FAQ

Why create an academy for introverts?

The Extraversion and Introversion concepts were defined by Carl Jung (Swiss psychiatrist, psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology) in his Theory of Personality Types. Later, this theory was incorporated in the Myer Briggs Type Indicator^® (MBTI^®), a self-assessment test well-known to consultants, career development and HR professionals. 
Extraversion is characterized by an orientation of one’s interests and energies toward the outer world of people and things rather than the inner world. While Introversion is an orientation toward the internal world of one’s self, inner thoughts and feelings, rather than toward the outer world of people and things.

Scientific studies show that these orientations are based on the difference between the innate brain pathways of extroverts and introverts, leading to complementary characteristics and distinctive ways of processing information and making decisions. 
The western society (including the professional environment) appreciates more the extroverted behaviour, although the extroverts and introverts’ innate traits are equally valuable and beneficial. Strategic thinking, for example, one of introverts’ strengths, is a key driver for growth.  
In her book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, Susan Cain mentions that 30-40% of the US population are introverts. While a Psychometrics Canada report based on 58.000 MBTI^® tests shows that introverts are close to half of the working population (48%). These numbers reveal the latent potential available for systemic improvement and development.
The Introverts Academy’s role is to raise awareness about the introverts innate strengths (100+) and provide techniques to leverage them better—along with extroverts’—to speed up personal, interpersonal, organizational, and systemic growth, to build a better future for all.   

Who will benefit from the Introverts Academy?

• Introverts will learn more about themselves, their strengths and talents… and how to leverage them more often to improve their lives and others. 
• Extroverts will learn about the strengths that come with introversion, and how to improve their communication with introverts—who are also talented, smart, and worth getting to know better and appreciated (an environment that helps introverts open up more and thrive).
• Professionals from various fields (e.g. Marketing, Project Management) will gain additional “tools” to understand the clients or team members’ behaviour, so they can adjust their strategies accordingly.
• Organizations will understand how to leverage better the introverts and extroverts strengths in the workplace. Since they bring complementary skills and talents, they’re equally valuable to help the organizations become more resilient and thrive in an ever changing economic environment.
• At the systemic level: creating an environment that shows appreciation and encourages both extroverted and introverted behaviour. Their innate complementary strengths won’t go away by appreciating one type more! Encouraging both to contribute—in their unique ways—will create the conditions for the society to flourish.

What will the Introverts Academy focus on?

We’ll start by saying what the Introverts Academy does not: lobbying and advocacy. It is not a post-secondary educational institution either.

We focus on facilitating change, instead of just talking about it. We provide hands on education and experiential learning that will increase awareness about the introversion and extroversion complementary strengths, and how they can be leveraged for better outcomes at personal, interpersonal, organizational, and systemic level. With the increased awareness, along with the “tools” we provide to make the change happen, we hope that our activities will have a positive ripple effect.

Our curriculum is comprised of webinars, courses, group coaching, mastermind groups, and books that have a direct applicability. We cover topics often overlooked by other training institutions or those who didn’t consider the personality type impact on the strategies they teach. Because of the differences in their innate traits and behaviours, Introverts and extroverts might react to or implement differently the strategies they learn, which could lead to opposite results. That’s why taking in consideration the personality type and adjusting these strategies—or the way they’re taught—is important.

In what way this academy differs from other similar institutions or educational programs?

The Introverts Academy aims to combine the benefits of teaching, coaching, and the feeling of belonging and contributing that being part of a community brings. Although teaching and coaching have their own benefits, our programs bring both styles together: providing information (usually associated with teaching) with an interdisciplinary focus and facilitating learning through self-discovery experiential techniques (used in coaching).
For courses and group work, we aim to create a collaborative environment that integrates accountability and peer-to-peer support to tap into the synergy of small group work and ensure that learning is followed up with implementation.

The topics we cover have immediate applicability. Participants are encouraged to apply the concepts and techniques learned to real situations, so they notice the benefits and integrate the learning faster. 

