When it comes to styles of socializing, most people aren’t fixed at one extreme pole or the other, at least not all the time. Most of us spend our time somewhere on the spectrum between painful introversion or exuberant extroversion. Some of us shift positions based on the situation, whether we’re wired or tired, the cold number of strangers in the crowd or the warmth of being surrounded by close friends.
If you identify as neither an extrovert or an introvert and you share key traits with both, you may be an ambivert. Does this sound like you? Here are a few common characteristics of ambiverts – see how many you identify with.
You’re All About Context
In high-stress situations, particularly at work, you may prefer to keep a low profile and think before you speak. However, when you’re around your friends, you may behave quite differently.
Ambiverts have the color-changing powers of the chameleon, subtly altering their presentation to what serves them best in the situations they find themselves in. When you cultivate the mindfulness and self-awareness to make these adjustments deliberately, you can dramatically increase your effectiveness, at work and in life.
You Love to Chat But Prefer Valuable Conversation
You combine an extrovert’s gift of gab with an introvert’s aversion to small talk. Although you’re adept at casual banter, you’re eager to get to the heart of the matter and address what you really care about.
If you readily understand social cues, yet not always in the mood to follow them, you may be an ambivert.
You Provide Balance
When you’re around your boisterous friends, you may calm down a bit, or do less talking and more listening than usual. However, when you’re on a corporate retreat, you put yourself in the mix, break the ice, and help others form the connections they need to be themselves and come alive.
Because of your sensitivity and versatility to others with more extreme social styles, you can provide the secret sauce that makes relationships work.
You Respect Your Own Boundaries
You do fine in social situations, as long as you’re in your comfort zone. Over time, you’ve come to know how much socializing you can tolerate without getting tired, how much you can participate in different sorts of meetings without overextending yourself, and what sort of people bring out your best as friends, collaborators, or mentors.
With their appreciation for the best of both worlds, ambiverts are well positioned to help others better define and establish their own needs and preferences. There is power in this versatility – when you understand the inner lives of both extroverts and introverts and can switch gears as appropriate, you are capable of great compassion and empathy.
Ambiverts may be well suited to roles that require thoughtful negotiation (e.g., sales or management), as well as the “helping professions” such as therapy, advocacy, or creative recruiting. Author Dan Pink, in his book “To Sell is Human” has created an assessment to test for yourself. He argues most of us are indeed ambiverts.
At Artisan Creative, we believe in the strength of diversity. We have decades of experience helping all sorts of creative professionals and businesses bring out their best selves and succeed beyond their expectations. Contact us today to discover your capabilities and embrace your excellence.
We hope you’ve enjoyed the 496th issue of our a.blog.