Mark suggests ways for introverts to communicate more effectively on the job

Contrary to popular belief, a successful, savvy business person is not necessarily always the biggest extrovert in the room. Improving your active listening skills and post-meeting communication strategies also play a part in capturing the attention of peers or direct reports regularly. This is key to building stronger team relationships.

By leaning into what makes them a little different from their outspoken counterparts, introverts are likely to have a positive impact in their place of business. If you’re an introvert in the workplace and unsure about how to leverage your “superpower” as a reserved business professional who wants to get ahead, below, 18 experts from Fast Company Executive Board offer their tips on how to build your comfort level in engaging with others and being an effective communicator.

1. OFFER YOUR FEEDBACK IN WRITING. 

As a very non-introverted leader, I try to recognize my team’s introverts and help where possible. I moderate team sessions so that no one person (or people) can dominate. I’ll purposely ask the quieter members their thoughts and give them space to answer. Most importantly, I’ll ask for additional feedback (in writing) after the meeting so those who need time to reflect have an opportunity to do so. – Kristy Sammis, CLEVER

2. EMBRACE YOUR UNIQUENESS.

Being an introvert allows me to have deep conversations with myself. Once I’ve collected all the information, I can get extremely introspective and dialed into a problem. In a lot of ways, being an introvert has also made me a bit of an outcast—a position I’ve learned to lean into. Permit yourself to operate differently so that you can achieve exceptional results. – Chris Stegner, Very Big Things

3. LEARN HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF AT WORK MORE EFFECTIVELY.

When talking about “introverts” in a work context, we often mean those who struggle with self-promotion. They find personal interactions tiring—and those involving self-advocacy, even more so. And yet, changing an innate quality defies a quick solution. Thoughtfully choose a coach or therapist who can offer you real tools for becoming a better self-advocate. If they can’t, move on to another. – Scott Menter, Infocap

4. WRITE DOWN AND PRACTICE SAYING KEY POINTS OUT LOUD TO BUILD CONFIDENCE.

Write out the key points for topics that you talk about regularly. Start with who you are and what your team does. Now write down and practice saying key points for other conversations where you sometimes feel put on the spot. The goal is not to be scripted but to feel ready to speak up, so you can start strong without feeling stuck. When you have a confident entry point, the rest will flow naturally. – Bonnie Davis, HuWork

5. PARTICIPATE IN SLACK CONVERSATIONS TO ENGAGE WITH COLLEAGUES.

Slack! This is by far the best tool for introverts to participate in a less intimidating and neutral environment amongst peers. Even if you are uncomfortable with public speaking or meetings, Slack is a fantastic place to build relationships and rapport with your teammates and leadership. It is a truly fantastic app—one of the all-time greats!  – Jared Reimer, Cascadeo

6. CELEBRATE SMALL VICTORIES FROM YOUR REFLECTIONS ABOUT CONVERSATIONS.

It’s essential to reflect on your conversations. After a conversation, take some time for yourself to think about what went well and what you can do to improve for next time. Insights that you derive from your reflections can help you to be better prepared for future conversations and help you feel more confident. Always remember to celebrate small victories from your reflections! – Rahul Subramany, Monaire

7. PRACTICE SPEAKING UP AND SHARING IDEAS WITH OTHERS ON ZOOM CALLS.

I suggest internal Zoom calls and meetings to practice speaking up and sharing ideas. For example, we encourage everybody on our team to participate in our creative brainstorming sessions. This approach allows anybody who is introverted to build confidence for client meetings and other important business events. – Mark Pasetsky, Mark Allen & Co.

