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Introverts in project management speak out · Project Podcast

0:08
Welcome to the IPM podcast. APM is the childhood body for
0:11
the project profession. My name is Emma divita and I'm
0:14
the editor of project apm's quarterly journal and your host.
0:18
I've invited three project professionals who are here to
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talk about what it's like to be an introvert in a profession
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that on the surface, at least appears to favor the extrovert,
0:28
this situation, leaves many Introverts having to fake it and
0:31
to suffer the consequences. So isn't it time things change
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here to share their experiences and offer their advice.
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Our Alex Constantine consultant at P cubed, Claire, Hornsby a
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project manager in strategic partnering programs at BAE
0:47
Systems and Natalie Tolbert. Our manager for Alchemy where
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she consults and digital transformation projects for
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public sector clients. Welcome everyone.
1:00
First by way of introduction, I think.
1:02
Would each of you mind saying a little bit about your role and
1:06
the kinds of projects you work on.
1:08
So Alex, do you want to go first?
1:12
So, I am a senior principal consultant for Mig sop cubed, we
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are Specialists project management consultancy.
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So we work with clients on, portofolio programs, and changed
1:28
and pmo gigs. My background is, I'm not
1:33
industry-specific. So, I've worked across most
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Industries. So, for example, I'm currently
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working with a client, client in the real estate area previously,
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I was working with a telecommunications client so
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very varied client based Thank you, Claire.
1:54
Would you like to introduce yourself and tell us a bit about
1:57
your role? Yeah, so I'm clear Hornsby, I am
2:01
a project manager within the head office within BAE Systems
2:07
of which for Bae for 26 years and have been in project
2:13
management. Probably about sort of 23 24 of
2:16
those. The the role that I mean
2:18
currently is looking at improving project.
2:22
The processes and how we deliver I guess better outcomes
2:27
specifically to our mod customer.
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But the intention is that the benefits are then felt across
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all projects to all customers. Thank you.
2:38
Natalie welcome. Do you want to tell us a bit
2:40
about your role and projects you're working on?
2:44
Yeah, no problem. I'm see how I'm Natalie.
2:47
I work with an SME. Consultancy firm called Alchemy
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at the moment. I am in manager, I've got a
2:53
split roll so I work deployed on client contracts, doing project
2:59
management and controls in digital transformation projects
3:03
mostly across the public sector at the moment and I also work in
3:07
our bid Factory. So I also manage and write
3:10
proposals to windy work for the business.
3:15
So I've been in project management sort of officially
3:19
for three and a half years. Now prior to that I was
3:23
accidentally project managing when I was so used to be a
3:26
research scientist before, switching things up and entering
3:30
the P3 I'm space. So, it turns out, I was
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accidentally project managing my research, throughout those four
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years. So, unofficially, seven years in
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project management, officially three-and-a-half.
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We're all gathered here today to talk.
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About being an introvert in the project profession, you all
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think of yourselves as introverts.
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But what does that actually mean in everyday working life and and
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what's it feel like to be an introvert in the project
3:59
profession? So Alex I'll ask you to be brave
4:03
and go first. It's interesting because you
4:07
come across people quite frequently with who perceive
4:12
project managers to be the people that lead from the front
4:18
go out, you know, tell everyone what to do, and get things going
4:23
and get things moving. And, and I'm glad to say that
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there are not as many people like that around that anymore.
4:35
Because if that's the expectation, then that can be
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quite intimidating because it doesn't come natural.
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So do you mean that you're expected to be this kind of
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gung-ho extroverted leader? That's what it means.
4:47
That's what people think it means.
4:50
It does to. Yeah, because you are effect a
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project manager is effectively a project leader there.
4:56
The person who are expected to take something and create an
5:01
outcome and it comes Responsibility, you know, and
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accountability very often to to deliver whatever the project is
5:09
set out to deliver. And I think if you have people
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who are naturally extroverts than they kind of often expect
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that that leadership Position will be done by an extrovert
5:24
person or in an extrovert way, which doesn't come naturally.
5:27
It doesn't mean that it does that I think.
5:30
Yeah, I think every extrovert every introvert.
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Can be extrovert or have an extrovert features, right?
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It doesn't mean that we are always quiet or always in the
5:39
background or whatever it may mean to people.