We’re open to adjust the curriculum based on newly identified needs or to specific requests that aligns with the Introverts Academy mission on one or more levels: personal, interpersonal, organizational, and systemic.

Why is it important that I know if I’m an introvert or other?

Do you know the story of a man who found refuge for the night in a dark cave? Looking around for a spot to sleep, he noticed a snake on the ground. Frightened and anxious, trying to avoid being attacked by the snake, he didn’t move for hours… until a ray of light entered the cave in the morning. Imagine his relief when he realized that what he perceived as a snake was a mare rope.

Since introverts and extroverts have different, complementary characteristics, not knowing on which side of the Extraversion-Introversion spectrum you are—and your innate strengths—could make you experience life like the man in the dark cave: thinking that you lack resources, afraid of what others might say about you, not having the courage to step up and validate your assumptions. The “light” that comes with knowing more about yourself will help you make better decisions, look at challenges as opportunities for self-discovery and growth, and find ways to improve your personal and professional paths.

It’s like a filter that adds more clarity.

Will this academy be “introverts only” or can everyone else apply? 

Everyone can apply. However, since extroverts and introverts strive in different types of environments, the students can choose to be part of an introverts-only, mixed or extroverts-only class/group.

There is value in being part of a students’ group with either the same personality traits or mixed. The course/group leader will take in consideration the group structure to facilitate the appropriate learning environment.

What can extroverts learn at the Introverts Academy?

• What are the introverts strengths, and the complementary traits of extraversion and introversion.
• How to integrate the benefits of introspection and meditation to improve personal and professional life
• Effective interpersonal communication with the introverted people that surround them (colleagues, friends, family members, etc.) 
• How to create an environment that makes the introverts feel supportive and contribute more 
• How to increase the team’s productivity by tapping into introverts and extroverts strengths
• How to initiate systemic change through a multi-stakeholder approach that takes in consideration the extraversion-introversion spectrum.
• Check the topics listed in the next session to see if any interest you as well.

Do you have a different topic that aligns with the Introverts Academy mission at one or more levels (personal, interpersonal, organizational, systemic)? Contact us! We’re open to suggestions.

What can introverts learn at the Introverts Academy?

Some of the topics we aim to cover:

• The introverts’ innate personality traits and strengths, and how to leverage them more effectively in a society appreciates more the extroverted behaviour 
• The differences between introversion and extraversion, and why both are equally valuable to build a better future 
• Tips and strategies to improve their life and professional path while staying true to their introverted nature
• Introvert-specific tips and strategies for job hunting and building a meaningful career
• Using a holistic approach (mind-body-spirit) to overcome challenges 
• Applying the systemic thinking for creative problem-solving   
• How to increase the team’s productivity by tapping into introverts and extroverts strengths
• How to initiate systemic change through a multi-stakeholder approach that takes in consideration the extraversion-introversion spectrum
• Tips and strategies that make introverted business owners more successful
• How to boost and manage their energy to get more done in the same amount of time
• Enhance your soft skills ”toolbox” (assertiveness, effective intrapersonal and interpersonal communication, emotional intelligence, creative thinking, process-oriented impact, resilience, self-esteem, self-confidence, etc.)
• The Introvert Hero Journey (self-discovery, self-care, belonging, contributing to meaningful causes)

Interested in a different topic that aligns with the Introverts Academy (IA) mission at one or more levels (personal, interpersonal, organizational, systemic)? We’re open to suggestions.

What about ambiverts?

At Introverts Academy,  we consider ambiverts being either extroverted introverts or introverted extroverts. On the Extraversion-Introversion spectrum, ambiverts will be close to the centre, either on the left or right side.

