Latest / The Vocal Hack Podcast / #15 Extrovert vs Introvert
Transcript
- Joana Lisboa: Hi everyone, my name is Joana. Assumpta: And I'm Assumpta Joana Lisboa: Welcome back to the Vocal Hack Podcast where we explore the practical tools behind powerful communication. today's topic is one that comes up all the time. People often assume that vocal coaching is just for who wants to be more confident, but that's only half the story. The truth is that both introverts and extroverts can become exceptional communicators. And they also have blind spots that vocal coaching helps them overcome. Assumpta: Exactly. Being introverted or extroverted isn't about how good you are at communicating. It's about where you naturally get your energy. Some people recharge by being alone or just being inside by themselves in nature, and others recharge by being around people. Neither is better than the other, and the communication challenges are simply just different. Joana Lisboa: What about you, Assumpta? What do you consider yourself? Do you consider yourself intro or extrovert? Assumpta: most people that would meet me would think I'm an extrovert, but I would say I'm a very well trained introvert Joana Lisboa: haha Assumpta: because I've been on stages since I was three years old. So I have been trained to come across really extroverted or being comfortable in like a lot of people and around people, but I definitely need the time to recharge by being alone. I get very much overwhelmed or feel like my social batteries just drained and I need quiet and peace and no one talking to me to recharge. How about yourself? Joana Lisboa: In my case, I think I'm in the middle. I'm an ambivert. And when I was a kid, very small and young teenager, social with the people that I knew, but I was a bit shy. So I think I'm not introvert. I'm shy. I'm more shy. it's a bit different, shyness and introvert. So we can do an episode about this also. Assumpta: Yeah. Joana Lisboa: But exactly like you, I was trained. to speak, to sing, to do theatre, everything as a young adult and everything changed. Most people think that I am an extrovert person, but I think I really need also my alone time and quiet time. I'm not that person that immediately goes to a festival or, you know, to a club or doing stuff. I'm not that kind of person. Of course, I did it before, but it's not exactly where I fit, where I belong. So I would say I'm in the middle. I love to be with people. Sometimes I charge with them. But I need also my alone time. Assumpta: Yeah, I think nowadays there are a lot of people that would consider themselves kind of a little bit of both or needing a bit of both sides. And I think that's also natural. Like it's not just black or white, it's not just this or that. But for simplicity reasons, I think it would be easier to think it about a little bit more separate. So you can take from each side whatever is best for you, but starting with introverts, what do you think, Joana? What are their challenges? Joana Lisboa: Well, introverts, one thing I love about working with introvert people is that they usually think before they speak. They just don't jump to conclusions or talk out of turn. They prepare, they observe, and when they speak, they often have something meaningful to say. Assumpta: I couldn't agree more, but I think one of the challenges is that they underestimate the value of what they have to say because they are so in their head and their ideas stay in their head because they're waiting for a perfect moment, the perfect sentence, or they just don't want to interrupt someone else. So I think that that might be actually a big challenge for them. Joana Lisboa: Yes, and vocally we often see the same patterns. A softer voice, less vocal projection, Sometimes speaking too quickly because they want to get it over with or speaking at the ends of the breath, making the voice less stable and less convincing. Assumpta: Yeah, people often think confidence starts in the mind. But confidence is also physical. When your breath supports your voice, when your resonance increases, when your posture is open, people perceive you differently. And you start perceiving yourself also differently. Joana Lisboa: That is so true. That happened to me, for sure. Assumpta: Yeah. Joana Lisboa: One of the biggest transformations I see is when an introvert client realizes they don't have to become louder, they just need to be more present in their bodies. Presence is a very different thing from volume. Very different. Assumpta: Very different. I agree. I I am not very loud myself. And I think people are always surprised when I don't say like I sing opera. They're like, How? Yeah, very loud, yes. They're like, but you speak so quietly. I'm like, yes. If I don't need to scream. But let's talk about extroverts on the other side. They're often very comfortable speaking. They don't usually struggle to start a conversation or volunteer to present or all of these things that you attribute also to a lot of confidence. Joana Lisboa: But confidence can also become overconfidence. An extrovert sometimes speak before they're fully organized their thoughts. They may dominate conversations without noticing, interrupting people or feel uncomfortable with silence. Assumpta: Yeah, one of the biggest coaching topics for extroverts isn't speaking more, but actually speaking with more