Coaching Introverts: Building on their Quiet Strengths

Coaching Introverts: Building
on Their Quiet Strengths

Lisamarie Babik
Menlo Evangelist

Agenda
•  Why is it important to talk about
introversion on an Agile team?
•  What is Myers-Briggs? (specifically
introversion vs. extraversion)
•  Kahnweiler’s 4P’s for Introverts
•  An agile adaption of the 4 P’s

Copyright © 2010 Menlo Innovations LLC

Are You Thinking
What I’m Thinking?
•  Some of what I cover might seem
obvious
•  My goal is to provide you with resources
and vocabulary so that you can be more
productive in coaching instead of using
phrases like, “Try harder.”
•  The people who are most surprised by
material in this presentation are
Extraverts.

Who Am I?
•  Former developer
•  Former project
manager (PMP®)
•  Occasional coach
•  Evangelist
isam arie •  Introvert
L


Some Characteristics of
Agile Workplaces
•  Collocation
•  Open Floor Plan
•  Paired Programming
•  Daily Standup/Daily Scrum
•  Show & Tell
•  Noisy!


Example Agile Workplace


Why is this Important?
•  Because it is so interaction-intensive,
Introverts can end up feeling excluded,
overlooked, or misunderstood
•  Working in an agile environment can be
challenging under the best of
circumstances


Have You Ever Heard?

You just need to pick an
estimate! Stop asking so
many questions about
details that don’t matter!


Have You Ever Heard?

Why do you just sit
and stare at us during
brainstorming?


What About You?

What are your preferences?


Uh-Oh!

How are
we going
to “fix”
the introverts?


Introversion/Extraversion is
not a Binary Switch


Introversion vs. Extraversion
Introverts are… Extraverts are…
Energized by time alone Energized by and seek out
people
Process their thoughts in Talk out their thoughts
their head
Prefer writing to talking Prefer talking to writing
Reserved Enthusiastic
Focus on depth Focus on breadth

Source: “The Introverted Leader”, J. Kahnweiler, PhD Copyright © 2010 Menlo Innovations LLC

Introversion is not shyness.


Preference and natural inclination
do not determine your fate!


____Shyness & Introversion
Working in pairs, list ways in which
shyness or introversion could inhibit
performance on an Agile team.

Mark each with an “S” for shyness, an “I”
for introversion, or a “B” for both.


It’s more subtle than simply
Introversion and Extraversion


Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

Introvert/ Sensing/
Extravert Intuition

Thinking/ Judgment/
Feeling Perception


MBTI Indicates
Differences Based On
•  How you focus your attention or get your
energy (extraversion or introversion)
•  How you perceive or take in information
(sensing or intuition)
•  How you prefer to make decisions (thinking or
feeling)
•  Do you prefer to get things decided or do you
prefer to stay open to new information and
options? (judgment or perception)

The “point” of Myers-Briggs types
is not to categorize people
into neat little bins!


4 Types of Inhibitors
Perception Gaps
•  Negative Impressions

Stress •  Slow Thinkers
•  No Backbone

Career Invisibility
•  Lost Opportunities
Derailers •  Ideas Not Heard
•  Lost Personal Power
•  Underselling
•  Missed Connections
•  Avoiding Politics
Source: “The Working Harder J. Kahnweiler, PhD
•  Introverted Leader”, not Smarter Copyright © 2010 Menlo Innovations LLC


Perception
Stress
Gaps

Career Invisibility
•  Lost Opportunities
Derailers •  Ideas Not Heard
•  Lost Personal Power
•  Underselling
•  Missed Connections
•  Avoiding Politics
Source: “The Working Harder J. Kahnweiler, PhD
•  Introverted Leader”, not Smarter Copyright © 2010 Menlo Innovations LLC


Perception
Stress
Gaps

Invisibility
Career •  Lost Opportunities
•  Ideas Not Heard

Derailers •  Lost Personal Power



Perception
Stress
Gaps

Career
Invisibility
Derailers

Agile Challenges

What are the inhibitors for
introverts in an Agile
environment?


Keep in Mind
Awareness of these challenges is the first
step toward helping people work through
them, but let’s shift gears…

A number of you have some introversion
characteristics. Before we start learning to
help others, we have to learn to help
ourselves.

What the
heck
are the
4 P’s?

Kahnweiler’s 4 P’s Process


Sources of Discontent

Lengthy
Frustration E-mails

Career
Stagnation

Passive Exhaustion
Aggressive

That Got Me Thinking

Agile!


Coaching Scott
Work with a partner to build a
development plan for Scott.

Goals: Get Scott to…
1.  Participate more fully with
the team
2.  Feel valued
3.  Share his expertise


Final Thoughts
•  When talking, leave “space” in the
conversation to give your introverts time
to reflect and respond
•  avoid many introverts' least favorite
question: "What's wrong?”


Questions? Comments?

Please fill out your evaluations!

Lisamarie Babik
Menlo Innovations LLC
web: www.menloinnovations.com
twitter: @menloinnovation  no “s”
e-mail: lbabik@menloinnovations.com


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