5:42
You know, it's not a fixed State.
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It's just the preffer natural preference.
5:47
We are what's your natural preference in the way you work?
5:50
Well, my natural preference is I like working As much as
5:58
possible, you know, in smaller groups are one to one.
6:01
So, take an individual approach with people build consensus, in
6:04
that way, and work with stakeholders in that way, and
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then bring larger groups together.
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After that, in order to you know align people into a specific
6:15
Direction. Let's put it that way.
6:18
Whereas others may feel more comfortable just, you know, get
6:21
everyone in the room and you know, let's hash it out and find
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a way, right? That, you know, I find more
6:30
difficult and personally, I would probably, you know, making
6:33
decisions off the cuff. It's not something that I
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naturally like doing, I prefer to step back have a think about
6:39
it. Probably informed myself and
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then and then do it that way. Okay, that's an interesting
6:45
Insight. Well, how about you, Claire?
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What's it? What's it mean?
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To be an introvert in your sort of everyday, working life and
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how do you prefer to work? I guess, my initial thoughts are
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that. I'm not sure that it feels any
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different to anybody else in that, you know, an extrovert can
7:03
sometimes feel anxious or unsure.
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And I guess as well because I'm an introvert, I don't know how
7:10
an extrovert necessarily feels, and I guess personally, I like
7:16
to plan my weeks, but I like to mix a mix up those engagements
7:22
days with the thinking days. So I make sure that I've got
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that balance through the week because effectively, you know,
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it's how I get my energy so I don't get my energy through
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presenting to a load of people. I get my energy through sitting
7:41
reflecting and then sort of coming up with a considered
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thought. And you know I guess that's
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similar to what what Alex was saying if I've got a
7:54
particularly We busy week with lots of truffle, lots of
7:58
engagements. I need to make sure that I've
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then got the downtime to, to be able to recharge.
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I can't do, you know, sort of weeks and weeks away, and then,
8:10
you know, sort of getting home and then having to do stuff at
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home as well, it doesn't stop me.
8:17
You know, being able to present or have big meetings or get a
8:22
load of people in a room. It just means means that I need
8:25
to prepare for it and I need to make sure that I've got enough
8:28
in reserve to be able to do it and then enough dying down time
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afterwards. How do you prefer to interact
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with a team? Then it depends on on the team.
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So if it's I mean, I'm fortunate, the team are working
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at the moment, we're all introverts.
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So we all know to be able to give each other space, but
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equally when we get together, it's a really safe environment
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and, you know, we can, we can have those discussions, we can
9:02
bounce off each other and it's You know, it's really good being
9:06
sort of face-to-face, sending a team together and if it's, it's
9:11
then sort of wider wider team and, you know, sort of other
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stakeholders, I do prefer the sort of 121, you know, similar
9:24
to what Alex was saying that individual engagement and then
9:28
getting everybody together. But as I said earlier, I mean,
9:33
I'm sort of all so happy. If we just, if the only
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opportunity only option is to get everybody in a room, then
9:40
let's get everybody in a room. Because it's the outcome.
9:43
That's not it's the outcome. That is important.
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Not necessarily the way it's done and unless they have about
9:51
you has it? Well, was it mean for you to be
9:53
in interpreting them in your everyday?
9:55
Working life? Yes.
9:57
I'm just thinking about this question before.
10:00
It's sort of encouraged me to reflect a lot.
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And actually, I'm at a point now, where I feel I feel in
10:06
control and I feel comfortable with the fact that I'm an
10:08
introvert, but I had this realization actually Early
10:12
stages of my career. Particularly when I was starting
10:15
out as a grad, actually I really I didn't like that.
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I was introverted. So especially when you can see
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that those around you are energized by doing a
10:25
presentation or they're looking forward to hosting this Beast of
10:29
a workshop that they're doing in that afternoon.
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And actually, I'm sat there thinking, oh my god, what have I
10:35
done? And I can't think of anything
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worse. How am I gonna am?
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I going to survive this P3 and world?
10:40
If our if You know, I can't do a workshop and every five seconds,
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I'm finding myself in a workshop at the moment.
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I think, as Times Gone on, I've got more comfortable with the
10:51
fact that she had. Don't enjoy that so much and
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that's fine. We'll different and I leaned
10:56
into what while it was two things, really it's
10:59
understanding. What can I do to make that
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easier on myself? And what B?
