If you’ve been reading this blog for a long time, you might recognize the name Nancy Ancowitz. Nancy is a Business Communication Coach who specializes in helping introverts excel through one-on-one coaching, presentations and workshops, and her blog, Self-Promotion for Introverts®.

Nancy has recently written a 13-page manifesto in which she dispels many of the myths and stereotypes around introversion and offers 10 strategies to help introverts succeed in a job search, which can be applied to other situations as well. She does a wonderful job of explaining what introversion is - and what it is not - making it a valuable resource for extraverts as well as introverts. You are welcome to download a copy of Self-Promotion for Introverts®: Get Heard More. Even If You Talk Less.

She has sent me a copy of her new book, Self-Promotion for Introverts®: The Quiet Guide to Getting Ahead, which I’m looking forward to reading, so be sure to subscribe to this blog so you don’t miss my upcoming review.

In a recent article in the New York Times, Success Isn’t Only for the Extroverts, Nancy described the dramatic changes that took place in her career after realizing she is an introvert and learning how to make the most of her strengths, instead of trying to be something she is not. It really is inspiring, and I encourage you to read it, especially if you face similar challenges.

Nancy Ancowitz is just one of thousands of successful introverts! If you feel that your introversion is standing in the way of your success, check out her resources and learn how introversion can actually be an asset.

That is, of course, a silly question. Both extraverts and introverts can be very organized, very disorganized, or anything in between. There are, however, some differences in the ways that introverts and extraverts manage their time and space.

In terms of time management, introverts like fairly long periods of time to focus on their current task. For this reason, they prefer a workspace which allows for privacy and concentration, and view people who stop by or call to chat as interruptions.

Extraverts, however, welcome people stopping by or calling to touch base, and prefer a workspace which facilitates this type of interaction.

Because introverts think before acting, they may be slow to act, and others may view the time they spend processing information as non-productive.

Extraverts are more inclined to jump quickly into an activity, often without allowing enough time for reflection. As a result, they may need to step back and redo some steps, which also hampers productivity.

Introverts may have a tendency to procrastinate regarding activities requiring interaction with others, such as making telephone calls. One thing that works for me is to get those tasks out of the way before I start my other work for the day. I can then relax and enjoy working on the types of projects I prefer, without the knowledge of those pending calls weighing on my mind.

Extraverts often dread such activities as organizing their home or workspace, but this task can often be made more interesting and effective if they work along with a group of people, whether it is friends, professional organizers, or a combination of both.

Introversion-extraversion is just one piece of the puzzle that makes up your personality type, and your organizing style. You can learn more about this subject in my new e-book, Organizing Your Life, Your Way. With this e-book, you can learn about your personality type and the ways it affects your relationship with time and space, and the reason why some people have more difficulty than others getting and staying organized. You will then be able to use your new understanding to develop organizing and time management strategies which work in harmony with your personal preferences.

Because even people who share the same type preferences have their own unique strengths, challenges, and systems that work for them, and because new organizing and time management products are developed all the time, I intend to continue my research and to publish an updated edition of this e-book in the future.

Please take a few minutes to share some information to help other readers to better understand themselves and others, and to develop their own organizing and time management solutions.

Simply go to http://tinyurl.com/your-org-style to answer a few questions. Be assured that no identifying information will be collected.

Thanks!

Leila Bulling Towne, an executive business coach, tells managers it’s time to start getting to know introverts.

She gives managers three tips for getting the best out of introverted employees:

1. Don’t rush to judge.
2. Silence doesn’t indicate agreement.
3. Give time for preparation.

Her message is that introverts think, then act.  To sum it up in my own words:  If we don’t respond immediately, it doesn’t mean we don’t know, don’t care or agree.  It means we’re processing it for a thoughtful response.

You can watch the full video here.

Does it ring true for you?

“The Bouquet Residence, this is Hyacinth Bouquet, the lady of the house speaking.”
Do you remember Mrs. Bucket (Bouquet) from PBS British comedy? Well, she’s got a job working as a receptionist for my dentist. At least, it could be her, it certainly sounds like her.

Oh, how that woman loves the sound of her own voice. Here’s how she answers the phone: “Hello! This is Becky Mae Walton, the receptionist in the office of Dr. Harry Jones, the dentist, how may I help you today?” Too much information, don’t you think? I have had entire phone calls that didn’t last as long as her greeting.

