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Are you an introvert?


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26 minutes ago, UglyBob said:

I'm  wired as an introvert and have moderate social anxiety.  People don't believe I'm introverted when they meet me, but I've actually had to force myself out in order to deal with the promotional side of writing. I'm now able to do presentations and workshops for our local writers without having a panic attack so I'm trying to push it a little farther this year. I'm submitting proposals for 2 sessions at a national writer's conference this fall. If I'm accepted you're going to see a full on freak out...

You might be the same as I am - a shy extrovert.  If you find you like doing stuff with folks you are comfortable with rather than simply wanting to be alone to do your own thing, then you're likely in my camp.   For example, I usually won't START the conversation, but once engaged, I usually have plenty to say.  So, for your writer's conference, how different would you feel if it was all authors you knew versus the likely audience you are facing? If speaking to the authors you know isn't too scary, but speaking to the strangers is, then it may be more shyness than introversion.  Even with people you know (well or moderately), a shy person may still bide their time in group conversations, while an introvert will just leave.

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I'm an introvert and an IT guy.  Back in my military days, I was extremely afraid of public speaking. So I became an aircraft maintenance instructor. It forced be to become a better public speaker. For example I could say "Righty-tighty and lefty-loosey" to a bunch of one-stripers.

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34 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

You might be the same as I am - a shy extrovert.  If you find you like doing stuff with folks you are comfortable with rather than simply wanting to be alone to do your own thing, then you're likely in my camp.   For example, I usually won't START the conversation, but once engaged, I usually have plenty to say.  So, for your writer's conference, how different would you feel if it was all authors you knew versus the likely audience you are facing? If speaking to the authors you know isn't too scary, but speaking to the strangers is, then it may be more shyness than introversion.  Even with people you know (well or moderately), a shy person may still bide their time in group conversations, while an introvert will just leave.

You may be right. Even though I know most of the local writers I've presented top, I was still shaking like a leaf the first couple of times I presented to them. It's taken a couple of years to get truly comfortable even with people I know. The conference I'm submitting to is one I've attended the last 4 years, so I've gotten to know quite a few of the presenters and a good number of the regular attendees. I'm hoping that having a few familiar faces in the crowd will give me confidence and someone to focus on it I start to lose it.

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1 hour ago, roadsue said:

How can you tell whether the IT guy is an extrovert? 
He stares at your shoes when he’s talking. 

So you’ve met Adam? He’s one of my coworkers.  He has so much anxiety he makes our clients nervous! But he is amazing with high end networks! 

 

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I am pretty chatty, but being alone is no problem.  The extroverts in our town have had a pretty difficult time during the lock down.  Not sure how they are doing now, as I've not seen any of them. Worked with one fellow, that really needed his space, and would actually back up when visiting, if I or others approached into his space. Of course, that fits into a different scale (Myers Briggs), than just introvert or extrovert.

UglyBob, be cautious when looking at those friendly faces in the crowd. It can throw you off if one gives you a funny look, after you've made a great point.:rolleyes:

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I knew very few fellow teachers who were introverts, probably because they were used to speaking in front of and directing large groups of people, children and adults and had the social confidence that comes from that.  At the same time, not too many were true extroverts.

I'm not an extrovert but I strike up conversations with strangers often and if I'm part of a class or group where the instructor needs volunteers, I'll jump at it because it's more exciting than sitting in a chair watching someone else have fun.

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59 minutes ago, JerrySTL said:

I'm an introvert and an IT guy.  Back in my military days, I was extremely afraid of public speaking. So I became an aircraft maintenance instructor. It forced be to become a better public speaker. For example I could say "Righty-tighty and lefty-loosey" to a bunch of one-stripers.

Can you say that here because politics?

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58 minutes ago, UglyBob said:

You may be right. Even though I know most of the local writers I've presented top, I was still shaking like a leaf the first couple of times I presented to them. It's taken a couple of years to get truly comfortable even with people I know. The conference I'm submitting to is one I've attended the last 4 years, so I've gotten to know quite a few of the presenters and a good number of the regular attendees. I'm hoping that having a few familiar faces in the crowd will give me confidence and someone to focus on it I start to lose it.

It helps for me to know either my subject matter well (as a priority) plus maybe 1-2 known folks in a crowd of strangers.  

