How Introverts and Extroverts Can Work Together (And Thrive!)

Are you an introvert or extrovert? An YouGov poll revealed that 39% of Americans consider themselves to be introverts, while 22% see themselves as extroverts, and 31% believe that they're a mix of both.

If you clicked on this article, you're likely trying to understand how to work with a colleague that is your opposite, or perhaps you're a leader seeking advice to improve team communication when there are both introverts and extroverts working together.

The truth is, there are a lot of misconceptions about both personality types. Despite what many people might think, building a strong work relationship between the two can be surprisingly easy—as long as everybody is willing to compromise.

Do introverts and extroverts work well together?

The success of a relationship between introverts and extroverts at work is relative. Depending on the type of job being executed, there won't be much space for personalities to clash anyway. The way the workplace is settled can also make it better or worse.

For example, as an introverted writer, I've never had many difficulties working with extroverted personalities because my job requires an enormous amount of time spent looking at a computer screen. As long as I had headphones to cancel out the office noise, I was fine. And after long hours typing on Google Docs, even the biggest introverts will want some kind of human interaction.

Hybrid work also makes it easier to reconcile the differences between introverts and extroverts. “We’ve had introverts and extroverts work together seamlessly. Their differences hardly ever clash in the virtual workplace—they’re more evident in physical social settings,” says Michael Nemeroff, the CEO and co-founder of Rush Order Tees, a brand catering for B2B and B2C customers.

However, when it comes to daily on-site work, the pairing of introverts and extroverts working together can sometimes lead to animosity—especially in competitive environments. “It can be challenging for these personalities to see eye to eye,” says Stephen R. Hasner, managing partner of the Georgia-based law firm Hasner Law PC. “Extroverts naturally establish their presence in rooms and often seem to overpower introverts in discussions.”

How can introverts and extroverts work together effectively?

You're an extrovert working with an introvert (or vice versa) and the personality differences are starting to cause problems. Maybe you feel like your introverted coworker is too closed off, while they think you're too loud. 

Or, if you're the introverted one, you'd like more time to prepare for team brainstorming, but your extroverted work partner prefers live and highly interactive conversations to come up with new ideas. How to overcome this challenge and thrive while working together? Here are some effective strategies:

1. Understand your colleague's personality

First and foremost, try to understand your colleague's personality, so you can put yourself in their shoes for a while. For example, extroverts not only thrive in social settings, but they also find it energizing and uplifting. Meanwhile, introverted people are usually the ones who tend to lose their social battery throughout a day filled with many interactions. 

In order to avoid miscommunication and misunderstandings, it's important to keep those key differences in mind. Your “closed off” colleague may just be an introverted person who needs peace and quite a few moments a day to concentrate—their occasional silence doesn't mean that they dislike you.

2. Avoid making biased decisions

Have you heard that all extroverts thrive in people-centric roles, while introverts should be behind the scenes? These are common stereotypes that you should completely erase from your mind. 

They can lead to biased decisions that could damage your relationship with your coworkers and even jeopardize your team's productivity. “It’s tricky to categorize either into a specific job,” says Nemeroff.

Let's say you firmly believe that your introverted colleague is not capable of dealing with people. Your team has to present a project for a new client, and said colleague is clearly the more prepared one to handle it. However, you decide to give the task to an extroverted coworker with less knowledge of the project because you think their outgoing personality will help secure a closed deal.

It may work, but if it doesn't, you've lost a deal, and the more prepared coworker may now believe that you don't trust them. So, instead of making assumptions based on stereotypes without any data to support them, get to know your team better. 

Take advantage of lunch or coffee breaks and workplace events to engage in conversations that offer a deeper understanding of these people beyond the labels of “The Introverted” and “The Extroverted.”

3. Foster balanced interactions 

Most offices nowadays have systems that allow different forms of communication—email, texts, and video calls are the most used. You can take advantage of them to have balanced interactions with your coworkers, depending on their personality type.

“We use Slack as our main communication platform, so it allows introverts to share comfortably through text and not feel obligated to show up on video. Meanwhile, extroverts are free to share voice notes or create huddles for select tasks. They thrive from the fact that they can still maintain contact and collaborate with others in the organization,” says Nemeroff.

Of course, this level of flexibility may not always be possible. There will be meetings and discussions where everyone will need to communicate face-to-face or express their ideas in writing rather than through a voice note. 

Our tip? Save the high-maintenance communication channels for situations that truly need them, and don't impose a one-size-fits-all approach that might not work well for everyone.

4. Respect each other's boundaries

Many people think they can “fix” others by giving a little push or forcing situations. But, being extroverted or introverted is not something that needs fixing, and even if it did, it wouldn't be your place to do so. 

Introverts can work more effectively with extroverts by having their focus time respected, while extroverts may need their introverted colleagues to gradually make an effort to become more participative in discussions and brainstorming sessions.

This isn't limited to the office; it also applies to work events or outings with colleagues. If your coworker is a more reserved person, don't pressure them into hitting the dance floor or putting themselves in situations where they feel uncomfortable. On the other hand, if your coworker is more outgoing, try not to monopolize their time and allow them to socialize with others. 

The more you respect each other's boundaries and necessities, the bigger is the sense of trust and fellowship.

Key takeaways

If you've made it this far, you understand that a good relationship between introverts and extroverts at work is based on flexibility and respect. Here's a quick recap with a list of do's and don'ts to help both personality types thrive in the workplace:

You shouldn't:

• Assume you know exactly how your colleague feels

• Make decisions based on unfounded assumptions

• Force old school forms of interaction and collaboration

• Try to fix your coworker by overstepping their boundaries

You should:

• Take time to get to know your coworkers better

• Let them say for themselves which tasks they excel at and which they don't

• Make informed decisions

• Explore different styles and means of communication

• Respect your colleagues' boundaries

At the end of the day it is all about respect and achieving your daily goals as coworkers. You want to find a balance that works for both. But keep in mind that in some situations, introverts may need to adapt and push themselves, while in other instances, extroverts may need to give others space.