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Do I enjoy the again? I can lean into and as I've
11:08
progressed I can sort of steer things more towards what I
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prefer. So forcing those sort of more
11:15
one-to-one relationships and being Being a bit more proactive
11:19
and going and engaging. Somebody want to 1 instead of
11:22
waiting until you're in a room full of people being deliberate
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and how I use my energy and how I plan my time and how I
11:30
maintain my social battery sometimes.
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How does it, what does this look like in everyday life, for me?
11:36
It's drawing down on that reflective nature of being an
11:40
introvert, but being a bit selfish with it and reflecting
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on how I'm doing. And how my social battery is how
11:45
my energy has and Trying to understand what's in my control
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to tweak called a new throughout the week, to get me through it
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and to get all the important stuff done for my clients
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because ultimately client comes first.
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I can't just been off of Workshop because my client needs
12:01
that I'm there to provide, you know, Top Class service and
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that's what I always Endeavor to do.
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So what are the things that I can control and can tweak to
12:11
enable me to perform at my best? You start to talk a little bit
12:15
about the problems that being an introvert could raise in work.
12:21
Alex, if I could go back to you what problems has been an
12:25
introvert raised for you, kind of personally and perhaps with
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with other members of your team or other stakeholders.
12:35
The biggest issue I had which is act which, which annoys me, and
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I always feel really guilty about it is.
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If my workday depleted me to the amount where I don't kind of,
12:51
don't really want to spend time with family, and I just want to
12:54
like have a bit of time to myself and that makes me feel
12:57
really guilty. So the moment, you know, I come
13:00
to a point where you know, I come home and I kind of go I
13:04
can't face This, that that's a real big problem for me because,
13:09
you know, the hours that I have with my kids and with my wife
13:14
are absolutely precious. So, one of the big things that I
13:19
try to do is I try to not let it get to that point.
13:24
For me, it's, you know, simple things like taking 5 to 10
13:29
minutes during the day a few times, just to go out, get a bit
13:33
of fresh air, have a bit of A walk.
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If it's particular stressful, breathing exercises, or a bit of
13:39
mindfulness, something like that, so it doesn't need to be
13:43
major things. So it's really about creating
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that space to be on your own and to reflect and just relax.
13:51
Yeah. Reflect and recharge, I think
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it's the right word because I think, you know, we used the
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word depleted a few times, you know, already in in this session
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and I think that that really kind of really resonates with me
14:03
as well. Is that becomes The point during
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the day where you are just depleted and you need to
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recharge, do you mean depleted by social interaction?
14:14
Yes. If I'm in meetings all day and
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you know, having to, you know talk and engage with groups of
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people and probably fight my corner on more than one occasion
14:28
facilitate. And and and there comes a point
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where, you know, the battery is just You know, depleted and the
14:38
worst thing that can happen for me is leaving it to the very end
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of the day, so that there's no opportunity to recharge until I
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get home. And have you found working with
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other project? Managers of the team members who
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are not introverted, or expect you to behave in an extroverted
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way, what's your experience of that?
15:01
So, I'm lucky in the fact that within, you know, The company
15:05
now work this. They are extremely inclusive so
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I have never had a problem in that respect here being a
15:13
consultant or project management.
15:15
Consultants you know, I do Faceoff to clients quite
15:18
frequently and some of them and some people do come with that
15:22
preconception of a project manager needs to be a certain
15:25
way and that does pose a challenge, I am happy to report
15:30
the that most people are mostly interested in.
15:34
Outcomes and it just takes a little while to get them focused
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on yes with achieving the outcome.
15:45
We are progressing. We are getting two to deliver
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40. We're delivering what you expect
15:51
and they stop thinking about how they wanted to livered one of
15:56
the things that another part of our business introduced is, I
16:02
started creating a slide, which is kind of The Alexander
16:05
nutshell slide which is effectively, you know, it
16:10
effectively, just has kind of three columns about, you know,
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this is how I'm at my best. This is how I like to
16:16
communicate and engage engage with people.
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And, you know, these are a few important things about that.
