Have you ever had a speaking engagement in which the members of the audience just stared at you while you talked and didn’t even smile at your jokes? Or have you ever had a speaking engagement in which you sent out waves of positive, enthusiastic energy into the audience only to watch them crash upon silent, straightfaced listeners? If either of these scenarios have happened to you, don’t worry, it’s probably not you — in all likelihood you have probably spoken to a group of people who simply have a preference for introversion.

According to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), extroversion and introversion make up the first of the psychological preference pairs. But what you may not know is that introversion has less to do with sociability, as most people think, and everything to do with energy recharging.

People with a preference for introversion recharge in solitary activities and their energy flow is inward, toward themselves. On the other hand, people with a preference for extroversion recharge in social activities and their energy flows outward.

This is why “introverts” don’t naturally interact with speakers and “extroverts” do. Introverts are paying careful attention to what the speaker is saying, but they are processing their thoughts and feelings internally. To the speaker, it feels like he or she is talking to a room full of zombies.

To help increase the participation level of introverted audience members, try these tips:

1. If you ask a question, give them time to process the answer. A few extra seconds is all that they will need to listen, process, and formulate a response. If you rush them, they will shut down.

2. Invite them specifically or generally to participate. People with a preference for introversion value privacy and think it’s rude to shout out answers. So if you want introverts to talk, point to them and invite them to respond. (But remember rule #1—give them time.)

3. Politely control the extroverted members of the audience. Extroverts have a tendency to not notice that they are hogging all the discussion time and introverts will not talk into crowded space. So let the extroverts have the first couple of words, but then call on an introvert and ask his or her opinion. Integrating these tips into your next presentation will not only help you get more participation from your introverted audiences, they will also keep you from thinking that you’re a really bad speaker. By the way, 50 percent of Americans have a preference for introversion and 50 percent have a preference for extroversion, so you are bound to come across both types in your speaking engagements.

Paul Edward, MA, is a professional advisor, speaker, and author. His
book ‘Moving Forward: Turning Good Intentions Into Great Results by Discovering Yourself, Your Place, & Your Path’ provides readers with strategies for improving relationships, making better decisions, and achieving goals. For more information, visit www.paulleighedward. com.