8. HAVE IN-DEPTH CONVERSATIONS WITH ONE COLLEAGUE AT A TIME.

I’m raising my hand as an introverted founder and leader. When your presence is important at a large-scale meeting or gathering, consider “chunking intimacy.” Rather than fluttering between many people, choose one to have a deeper conversation with for a chunk of time, then move to the next, and so on. You’ll engage with fewer people, but each interaction will be more meaningful and also preserve your energy. – Jonathan Fields, Spark Endeavors

9. BE AN ACTIVE LISTENER TO PREPARE BETTER FOR MEETINGS.

If you’re an introvert, one effective approach is to leverage your strengths in preparation and active listening. Introverts often excel in preparing ahead of time. Before meetings or presentations, preparing notes, talking points, or questions can boost confidence. By focusing on active listening, you can engage effectively in conversations without feeling the pressure to dominate the discussion. – Jay Bhatty, Nat Gas Hub

10. FIND ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHT LEADERSHIP.

Many of the world’s most powerful founders are introverts. Activities like public speaking can often feel intimidating. Focusing on thought leadership or other forms of written communication can be a great alternative, and sometimes more effective than speaking in front of a live audience. – Caroline Winnett, Berkeley SkyDeck

11. GAIN INSIGHT FROM COLLEAGUES BY ASKING QUESTIONS.

If you’re an introvert, asking questions is a secret weapon! Equip yourself with insights from your colleagues and weave those into dialogue or presentations. Your focus on them will increase their attention and take the heat off you. – Karen Starns, Houseful

12. COMMUNICATE YOUR IDEAS OFFLINE TO KEEP CONVERSATIONS OF INTEREST GOING. 

Start a conversation online and then take it offline. Sending an email where you can express your thoughts and have a follow-up conversation is a way to become more comfortable communicating your ideas without feeling like you are being put on the spot. – Kelley Higney, Bug Bite Thing

13. PLAN AND LEAD MEETINGS YOURSELF.

If your leadership style is introverted, you know planning gives you a sense of confidence. So, rather than waiting to attend a meeting with your executives by being sent an invite, plan it yourself. Lead the agenda, create the material, send the pre-read, and narrate the presentation. Then you can anticipate the conversation points, and help yourself be better prepared for what may come to you in the moment. – Rich DePencier, Talking Rain

14. ENGAGE IN SUB-TEAM MEETING OPPORTUNITIES. 

Set up regular one-on-one conversations with your team members. For most introverts, it is only large meetings that can be draining. If you can, try dividing your team into smaller sub-teams and then meet with each small group instead of everyone together. It may seem time consuming, but you’ll be a lot more efficient in a smaller group setting and more employees will be heard. – Reuben Yonatan, GetVoIP

15. DEVELOP A SEPARATE PERSONA OR CHARACTER OF YOUR REGULAR SELF.

Many who speak or perform in front of others—even stadiums full of people—consider themselves introverts. One thing that can help is to develop a persona or character that you can separate from your regular self. This helps make the activity more about the role of communication, and less about the person doing the communicating. Just be careful not to create a persona you don’t believe in! – Bruno Guicardi, CI&T

16. PRIORITIZE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH TO INCREASE CLARITY AND DECREASE EXHAUSTION.

Take care of yourself mentally and allow time to decompress. As introverts, we need time to recharge our social batteries. Make sure there are breaks in your calendar, and go for a walk alone or meditate between meetings. The feeling of being “on” can take a mental toll—small breaks will help you think clearly to communicate better and prevent you from feeling exhausted at the end of the day. – Geri Johnson, Next PR

17. UNDERSTAND WHO YOU ARE AS A PERSON AND WHAT DRIVES YOU.

First, you must know that you are an introvert; sometimes, there is no driving purpose, so you may not engage as others do. Some people are ambiverts, so find out what drives you and what you are passionate about. The engagement will come naturally once you know the driving factors for participating and leading. From there, you will discover the other skills you may build to achieve your purpose. – Kaitki Agarwal, A5G Networks, Inc.

18. KEEP YOUR OUTREACH EFFORTS SIMPLE BY SETTING SMALL GOALS.

The workplace can cater to extroverts—introverts are often forced into a lot of social situations, and it can be overwhelming. One approach to improve your comfort as an introvert is setting small goals for yourself, like having one brief, consistent networking interaction per week. The key is to keep it manageable and not force yourself into a situation where you won’t find success. – Kristin Lytle, The Leader’s Edge