As a leader, you know full well the challenges of implementing change at work. Inexplicably, small changes that seem inconsequential can elicit the most resistance. This can cause us to fear the larger changes, and cause us to make matters worse.
There is a way to make these changes go more smoothly, and it starts with understanding how people's personalities contribute to their willingness and ability to embrace change.
People have a natural preference, ranging from slight to significant, for introversion or extraversion. These two things are not about being quiet or outgoing, although those factors play into the bigger picture. Introversion and extraversion are about how our brains work and what energizes us. And this tendency can tell us a lot about how we deal with change.
INTROVERSION = INSIDE
Introverted brains are reflective brains. They like to process information inside before doing anything with that information. These folks tend to like to listen first, engage in small groups, and energize during alone time.
EXTRAVERSION = OUTSIDE
Extraverted brains, by contrast, are action brains. They like to process information at the same time as acting on that information. These folks like to speak first, thrive in larger groups, and get re-charged by people and activities.
So what can we learn about the way people deal with change as it relates to introversion and extraversion.
Typically, extraverts are more comfortable with change than introverts. This does not mean, however, they extraverts are better at change. But they do tend to be more comfortable changing direction and dealing with ambiguity.
Think of an extravert's brain like popcorn. The ideas come quickly, come from many different directions, and sometimes at the same time. They are great at brainstorming and mind mapping. Because they can better handle the seemingly chaotic process, changes tend to not overwhelm them. They may even tell you they love change, look forward to change, and create change for change's sake.
An introvert's brain works more like a subway train. It moves rapidly along the tracks but takes time to stop and pick up passengers (or ideas) along the way. While in this reflective state, the introvert's brain processes information very quickly and effectively, and then when it's ready, it heads down the track to the next station.
You may be thinking to yourself that both of those descriptions sound like you. And you may very well be right, because we all do both of these things, all day long. But one of them is easier and more natural than the other; at least as far as your brain is concerned.
But as you read these two descriptions, did you pause to take a sip of coffee and reflect on whether or not you agree with me, or are you just now getting back to reading this because you stopped to talk to have a conversation about it, even if it was with yourself? (introversion vs. extraversion)
Back to change.
Understanding the different ways these two groups of people deal with change can explain a lot of the behaviours you might be seeing at work.
You may have one group that is excited by the mere idea of change and thrive in the flexible and dynamic environment. These folks need only to be pointed in the right direction and they'll take off running to make it happen.
The other group may want to come up with more details with specific steps, timelines, and well thought out plans. They may want to think it through and take their time to craft a measured approach.
But if you're thinking that you want everyone from the first group and no one from the second group, think again. These are just two different styles of dealing with change, and both groups come with pros and cons. No matter the makeup of your team, there is strength in diversity. It may make your job as a leader a little more challenging, but it can garner you a better result.
Remember that people are different, and a one-size-fits-all approach to planning, communicating and implementing change won't work. Be flexible in your approach and you'll find resistance goes down, engagement goes up, and everyone gets on board much faster.
So what does it look like to take the different styles into consideration?
You're about to go into a meeting with your team where you're planning to share the news with them about changes that will impact them. What should you do?
You know some people on your team are extraverts and will want to talk about the changes in order to understand them. They'll want to interact with people and have spontaneous and robust discussions.
You know your introverts will want time to reflect on it to process it. They'll probably want to read something or take away some documentation. They may want to think about it and then reconvene in smaller groups or talk one-on-one.
Consider some of these strategies.
Be sure to bring as much information as you can to the meeting. A page of notes you can hand out or that has references to get more details will reduce the ambiguity. If you don't have it written down, have things you can put on a whiteboard so they can take their own notes and do some data gathering on their own.
Book more time for the meeting than you think you'll need, and leave lots of time for your message to sink in. This will give introverts time to process, and extraverts time to jump all over with questions. Don't be in too much of a rush to end the meeting quickly as this will only come back to bite you later.
Let your extraverts dominate the first part of the conversation if they want to. They're probably asking a lot of questions that others are thinking, so don't worry who's doing most of the talking.
If you find that no one is asking questions, but you want to get a dialogue going, ask an extravert to share what they're thinking and then ride the energy wave. They'll be the ones who relish in the face-to-face discussions that evolve on the spot.
Don't mistake the introverts' silence to mean they don't have opinions, questions, or comments. They're probably letting their ideas to fully form, or they're waiting for a lull in the chatter so they can chime in. Let them go last when sharing with the group, or alternatively, offer to accept questions by email that you'll answer back to the whole group.
As a leader dealing with change, you know you can expect the unexpected. People naturally go into survival mode during times of change, and they focus on the personal impact on their individual lives.
Remember not to overreact when people overreact. It's natural both for people who might be more sensitive to change and for those who tend to think out loud before engaging their filters.
Bottom line is that it's your job as the lead to effectively communicate change, generate buy-in, and successfully implement the new strategy. Customizing your methods to take into account personality differences will go a long way in you getting better results.
