Introverts and Extroverts: Taking a Holistic Approach to Association Management

Articles on introverts seemed popular last week.

• First Jeff Hurt tweeted a link to a MarketingProfs.com piece titled “Three Tips for the Introverted Attendee.”  
• Then, Kenneth J. Cary of Innovative Thinker shared a Harvard Business Review piece called “An Introvert’s Guide to Networking.”  
• And now Jeff tweets Conference Event Networking: Big Bash or Quiet Affair?  

Jim Markisohn, 0ne of the commentators, noted that we often confuse introvert/extrovert labels with “shy” and “outgoing.” The distinction between introvert/extrovert and shy/outgoing is an important distinction for associations and nonprofits.

“Introvert and Extrovert defines how you get your energy. An introvert can go to the beach and spend the entire day reading a book, in fact they prefer it. Meanwhile, an extrovert (who gets his/her energy from others) would go crazy when forced to do something alone for extended periods of time.”

So, Markisohn tells us, your members can include shy extroverts as well as outgoing introverts.

And, the challenge for us as association executives is to build programming that includes and engages all four types within our members.

These three articles offer valuable guidance in your planning.