More than pipes and wires

In an interview published in Scientific American in 2012, author Susan Cain (“Quiet The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking”) noted that one third to one half of the population are introverts. You may not recognize them as introverts because early on they learned to be pretend-extroverts.

Some professions, like Procurement, seem to favor those who are extroverts and often recognize them in greater measure than their more introverted teammates.  Sometimes the strengths and advantages of the introvert are not understood or even overlooked:

Returning from a project meeting we attended together, my more gregarious coworker noted “You didn’t say much in the meeting.” “Steve, I speak when I have something constructive to say.” “No, no, Neil. You won’t get invited to meetings if you’re that way.”