Human Resource Management 15th Edition by Robert Mathis,John Jackson,Sean Valentine ,Patricia Meglich

Exercise 1

Companies Need Skillful Introverts
Organizations are interested in employing diverse individuals who bring with them a host of positive and varied skills. Besides more obvious physical characteristics such as age, ethnicity, and gender, underlying traits such as personality represent some new and emerging characteristics that can benefit companies. In particular, hiring introverted individuals can help firms operate in a more productive manner, despite some of the challenges that are commonly associated with this trait.
Introverts tend to prefer more solitary activities than do extroverts, and they often gain energy by performing work alone. They also value quiet time in the workplace that allows them to reflect and be creative. Alternatively, extroverts like to be more active in stimulating work environments that are characterized by much social interaction. A common misconception is that these characteristics set up extroverts to be creative leaders and introverts to be reserved followers, but this notion is far from the truth. Research shows that introverts are better suited to handle various managerial situations compared to extroverts. For instance, introverts tend to be skillful at communicating with colleagues, and they often possess adept decision-making skills. It is also common for them to be creative in the workplace. Many of these skills are seen in leaders such as Larry Page and Warren Buffet, both of whom are introverts.
Introverts do face some workplace challenges, though. They may be less likely to make quick decisions and connect well with others, which can hurt group synergy. However, organizations can take several steps to capitalize on the positive skills that introverts bring to the table:
• Be sure to provide introverts some time for quiet reflection.
• Reward introverts in ways that match their preferences for solitude.
• Specify areas of the worksite where introverts can go to be alone.
• Give introverts time to develop ideas before they are shared in meetings and other gatherings.
Human resource professionals need to understand how to manage introverts so that their skills are put to good use. If you were given the responsibility of doing this:
How would you encourage introverts to make positive contributions to the workplace? What could be done to augment their skills?