16:21
You should know about me. Well, because the things have
16:24
you got on there. It's effectively, kind of a
16:28
summary. Like, for example, you know, I
16:30
let people know that, you know, if I had a difficult meeting,
16:33
you might find that. I'm just going to step out for
16:35
10 minutes and then come back and check to you after.
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So, for example, and just just just to set that expectation
16:42
off. This is how I this is how I am
16:44
at my best and that then opens the conversation about with
16:48
with, with clients and other people about, okay?
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This is how I held out their best, and then we can find and
16:54
work together on on, you know, helping each other to be at our
16:58
best. Pretty good idea.
17:00
Really good tip. Thank you.
17:03
Claire. What challenges are issues has
17:06
been an introvert raised for you in your work.
17:10
The key one that that came to mind is, is around meetings and,
17:16
and, and particularly, if you're in a forum where you've got
17:21
particularly dominant people and, and, and it goes back to
17:26
the earlier point, that people automatically assume that
17:30
project managers are these. These dominant leading from the
17:33
front kind of people that the people who sit back Wait and
17:41
consider and are sometimes not heard or, you know, the, the
17:46
sort of wallflower in the room. And, and I've very much been
17:52
that person who's been sat in the room with something.
17:56
Well, something I've considered really important or you know,
18:00
really value add to say but I've been too scared to say it and,
18:07
you know, it sort of probably goes back to a Classroom
18:11
environment, you know where, right?
18:14
Who knows the answer to this question and you scared to put
18:16
your hands up in case you're wrong.
18:18
And so, you know, I was very much sit in the back of a
18:21
meeting and not say anything, just in case I was wrong.
18:24
And, and, and the other bit is again in a meeting.
18:29
When you've got those dominant voice is being able to get a
18:33
word in edgeways because I'm not a natural shouty person, so I'm
18:40
not Not you know a table Banger. I'm not going to stand up and
18:46
make my point heard you know get my point across but equally I'm
18:51
not going to sit in a meeting and put my hand up and say oh
18:54
excuse me do you mind if I talk now?
18:57
And so it's it's sort of getting that balance and and also
19:01
getting that trust of the people in the room.
19:04
That now, I'm here for a reason you've invited me to this
19:08
meeting for a reason. Because I've got something to
19:11
contribute and it's having that self-confidence too.
19:16
Well, they wouldn't have invited me if they didn't think.
19:18
I had something to contribute. Have you found a way to make
19:23
yourself heard in meetings? I have two ways of dealing with
19:28
it. One is its of waiting for the
19:32
Gap in conversation and sometimes that Gap just doesn't
19:38
appear in which case you, you know, it's a case of Physically
19:43
leaning forward in the meeting. So, you know, if you sit, sit
19:48
back in your chair and you've got your sort of arms folded in
19:52
front of you, then you're automatically not as present and
19:58
at the table as you could be. So it's very much a right
20:01
leaning forward. I'm going to get the attention
20:04
of the person, in fact, I'm doing it now.
20:06
You know, I'm going to get the attention of the the person who
20:09
I want to interrupt or who's speaking.
20:12
And the other the other approach I've taken is finding a friendly
20:19
person, within the meeting, or, you know, knowing who's coming
20:23
along to the meeting and who's a sort of a collaborator.
20:29
So, and having that conversation with them.
20:31
So, right. Okay.
20:32
You know, what's, what's the structure of the meeting?
20:35
What's the topic or? Well, I think I can contribute
20:38
here here and here. So if I haven't said anything,
20:42
Then, you know, can you sort of try and get me a sort of
20:46
opening? Do you prefer to kind of have
20:50
virtual meetings or to do work on know what's your preferred
20:54
way of communicating? Yes, I'm at my ideal is is
21:00
probably sort of 80% virtual 20% face-to-face.
21:06
I always surprised myself when I have the face to face meetings,
21:10
how much I enjoy them and how much I get out of them, you
21:16
know, the virtual environment. It's really good for, you know,
21:20
that sort of get your head down and start getting things done.
21:26
But the face-to-face I always find is quicker to get a
21:33
consensus and to get an outcome, then in a virtual world just
21:39
because people feel more accountable when they're in the
21:41
room, You know, it's easier, it's easier in a virtual
21:46
environments, they are yet. It's all right, I'll do that
21:48
after the call and then accidentally on purpose, forget
21:52
about it. Defined it easier to contribute
21:57
to virtual meeting and to think about Zoom calls.
