OA Book Club: Review of “The Introvert Advantage”

Let's be honest. You probably already have an idea of what it means to be an introvert. Ask the average person and they will tell you that introverts are people who keep to themselves and like to be alone. The word "antisocial" may even rear its ugly head.

In The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World by Marti Olsen Laney, you learn in no uncertain terms what separates introverts from extroverts and the answer may surprise you. According to Laney, it is largely a matter of where we get our energy. Introverts draw energy from their internal world of ideas, emotions, and impressions. They need a quiet, reflective place where they can think things through and recharge. Extroverts are energized by the external world that includes people, places, and things. They need to engage in activities outside of themselves to feel energized.

It is the classic comparison of thinkers versus doers, except the author contends they both need each other to actually make things happen. Much of the book is focused on helping the reader understand and appreciate the differences between the two because temperaments never change. So, we must work with our respective temperament rather than against it.

The author does note in the beginning that introverts are the underdogs. Why is this? For one, we are outnumbered 3-to-1. But it also has to do with culture, which dictates that extroverts are more valued because they appear more confident and decisive. The introvert advantage then, comes from understanding their natural strengths and abilities like the ability to think outside of the box and creatively problem solve. The author shows the advantages of each temperament and illustrates how those complement the limitations of the other.

Although this book is primarily geared towards introverts, there are many helpful insights that benefit extroverts too. It's all about learning to work and live together by doing things like trying on each other's point of view and taking turns getting your way. The most important takeaway is that everyone is different, but with a little understanding we can all learn to accept each other and ourselves.

The author continually reinforces how important it is to know yourself and appreciate what you have to offer. She is a psychotherapist, after all. I must also mention this book is remarkably easy to read, especially if you find it as personally relevant as I did. You will find yourself flipping pages quite readily and enjoying a whole host of anecdotes, psychological studies, and surprising tidbits of information.

My favorite part of the book was the chapter Laney devoted to work relationships because she shows the reader what each temperament needs to realize about the other in a professional environment. I would recommend anyone read this chapter because it offers up suggestions on everything from how to maximize your participation in meetings to how to handle arguments with someone of a different temperament. Again, the key is understanding why extroverts and introverts act the way they do.

If you're interested in learning how to get along better with people at work and in life, this book is for you. The tone is always encouraging and upbeat, but the best parts are the meaty insights from the author that will no doubt stick with you after reading.

Next Month's Selection

In the month of March, The OA Book Club is being hosted by Zac Lux, an OfficeArrow marketing specialist. He's selected a book called Customer Centered Selling: Eight Steps to Success in the World's Best Sales Force.

For those of us who don't necessarily consider ourselves strong "sales people," this book is a must-read. Regardless of your role or title in the workplace, sales techniques are incredibly valuable professional tools to master. From influencing decisions to persuading your boss to give you a raise, the "sales process" is a critical component of career success. Here's what Amazon says about the book:

Customer Centered Selling teaches you the secret of the world-famous Xerox sales training program. It provides a systematic, repeatable, predictable approach that teaches you to anticipate and influence behavior as the customer moves through an eight-stage "decision cycle" and ultimately discovers his or her needs. The book includes a series of case studies, activities, and exercises that enable you to better understand the principles being taught, so you can immediately apply them to your own unique scenarios.

Buy It Now