You may be used to other people describing you as quiet or softly spoken. This may just be in large groups or when you don’t know the others very well. An introvert who is enjoying an in-depth discussion with a close friend may get quite animated!

Many introverts feel they are pushed into acting like extroverts every day. Even our schoolrooms and offices are laid out in open-plan, communal working areas which do nothing to help those who work best alone. So how can we thrive as introverts while coping with an extrovert world?

If you’re an introvert, you usually have a strong ability to focus on your work. You prefer to get on with things without interruption and enjoy getting involved in tasks that take a lot of concentration.

There’s nothing an introvert likes better than being alone to think things through, but this is inconceivable to other people.

The solution is to learn to adapt as much as possible while still remaining true to yourself. You probably have to work out how to appear a little more “extrovert” and sociable in some areas; at least enough for people to learn to accept and value you instead of overlooking or ignoring you. Although you might not care too much for their opinion, it

Be a catalyst. You can have a surprising amount of influence as an introvert by being an advocate for change. Analyze and challenge the way things are run and suggest a better way which would be easier, cheaper or improve productivity for the company. You can do this

You may have been told that you’re a great listener. People come to you to talk over their problems, because you don’t dive in with quick-fix solutions or interrupt them mid-flow. Introverts like to weigh up the facts before coming up with an answer.

If you’re an introvert you draw power and energy from solitude. You need regular “me-time” to recharge your batteries, but it’s about more than a few moments’ peace and quiet: it’s about drawing strength from being on your own and spending time on whatever activities you choose to do. These often involve cerebral tasks like reading, writing books

Decision-making. Introverts have great listening skills and process information in a different way to extroverts. They are more likely to