intention. Joana Lisboa: Yes, for sure. Sometimes the most powerful communication skill isn't talking, it's just listening. The best communicators ask great questions, like we, when we have guests. They create space, they let other people contribute. They don't feel the need to feel every silence with words. Assumpta: And also vocally, I think we notice patterns because some extroverts speak very fast because their brain is already on two hundred kilometer per hour on on the next idea. Others keep a very high energy level throughout the conversation, which can become tiring for the listener. Joana Lisboa: At least for me, that is very tiring. That's Assumpta: yeah. Joana Lisboa: the situation I think that I might be more an introvert than I think. Because I Assumpta: Mm. Joana Lisboa: get really tired if I hear someone just talking, talking, talking, talking. It just gets really hard for me. Maybe other people feel like this. Assumpta: Maybe. Joana Lisboa: Extroverts, be careful! One thing I find fascinating is that our voice often reflects our behavioral preferences. If you're more reserved, your voice may naturally become smaller than it needs to be. If you're highly expressive, your voice may sometimes occupy more space than the situation requires. Neither is wrong. The goal isn't to change your personality, it's to give you more choice. Assumpta: I love that distinction and I think it's super important because vocal coaching isn't personality coaching. We're not trying to turn introverts into extroverts and extroverts into introverts. It's just about being aware about your preferences and helping people communicate intentional instead of just falling into default mode. Joana Lisboa: Yes, we just help people to unleash their true self. Because a lot of people, feel introvert, but sometimes they're just shy, like I said before. And they just need to overcome that barrier or the limiting belief that they need to be small. and don't occupy a lot of space. And when you overcome this limiting belief, you occupy the space you need go. So what can introverts learn? To trust their voice. To project without shouting. To speak earlier in meetings instead of waiting until the end, to understand that visibility is not arrogance, it's a right that you have, just for being a human, and to feel comfortable taking up some space. Assumpta: Even for our extroverts, I think Joana Lisboa: haha Assumpta: the biggest thing they can learn is to slow down, to listen actively, and to ask more questions than they answer. Because that way you can learn even more about the people around you and interact and communicate with them in a very different way and make deeper connections. And one very important, but I think that is for everyone. This is eternal, to become comfortable with pauses. Joana Lisboa: Yes. Assumpta: So remember to communicate in a dialogue, we need to give space, otherwise it becomes a monologue. Joana Lisboa: Yes, that is so true. Here's something interesting. Both introverts and extroverts often believe that the other group has it easier. Introverts think extroverts are naturally better communicators. And extroverts sometimes admire how thoughtful and calm introverts appear. But every communication style has strengths and weaknesses. Assumpta: yes. And that's why self-awareness is so important. We don't want you to try to copy a different style of someone else, but to find your own best version and the way that you communicate. So you can take inspiration, you can look at things that you admire, but then find them in yourself Instead of point blank trying to copy them. Joana Lisboa: This is why vocal coaching is so powerful. It's not just about your voice, it's about the breathing, the body language, the listening, the confidence, presence, emotional regulation, storytelling also, and learning how your communication affects the people around you Assumpta: I think what most people imagine when they hear vocal coaching is it's a singing lesson or it's Joana Lisboa: Yes. Assumpta: not something that is for them. It's something for I don't know, singers or public speakers, something way removed from them. But professional vocal coaching is really about helping your voice support your message. And because your message b deserves to be heard and understood, vocal coaching is literally for everyone. It doesn't have a specific niche or a specific job title associated with it. Joana Lisboa: Yeah, it's not. It's for everyone. So whether you're an introvert who needs to step forward a little more or an extrovert who needs to step back a little more, remember this. Great communication isn't about speaking the most. It's about creating the greatest impact and also space for others to tell their truth. Assumpta: And the only way to truly have impact is by being authentic, having awareness, and practice. Lots Joana Lisboa: Okay. Assumpta: and lots and lots of repetition and practice. And it's not a personality type. and with that, we're already at the end of this episode. Thank you so much for listening to another one of the Vocal Hack podcast episodes. Joana Lisboa: If you enjoyed today's conversation, please subscribe, leave us a review and share this episode with someone who thinks they're either too quiet or too talkative. Until next time, keep finding your true voice and use it with confidence. Bye! Assumpta: Bye, see ya next week.