Part of my job is group course instruction in classroom situations for the past few years.  I'm up there as instructor for up to 2 hrs. per course or more. I teach several courses...and I am evaluated on as instructor immediately after the course.  It is a requirement of my manager.  So it's not just a powerpoint presentation. One is instructing against course learning objectives and demonstrating live on dynamic enterprise software with examples.  

It's become easier and easier for me to ask a question of a speaker in a huge audience of 200 people.  Maybe I'm at point in life, I don't care as much of what people think of me. :D 

I tend to prefer to be apart and not socialize if the people vibe isn't there/nothing much to share in common. Yes, that's why I like cycling.  I don't have to talk nor conform to someone else's pace...except for dearie or 1-2 friends.

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1 hour ago, JerrySTL said:

I'm an introvert and an IT guy.  Back in my military days, I was extremely afraid of public speaking. So I became an aircraft maintenance instructor. It forced be to become a better public speaker. For example I could say "Righty-tighty and lefty-loosey" to a bunch of one-stripers.

I had a platoon sergeant that groomed me to be an NCO as an E-1.  As soon as I got in the unit he dropped a stack of manuals & study guides and had me going to Soldier Of The Month Boards as an E-2 when most went as E 3’s & 4’s.

 I won it on my second try as an E-2 and was 1st runner up for Soldier if the Year.  Those boards prepared me for the NCO boards which I became a Sgt E-5 at just over 2 years time in service.

No public speaking I have done since were as challenging as the Military boards I attended as a young soldier.  

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1 hour ago, Reverend_Maynard said:

INTP, baby!

I flip flop between that and intj  and infp/j.
At first I was miffed when I first flipped from p to j. But then when I reconsidered I realized I really might be a tad judgy. :D

And I actually feel more comfortable with feeling than thinking. :D

But I am aboot as solid an I as possible. That one NEVER flips. 90-95% IIRC. And I do. :D

 

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2 hours ago, MickinMD said:

I knew very few fellow teachers who were introverts, probably because they were used to speaking in front of and directing large groups of people, children and adults and had the social confidence that comes from that.  At the same time, not too many were true extroverts.

I'm not an extrovert but I strike up conversations with strangers often and if I'm part of a class or group where the instructor needs volunteers, I'll jump at it because it's more exciting than sitting in a chair watching someone else have fun.

I know several teachers who are very outgoing with their students, but introverted around parents and sometimes adults in general. I can count on one hand my former teachers who can speak to me 1 on 1 as an adult and not a former student. 

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1 hour ago, petitepedal said:

When I taught at the boarding school in Colorado...all the teachers and all the nuns (Catholic school)... I was one of 2 "extroverts"...the other was a more petite than me...elderly nun..I am guessing in her 80's.  :whistle: Obviously not a good job match.

I didn't answer my own question....I'm more naturally an introvert but doesn't get anxious  under social pressure to hold conversation /speak up.

However this didn't happen until I was in my late 40's.  I was quite shy....and even giving presentations at graduate school, freaked me out. I was intimidated by my other more confident sounding classmates.

What probably built my confidence is being in a role where I was the only person to represent my dept.  I had no choice but to speak up/promote and present, otherwise my dept. died.

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6 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

What probably built my confidence is being in a role where I was the only person to represent my dept.  I had no choice but to speak up/promote and present, otherwise my dept. died.

Good for you to step up and do what was best for the Department. Some Department heads do not learn this need, and many Departments miss out, when the head is traveling and the Department is represented by an acting head. Often Acting Department Heads are not treated well in meetings, and the Department misses out on assignments and monies.

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9 hours ago, JerrySTL said:

How's your Myers Briggs score.

That went into the circular file... probably with the receipt for my tandem.   I can't remember my score.  Just one of the many 'tests' I took for my job.

I tend to listen more, just to understand what is being said, and sometimes more important.. why things are being said.    And then... I'll explain my opinion, etc...  I do remember from one of the tests at work i was very strategic about things.  

Public speaking was an issue years ago, but that was resolved with lots of practice.  

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2 minutes ago, roadsue said:

Unintended, but once in awhile I'm asked to field questions about apostrophe use or a critical reading of the word "florid." 

So does a missing apostrophe in a contraction fall under 1) spelling, 2) grammar, 3) neither, or 4) both????

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