22:00
Yes, it is. I guess I use a couple of
22:03
techniques and depending on what platform you use in, there's
22:06
obviously you know, the chat function, but that relies on
22:10
somebody actually reading it. You can put virtual hands up.
22:15
I use that quite a lot, but again, it relies on somebody
22:19
going. Okay, class got her hand up
22:23
otherwise, As rude as it sounds, I do find it easier to
22:29
interrupt. And in, you know, in a virtual
22:34
environment and I'm not really sure why, probably, because
22:41
there's nobody physically turning in the meeting room to
22:45
stare at you. You know, you can sort of chip
22:49
in, you know, over a microphone or even if it's on video and
22:54
it's not quite as daunting. That's really what what kind of
23:00
issues has it has been an intra race for you and have you tried
23:04
to overcome them. So I think the biggest one for
23:08
me is sort of that social battery life that Alex spoke
23:12
about, and it's actually it's been weirdly nice and reassuring
23:17
to hear somebody else speak about the exact same issue that
23:20
I have quite regularly. And sometimes I think you can
23:23
feel a bit, the almost mugged off in the sense that you use
23:27
all your social battery at work. And then the day finishes and
23:32
your mates textures are, should we go to the pub to do this
23:34
that? And you're like actually no.
23:36
I can't think of anything worse right now.
23:38
I just need to sit and recharge and get myself sort of back to
23:45
back to absorb good state of energy right now because I'm
23:49
exhausted and it's a really strange flavor of exhaustion and
23:53
tiredness that comes when your social battery runs out of
23:56
juice. It's This mental sort of
24:00
frazzled nurse in your brain and a bit physical to.
24:05
So that one's huge for me. Have you ever faked?
24:11
Look being more? Extrovert, have you ever tried
24:13
to tried to hide your kind of natural preference?
24:18
Not to be the kind of center of attention, or not to be the loud
24:21
one in the room. I think I saw my knee-jerk
24:24
response to that is basically yeah, every day.
24:27
And I don't, I don't view it as sort of hiding it necessarily,
24:33
but sometimes you have to put a mask on to get the job done.
24:38
Alec thing and Claire. Have you ever tried to fake
24:41
being an extrovert? Is that something you feel that
24:44
you've needed to do? I would kind of, you know, maybe
24:49
step away from the word faked, right?
24:52
Because the reason why I say, I say that is being extrovert, is
24:57
not a fixed state, right? So extroverts, like or introvert
25:04
is not being is not a fixed date.
25:06
Introverts And be assertive, instrument, introverts can be
25:12
the life of a party or whatever other, you know, label, you
25:16
would like, to put, we can do it, it just maybe requires fast
25:22
to, you know, get there in a different way than extroverts
25:26
word. So for me, it's not for me, it's
25:30
not about faking it for me, it's just mindfully putting myself
25:36
into position of amplifying. Those skills that are more
25:42
natural to extroverts at times when it's required to do so.
25:48
Thank you, Claire. How about you did you push
25:51
yourself to kind of copy? How others are in a meeting or
25:55
to try and live up to the expectations, that others might
25:59
have of how you need to be in. A project team.
26:02
I guess the short answer is is yes because some sometimes you
26:07
just you know, you have to and I think you know, sort of very
26:10
much echoing Alex is point. I can be extroverted if I want
26:17
to be And, but it takes an awful lot of energy.
26:21
So, you know, my natural state is to, you know, it's a party to
26:27
sort of find somebody. I know when just stand and chat
26:30
to them quietly in the corner, and that doesn't mean that I
26:34
can't get up and stage and present to, you know, 300
26:38
people, because I can, but I just, I need to Steel myself to
26:46
to get there almost. You know, sort of power poses in
26:50
the bathroom beforehand. And then I just need to go and
26:54
sit in a dark and dream for a little bit afterwards, just to,
26:58
to do that recharged. Yeah, it's just, it's not my
27:02
natural state. What needs to change about the
27:06
project profession? And the way project teams worked
27:09
in order to allow introverts to thrive because Our preference is
27:19
to engage people in smaller groups or 121.
27:23
That creates a really strong foundations for building.
