Extraversion and Introversion: Know Your Preference and Know How to Rebuild Your Energy

My earliest memories of my son (now 15 months old) are taking him to the grocery store whenever he got fussy. He would stop crying and focus on the people in the store. When he turned 11 months old he went to daycare for the first time. That was when I realized with a certainty that he has a preference for extra version. On the weekends I make sure that we have a play date or go somewhere he can be around people (even if it is just walking around a store). If we haven't been out because it is too cold...he gets fussy. If I suck it up and bundle us up and go somewhere...he is happy.

As adults, even though we don't cry when we are operating outside of our preference it does cause us added stress. I always advise people to know what their preference is, when they are operating outside of it, and what they can do inside their preference to renew their energy.

From a Leadership perspective, when you give your employees "stretch" assignments outside of their preference, make sure they have time inside their preference afterwards to rebuild their energy.

What is your Extraversion/Introversion preference? What do you do to rebuild your energy when you are drained? How do you use your knowledge of your preference and your team members' preferences to balance individual development and productivity?

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