People evolve in time; both extroverts and introverts can learn the skills that are innate characteristics to the other type – which help them function better in their personal and professional lives. Subsequently, this makes them move from their side of Extraversion-Introversion spectrum toward the center – becoming what people call introverted extroverts or extroverted introverts. However, even evolving, they maintain their tendency to take recharging breaks corresponding to the side of the spectrum they’re coming from (because that’s natural to them). Overusing the skills learned from the other side – without enough breaks corresponding to their inborn nature – can lead to stress and burnout. That’s why introverts cannot become extroverts, although might be perceived that way in certain conditions (see Introvert Hero Journey section). And it’s similar for Extroverts.
Viewed this way, the term ambiverts describes more how people are perceived by outsiders – not how they are. For example: when introverts focus on meaningful causes or something they’re passionate about, they get energy from inside to carry on tasks usually associated with Extraversion (like public speaking) – which might make the others (outsiders) believe they’re extroverts or ambiverts. Also, when introverts are in the company of someone or small group of people they get along well, introverts feel energized for a while and an outsider might consider them extroverts – however, even in such situations though, introverts’ energy is still depleted after a while and they need to take a recharging break (which won’t be the case with extroverts, who’d like to carry the conversation on much longer because it energizes them).

Since ambiverts’ behaviour resemble both introverts’ and extroverts’ – although some of these traits are innate others are learned – ambiverts can benefit from the topics mentioned in the above sections: What can introverts learn from Introverts Academy? and What can extroverts learn from Introverts Academy?

The Introvert Hero Journey

There is some confusion about extroversion and introversion, since not everyone was exposed to or learned about this topic. While their personality traits are complementary, both introverts and extroverts are needed for a well-functioning world. It’s like the Yin-Yang concept: none is better than the other, they complement well and together they make a whole. 

While there are people on each end of the Extraversion–Introversion spectrum, most of us—by the time we assess ourselves—we find that we are somewhere on the Extraversion – Introversion continuum scale (probably not at the extremes). The environment we grew up in, the experiences we’ve been through, and our interest in self-development made us acquire new skills—which in time help us get closer to the centre of the Extraversion-Introversion spectrum. It’s like going on the Introvert Hero Journey! We’re a… work in progress! We all tend to evolve, growth is not limited to childhood. Same for Extroverts: they’re on the Extrovert Hero Journey. 

However, the new competencies we acquire will not eliminate our inner traits and needs related to introversion or extroversion. They will just add to our “life skills toolbox” to help us function better in this world. Going back to the Yin-Yang analogy: that little circle on the other side is growing in time due to the new competencies we develop, following our (unexpressed) desire to become a whole, a fully functioning human being. 

We like the representation of the Hero’s Journey as a spiral. In the process of overcoming a challenge, we acquire new skills… useful in that situation and even after. We end up being transformed and ready to face new challenges—which, at their turn, help us learn something new about ourselves… so we continue to grow.

Depending on where we are on this spiral at a specific point in time, people might get confused. Someone who sees a confident speaker, a great leader, or even a person who enjoys a good discussion about an interesting topic, might think the person is an extrovert. However, that might be just the viewer’s perception! Those people could be introverts passionate about those topics or the companies they represent, or feel good in that specific situation. What the outsider sees and labels as “extrovert behaviour” could actually be introverts’ passion or excitement for a meaningful cause fuelling their motivation and energy from inside.

Similar, if we notice someone meditating, taking time to evaluate what are the most important priorities, or walking alone in a park, we might think the person is an introvert—if we associate those actions with introversion. Again, our assumption might be wrong; what we see could also be an extrovert who realized the benefits of meditation, planning more wisely, or relaxing in nature… and wants to take advantage of such activities more often.  

Those who identify in themselves characteristics corresponding to the other side of the Extraversion-Introversion spectrum, are those who are more advanced on their own Hero Journey. They already developed some competences that are innate to the other type, and are sometimes called introverted extrovert, extroverted introvert or ambivert. However, they still need to honour their own innate traits in order to live a fulfilling life. Otherwise, they’ll feel that something is missing. In extroverts’ case – connecting often with people, verbal communication, etc. While introverts could get burnout by not allowing themselves enough time to recharge after activities that consume their energy (those usually associated with extraversion). 

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