I heard her call a patient’s office, to say he’d be delayed a half hour returning from the dentist. She used the whole self-introductory speech, only she ended it with “I am calling on behalf of Mr. Smith.” Only then did she get to the meat of the message and divulge the bit about Mr. Smith’s half-hour. That’s quite a build-up. She sounds like she’s accepting an Academy Award, or maybe awarding one. The person on the receiving end must have got a word in edge-wise, because the receptionist responded, “You can live without him for another half-hour, can you? HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!” And she scanned the reception area to see who else thought she was witty. I felt obliged to smile a little, not enough to encourage her, I hope.

And the dentist? He’s an introvert, as best I can tell. He doesn’t say much unless he’s got something to say. What a relief.

One of the great things about being self-employed is that you can pick and choose the type of work you do. When you work for someone else, if your boss asks you to do something you don’t particularly enjoy, you don’t really have much say in the matter, but when it’s your own business, you have the option of subcontracting the project, referring the client to another service provider, or simply saying no.

There can be a downside to having this much flexibility. When you’re not forced to step outside your comfort zone from time to time, you deprive yourself of valuable opportunities to grow, personally and professionally. Here’s an example.

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There are a few interesting articles on Helium on the topic of Business ideas for the introvert. As would be expected, the businesses listed allow the individual to work alone and with minimal interaction with others. I was surprised to note, however, that none of the authors suggested virtual assistance, which is my own line of work, and a field that is growing by leaps and bounds. Although the services offered by virtual assistants vary according to the skills and interests of the individual VA, they may include many of the tasks mentioned in the above articles, e.g., graphic design, writing articles, blogs, and/or web content, ghost writing, preparing brochures and leaflets, website development, and research.

In addition, since VAs typically work from their homes and conduct most communication via email or online with only occasional telephone calls or in-person meetings, it allows them to focus on a task for long stretches of time without interruptions, just the way they like it.

You can find more information about virtual assistance at the Virtual Assistant Articles Directory. Maybe it’s just what you’ve been looking for!

Last fall I wrote about business communication coach Nancy Ancowitz, who offers a course called “Self-Promotion for Introverts.” I’ve just found out that she has a new course coming up in March, called Presentation Skills for Introverts. Sure makes me wish I was closer to New York City! I’ve been asked to speak to a number of groups since launching my business, and although it’s become less painful the more I do it, I could sure use some tips to present my ideas “with confidence and passion” as well as “body language, vocal variety, managing jitters, and staying attuned to [my] audience.”

Shannon Kalvar is an IT Consultant who happens to be an introvert. She recently wrote a very interesting article which was published on TechRepublic about some of the challenges faced by introverts in the IT project management field. She states that “a lot of professional project management consultants … choose to pass as extroverts rather than the introverts we truly are. In some cases this transformation is so extreme that our friends and family would not recognize us inside the business environment.”

Please note that she is not advocating that this is what we should do, but merely stating that this is what she has witnessed. She is well aware of the importance of “genuinely aligning our personal preferences with the needs of our project teams” and this is in fact the basis of her article, where she offers a few suggestions.

To read the article, visit http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/project-management/?p=171.

Last year, one of my clients recommended me as a virtual assistant to one of her contacts. When I spoke with her, she was in the midst of a large project and already had admin support in place, so we agreed that we would connect again once that project was complete. She quickly realized she needed another person on her team and gave me a call, however, what she wanted me to do wasn’t admin work at all, but calling employers to invite them to take part in a job fair. My immediate reaction was “I don’t do that” so I told her I wasn’t sure I had time. She realized that it was right out of the blue and told me to think about it, but it was clear that she needed my decision that same day.

When I got off the phone, I realized that although I had committed to working on three other client projects, I hadn’t actually received the work for any of them, and money is money, so I called her back and agreed to work 10 to 15 hours per week. I figured it might not be too bad, because it wasn’t really selling, although I am not and have never been a phone person.

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I find it very refreshing to see recognition and acceptance of introversion increasing, and to see the growing number of professionals whose mission isn’t to help us be more like extraverts, but to help us achieve success by being who we are. Nancy Ancowicz is one of those professionals. A business communication coach in New York City, she “offers lively exercises to help you explore promotional methods best suited to your personality type” and has written a number of helpful articles which may be found on her website.

Her one-day course, Self-Promotion for Introverts, ran yesterday (sorry I didn’t find out about it sooner!) but be sure to bookmark her website or sign up for her newsletter, as I’m sure it will be offered again.