Is extrovert bias impacting your workplace?

Extroversion is a highly valuable personality trait, but our bias towards it means we risk overlooking the unique abilities and contributions of introverts, writes David Oakley.

In many workplaces, it’s assumed that the most vocal and outgoing people have the best ideas. It’s a prime example of extrovert bias – an unconscious and often subtle cultural tendency to favour extroverted personality types over those who are quieter or more reserved.

Extrovert bias can permeate every area of a business – from the way meetings are conducted to how performance is evaluated and even the way we design our offices. And it can have far-reaching consequences on workplace culture, diversity and inclusion, productivity, and innovation.

As author and speaker Susan Cain explained: “Any time people come together in a meeting, we’re not necessarily getting the best ideas: we’re just getting the ideas of the best talkers.” In other words, extrovert bias means we’re often missing out on the many natural talents of introverts.

When a business prioritises fast ideation and rapid verbal exchanges over thoughtful and deliberate analysis, innovation becomes stifled, and teams miss out on identifying opportunities for breakthroughs. After all, it’s often deep methodical analysis that fosters truly groundbreaking ideas.

However, by recognising the nuances of extrovert bias and how it manifests in the workplace, leaders can adopt strategies to enhance inclusivity, encourage collaboration, and harness the full potential of their whole team.

Simple strategies to encourage diversity of thought

Look at some of the most innovative teams and you’ll likely find one common denominator: leaders who actively encourage diversity of thought and have systems in place to ensure everybody’s voice is heard.

Techniques like brainwriting – where ideas are initially generated independently and shared with everyone after the fact – ensure every team member can contribute their best.

It’s also a technique that caters to most people’s preferred working style, with 59 per cent of knowledge workers preferring to brainstorm asynchronously, and two-thirds of knowledge workers feeling more comfortable sharing ideas with their managers asynchronously – according to a Miro survey into asynchronous work.

Additionally, encouraging teams to play devil’s advocate and examine solutions from unconventional viewpoints can also foster greater diversity of thought. When reflective analysis is valued by a business, the breakthrough potential of quieter innovators can be unlocked.

Avoiding groupthink and homogenous solutions

Another problematic outcome of extrovert bias is the risk of creating homogeneous solutions that fail to attract a broad audience because they cater to the preferences, experiences, and biases of only a portion of the team.

When only the loudest voices are heard, organisations risk creating an echo chamber where groupthink is likely to flourish. Encouraging inclusivity in the development phase is therefore vital to ensure that solutions work for everyone – not just the loudest people in the room – and have wide market appeal.

Establishing anonymous feedback channels can help foster inclusivity by removing fears associated with providing feedback – such as feeling judged or receiving pushback. Seeking feedback from customers and colleagues in other departments can also ensure solutions cater to broader audiences, outside of the preferences of the development team alone.

Retaining quiet achievers

One of the most concerning consequences of extrovert bias is its potential to drive away valuable talent. As Susan Cain put it: “Extroversion is an enormously appealing personality style, but we’ve turned it into an oppressive standard to which most of us feel we must conform.”

If introverted employees feel their contributions are overlooked or dismissed simply because of their personality type, it can lead to withdrawal, disengagement, and anxiety, and the pressure to conform to more extroverted standards can be exhausting. Employees who don’t feel recognised or appreciated in the workplace are, therefore, more likely to seek opportunities elsewhere – a significant loss for any organisation.

However, there are things leaders can do to retain introverted employees, starting with building a culture of inclusion. Actively create space for introverted employees to contribute their ideas and do their best work, and implement recognition systems that reward thoughtful problem solving alongside bold idea generation. Mentorship programs can also pair quieter team members with supportive senior colleagues to help them navigate workplace dynamics.

Levelling the playing field

Recognising extrovert bias is the first step in dismantling it. For innovation to flourish, leaders must foster workplaces where everyone feels empowered to contribute, regardless of their personality style.

Here are some ways to level the playing field for introverted employees:

• Host structured meetings: Clear agendas, timed rounds, written brainstorming, and designated facilitators can minimise the chaos of free-form discussion and ensure equal speaking time for everyone.
• Rethink performance evaluations: Counteract subconscious bias by implementing bias training for managers and introducing objective performance measures that aren’t skewed towards extroverted behaviours.
• Design workspaces thoughtfully: Cater to different working styles and preferences with quiet zones, individual pods, and collaborative areas.

Extroversion is a highly valuable personality trait, but our bias towards it means we risk overlooking the unique abilities and contributions of introverts. By understanding the dynamics of extrovert bias and actively working to dismantle it, leaders can pave the way for the kind of innovative breakthroughs that are only achieved by harnessing the full range of human thinking.

David Oakley is the Asia-Pacific vice president at Miro.