27:26
Trust with stakeholders. Because trust is built between
27:32
individuals. I think we are very good at that
27:36
naturally of kind of creating that that relationship, that
27:40
more intimate relationship with stakeholders with clients
27:44
customers and so on. But I also think that if you're
27:50
always that person who leads from the front, you might not
27:55
always be aware of what happens behind you.
27:58
And you know, if you're the kind of the person that you know,
28:04
doesn't need to leave from the foot and you, you maybe have to
28:08
be kind of observation skills to pick up certain things.
28:11
That others may not. So, you know, I think, you know,
28:16
we observe and see things understand and kind of digest
28:20
Dynamics, understand the Dynamics, and then can kind of
28:24
adapt ourselves teams and others too.
28:28
You know, to take advantage of those Dynamics.
28:32
What needs to change to allow you to capitalize on your
28:35
strengths at work? What advice or thoughts, would
28:40
you give to other project? Leaders of project managers
28:44
about having introverts on their teams and giving them what they
28:48
need to do? The best job they can.
28:52
Two things may be number one, you know, even though you know,
28:57
extrovert versus introvert is not part necessarily of the
29:00
being inclusive organizations in discussion, right, being
29:03
inclusive organization, you know, doesn't does not
29:08
necessarily limit you to being inclusive, two different genders
29:11
or neurodiverse people, or whatever else it is.
29:15
Simply means that you're creating environments where no
29:20
matter What kind of person you are?
29:22
You can be at your best. So, you know, continuing to
29:26
invest into that and I'm defying that, you know, will definitely
29:30
help everyone including and introverts.
29:33
The other thing, I'll probably say is that for me, you know,
29:39
courage, which I think, you know, has been a theme, a few
29:44
people, you know, all of us brought that out that it
29:47
requires courage to do certain things.
29:49
And I think courage often is mistaken as something that comes
29:53
from within someone. For me personally, there are
29:58
very few people, many many less than we actually think they're
30:04
that are naturally courageous and can just bring the whole,
30:08
their whole selves, you know, into the workplace, no matter
30:11
what the environment. I think, for the majority of us,
30:15
me included, actually. Courage comes from having a
30:21
community and a safe space. And the support of others.
30:26
So others give us permission to be our whole selves and
30:30
therefore, we are able to be ourselves and I think that's
30:34
that's true for the majority of people whether that's that
30:37
support comes from. We don't see it because it comes
30:40
from family, or from friends, or whether we see it because it
30:43
comes from the work place. Either set.
30:46
Either way, we create this safe spaces for people to, you know,
30:50
make mistakes, learn experiment. So they learn about have the
30:54
opportunity to learn about how they can be at their best and
30:59
that's incredibly important I think Claire.
31:03
What, what, what strengths do you feel introvert spring to
31:07
team and how can there be better supported?
31:12
I guess it's that that that diversity.
31:17
So in in terms of, you know, if you've got extroverts on the
31:21
team or you've got no male females, it it's having that,
31:27
that balance, and that diversity of thought, diversity of view.
31:32
I guess the problem is sometimes get is that the introverts don't
31:37
manage to get their points across and therefore, you don't
31:41
end up with that diversity of thought because the, the
31:44
introvert isn't isn't putting that point across.
31:48
Should it be that the person who's running that meeting be,
31:52
you know, knowing of that and should therefore invite people,
31:56
they know, to be kind of quieter than others to contribute?
31:59
Would that help? I think, I think it's
32:01
everybody's responsibility. Leti, actually, I think I think
32:05
you know, we should all be I guess be able to read the room
32:11
and to understand what other people are doing, what their
32:16
preferences are. You know what?
32:19
They've got to contribute and and, you know, if you've got
32:23
people in a meeting or in a workshop, they're there for a
32:28
reason. And if they're not there for a
32:31
reason, then they shouldn't They're at all because we've all
32:34
got better things to be doing and but it's I think it's a pain
32:40
everybody to make sure that everybody else is contributing.
32:45
And you know, it's it's upon me as an introvert to know when I'm
32:51
being introverted and But equally, I don't necessarily
32:58
want somebody to go. So Claire, what do you have to
33:02
say on the matter? Because then it's you know, it's
33:06
everybody had turning to stare at me which I will just go home.
33:10
Nothing thanks. So it's allowing allowing the
33:15
introvert that the time to think any advice you would give to
33:22
sort of project managers of project leaders about how to
33:25
make introverts feel, I guess we'll comfortable.
