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Lawyers, and other business owners and leaders, when you go into a networking situation, do you automatically think that everyone else is comfortable being there, prepared for conversation and skilled at working the room? In fact, no. Not the case. Remember my recent post about “The Little Engine That Could” as it relates to “not judging a book by its cover?”
People often presume, based upon what they see on the outside, because they do not know about the fears, hesitations and vulnerabilities that the other person is harboring on the inside. Just like their own!
Let’s take Introverts as an example. How might these presumptions impact them? By all measures, they are consistently more effective business developers than are Extroverts because they have learned to play to their strengths. They know to spend time alone prior to a meeting or event to think and gather their energy; and they know to arrive early, scan the room for folks who are alone or in small groups, come armed with open-ended questions in order to drill down for commonalities, and leave early once they have met their requisite three new people.
We are often surprised to learn that a particular public speaker, presenter, actor, etc., is really an Introvert because they mirror the skills of an Extrovert. Once they get off the stage however, they are often exhausted because of all the energy summoned and expended and may go straight to bed. But, while they are “on,” no one knows. What we see on the outside is by far not what we would see on the inside. Not so for an Extrovert. They thrive on the energy from these settings.
The lessons in this? (And this goes for Introverts, Extroverts and Ambiverts alike…)
💥 Focus strictly on *your* own goals and achievements
💥 Compete *only* against yourself
💥 Do *your* best to block out or ignore what others are doing
It’s about doing YOUR personal best and it’s about your perspective.
And, remember, you can always evolve – you, your business, your outcomes.
