enterprise meeting solution for iPads, iPhones, Android and Windows devices, and Mac computers. For more information on Azeus Convene, visit http://www.azeusconvene.com.