People often say that opposites attract. That people with opposite personalities, such as introverts and extroverts, can work together in the virtual workspace. There’s a reason why introverted leaders exist, after all.
Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Managing introverts and extroverts in a hybrid workplace can be difficult if you don’t know how to make room for their differences.
To help improve introvert-extrovert collaboration, here are five tips that you and your team can follow.
Learn and Appreciate Each Other’s Strengths and Weaknesses.
The first step in helping improve introvert-extrovert collaboration is to acknowledge the differences between these two personalities. From there, you must learn to appreciate and learn from each other’s strengths and weaknesses; so you can work seamlessly together.
If you’re an introvert, you must learn to work with the sometimes overwhelming energy of your extroverted co-workers. Alternatively, If you’re an extrovert, you must respect and understand that your introverted coworker often works best on their own.
Doing this will take time and a lot of effort from the two of you. But if you keep it up, it will help you get to know each other better and apply your strengths to complement each other’s weaknesses.
Respect Each Other’s Boundaries.
Establishing boundaries is essential when trying to form any relationship. This is doubly so for introverts, who prize their personal space and the comfort it brings to them. However, this could be problematic, as some extroverts have trouble with social boundaries.
This doesn’t mean that only extroverts have problems with boundaries. Even introverts could experience difficulty saying no to people who intrude on their personal space.
To avoid issues, extroverted employees should learn to respect these boundaries when interacting with their introverted counterparts. That said, introverts should clearly communicate with their co-workers so these incidents won’t happen in the first place.
Provide Opportunities for Introverts and Extroverts to Collaborate.
Another great way to improve introvert-extrovert collaboration is by giving each of them a chance to shine together. This is commonly done through virtual group projects, where they can showcase their talents and get to know each other.
So while an introverted employee may work on producing a presentation, it can be up to the extroverted employee to present it well. This division of labor plays to each of their strengths. And provides an opportunity for the team to work together.
During Meetings, Give Everyone a Chance to Speak Their Mind.
Besides group projects, another place where introverts and extroverts interact in the virtual workspace is in meetings. In theory, everyone can share their insights regarding the agenda for the team’s benefit.
In practice, extroverts often dominate these conversations since they’re more outspoken and vocal about their thoughts. To give everyone a chance to speak, encourage introverted employees to speak up and extroverted employees to listen in.
Doing so allows introverted employees to contribute their input while compelling extroverts to listen to their co-workers, preventing them from dominating others.
Another way to ensure everyone can speak during meetings is by announcing the meeting’s agenda in advance. Doing so allows everyone to prepare any points they would like to raise.
Promote Camaraderie Between the Team Outside of Work.
Nothing helps co-workers get to know each other better than hanging out outside your work from home jobs. It allows them to casually converse with each other and talk about their hobbies and interests.
However, finding common ground between your introverted and extroverted co-workers isn’t easy. Introverts often have difficulty hanging out with strangers, and getting them to socialize takes time.
That said, it’s not impossible to do. The trick here is pacing and knowing your limits as an introvert. You don’t have to socialize with everyone on your team immediately. Start with a colleague or two, then work your way up from there.
As an extrovert, give your introverted co-workers space. Don’t force them to hang out with you until they’re comfortable enough to do so.
Together is Better.
An efficient team is often a diverse one. To increase your team’s productivity, you must learn to understand your introverted and extroverted co-workers and get along with them, no matter your differences.
If you’re looking for new remote teams to join, Remote Staff has you covered. Our jobs list has various openings available for you to consider. So, what are you waiting for? Head to Remote Staff now.
