extroverts

Shy, timid, aloof, anti-social, not a team player, nor a good leader—what type of person does this describe? An introvert, right? No, not necessarily. Your boss and the most successful leaders in your organization might be introverts. Your favorite music artist who performs on stage in front of thousands might be an introvert. Many famous actors, athletes, authors, CEO’s, movie directors, teachers, presidents, vice-presidents, and human rights activists are known introverts.

Ever visit a different country and find yourself wishing the Americans you run into were less boisterous? Do you want them to tone it down when they guffaw in the subways or talk louder than everyone else in the room? Not everybody values “outgoing and friendly” as much as Americans. Sometimes the very extroversion we view as an asset in the West looks like arrogance or socially inept behavior in the East.

So…it turns out it's not just the East that feels that way.