33:30
I like preparing, I like to know in advance, you know what's
33:36
going to happen, what the topics are.
33:39
And, you know, the sort of structure of the day of the
33:43
meeting, I love an agenda. So, if I have an agenda and I
33:49
love to know, you know, for for this podcast, you sent out the
33:53
questions in advance, that was great, because it meant that I
33:57
had the time to prepare doesn't necessarily mean that I'm
34:02
getting my point across but it made me feel better coming into
34:06
this and having that thinking time and I think it's in that
34:14
sort of meeting public open environment its It's not so it's
34:23
for other people to consider the introverts and and consider.
34:28
Well, I'm not necessarily going to get a response straight away
34:32
so I'll let them mull it over and then when they're ready, you
34:35
know, even somebody saying oh you know, Claire can you have a
34:39
think about this? I'll come back to you later.
34:42
That gives me that thinking time, but it also allows
34:45
everybody else to know that I am thinking about it.
34:50
And I'm not just sitting here quietly.
34:55
Natalie, what how can project teams better?
34:58
Capitalize on the strengths of introverts?
35:01
Bring one of the biggest things that leaders and project
35:06
managers can do to help. Introverts is it's going to
35:10
involve a little bit more time and that that's what makes us
35:12
really difficult because we're all strapped for time.
35:15
But what I mean by that it's taking the time to really get to
35:18
know how your team works. And initially that might be
35:22
having to have a few 12 ones with So I'll start with that.
35:26
Default of well, let's get to know new members of my team.
35:30
Let's do a one-to-one instead of in a group setting because let's
35:32
let us assume that they're most comfortable, the one to one and
35:35
then if when you talk to them you understand the ways of
35:37
working actually. They're happy and a bigger group
35:40
setting etcetera than great. You can work a bit more
35:43
efficiently in that way. And also to so particularly
35:48
when. So again, in preparation for
35:50
this is really reflecting on to how I was when I first started
35:53
my career. And actually, if somebody asked
35:56
me to start what's your preferred ways of working that
36:00
or how would you describe the ways of working?
36:03
I don't know that I really understood that but the start of
36:06
my career didn't really know how I like working what my
36:09
preference was. I knew how I liked working in a
36:12
lab setting but that's very different to Salting and project
36:16
management. So I think some of it as well as
36:19
leaders and PM's just really taking the time to be intuitive
36:25
and help someone on that journey and sort of observe what they
36:29
think somebody's preferences and sort of strengths are and then
36:35
having that conversation, especially if the individuals
36:37
really early in their career, I think that could be really
36:39
helpful. I'm being open to the idea that
36:42
actually that you need to muddle through that together in terms
36:45
of establishing somebody's preferred ways of working and
36:48
how they Thrive. And then what comes hand in hand
36:52
with that is thinking about sort of constantly of considering the
36:56
format of how you're running your project.
36:58
So particularly and Consulting your project team can change and
37:04
grow quite a lot as you have members come and go more
37:08
Consultants drawing. Be that from your own company.
37:10
P'nay other companies Etc. And that means you're always
37:14
getting a different balance of you know how people best work,
37:18
what they prefer etcetera. So even just being open and
37:22
checking in with. People wrecking saying is this
37:24
working for us now? Do we think that this format of
37:27
meeting is getting the best out of everyone?
37:30
Is this what everybody prefers or actually shall should we
37:33
change this? What suggestions do people have?
37:37
And being open to refreshing and updating so that ultimately,
37:40
you're getting the best out of each and every person who's part
37:42
of the team. I hopelessness of world will
37:47
gather kind of Confidence from what you've all contributed and
37:51
the advice that you've given it spin up.
37:53
See pleasure to have bring you all together and to to learn
37:57
what works and what and what doesn't.
37:59
So it just leaves me to say. Thank you very much for your
38:02
time. Thank you.
38:05
Thanks for having us. Thank you.
38:12
Thanks again to Alex constant. I'm Claire Hornsby and Lassie
38:15
Tolbert for joining us and to you for listening to this
38:18
episode of the APM podcast you'll find out more about being
38:21
an introvert in the project profession.
38:23
In apm's Project, journals spring 2023 issue.
38:28
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