Tips on Running Meetings as an Introvert

[Jenn Velázquez]

Hi, I'm Jenn. I’m Head of Marketing at Jexo (and a proud introvert that loves her job),

As you can guess, part of the job comes with team calls and meetings. And I know we introverts are not all the same, but if there’s something we can agree on, we need time on our own to focus, process thoughts, and re-charge.

Today I want to share the tips I’ve been using to enjoy running meetings while maintaining my energy and focus during the day!

So, if you are an introvert leading a team and feeling a bit exhausted and unfocused after interactions, read on and make sure to share your tips with me, as I'm always looking to learn about personalities and ways of working.

• Schedule low-focus tasks before meetings: I find it hard to maintain focus with social stimulation, so the best way for me to get work done is by scheduling admin or easy tasks before meetings and complex tasks after. Similar to time blocking or task grouping, tasks get grouped before and after meetings in my case. 😅 So, if I have an hour-long meeting scheduled at 10 am, then my morning routine includes taking 30 minutes of quick admin tasks before that time.

•  Discuss the most important thing first: As an introvert, the longer I spend on the meeting, the lower my energy levels get, so I try to be mindful of everyone’s time. And make sure that crucial topics are closed before moving on to other topics.

• Take notes and follow up offline: Sometimes, you can’t help meetings running long. When you notice your energy or the team's energy getting low and people disengage, take quick notes of your thoughts and follow up with the team offline instead of prolonging the meeting. Send debriefs to the team or individual team members and add additional comments there.

• Leave your notes on the notepad for a bit: When complex topics are discussed, meetings usually run long, and disagreements among the team may present. If you found your energy levels lowering, then finding solutions on the stop might seem harder. I usually leave my notes on my notepad and come back to them after decompression. You'd be surprised at how easy it is to find solutions and follow up with the team once everyone's energy is restored.

• Schedule ‘decompress time’ after the meeting:  A 10 min walk with the dog is one of my favorite things to do after a long meeting. It gives me time to recharge and think about what we discussed to get back and mentally geared up again!

• You are not the only introvert: You are probably not the only introvert on your team. It can be easy for extroverts or quick responders to take over, leaving out the input from introverted members. So, let people know they can send their thoughts offline. If you have a small team, you can ask individually for offline information. Put together a debrief, including the following steps and adding additional comments from everyone. I usually do this when creating tasks in Jira for the team. This helps keep meeting shorter, maintain your introverted energy safe, and include introverted team members in the decision-making.

• Embrace your introversion: There’s a general belief that extroverts are the best leaders and, Introverts are seen as shy or reserved, but there is a lot of power in being an introvert. We tend to listen more than we talk which helps our team members feel valued and heard. And a happy, healthy team it’s one of the most vital assets a company can have to thrive faster!

I hope this helps fellow introverts in the community, and as I mentioned, don't hesitate to share what works for you!

[Patrícia Fortunato Montenegro]

Well @Jenn Velázquez awesome!

I have to say that I'm an extrovert but a bit of an introvert at work. So I truly appreciate your tips to save and reboot my energy!

Thank you so much! 👏🏽  🙏🏽. 😃

[Jenn Velázquez]

How interesting! Have you heard the term ambivert? – It's a person balanced with introvert and extrovert traits! 

And, I'm glad the tips were useful to you! 😊

[Patrícia Fortunato Montenegro]

Thanks @Jenn Velázquez !

I heard this word so long ago, and it's so nice to recollect it! I truly appreciate that!

I'm glad for this interaction! Thank you!! 🤗😃

[Jenn Velázquez]

Me too! Have a lovely day. 😊

[Nikki Zavadska _Appfire_]

👏 great tips!

I'm always trying to look at zoom calls as a quick chat as opposed to meetings and trying to get as few people as possible on the call to make it feel more relaxed. 😌 

[Jenn Velázquez]

Oh, this is a good one! It's funny how simple wording can help us have different thoughts or feelings towards things.

[Christine P. Dela Rosa]

@Jenn Velázquez you're speaking to my soul! 

I really like your before/after rituals low-focus tasks before the meeting and decompression time after the meeting. It's a reminder that we can/should build the schedule that works for us and legit schedule time for these buffer activities.

Just to compare notes, some of my favorite low-focus tasks include reading blogs/updates from coworkers and organizing my inbox. They seem like a low priority but they make me feel great and are things that will eventually need to get done anyway!

[Jenn Velázquez]

Yes, I think that seeing things written downforce us to do them. We tend to prioritize tasks but not well-being, so why not do a brain hack and set well-being as a task that needs to get done 😅

[Rose Eliff]

An introvert here who thrives in peaceful, ordered environments, too. Thanks for sharing these thoughtful practices, @Jenn VelázquezI think these are beneficial ideas for all types of people because they show respect for each person's time and value.

In line with your low-focus tip, I work better when I can clear any low-focus tasks first, too. I know that I can tackle a handful of these and get them marked off pretty quickly, clearing them from my list and my mind. If I don't, they'll be actively chattering in the back of my mind to be done and will distract me from bigger tasks and meetings.  

[Jenn Velázquez]

Oh yes!, I can relate to this. Journaling thoughts and writing tasks are part of my daily routine to declutter the brain. Thanks for sharing!

[Darryl Lee]

Great sharing @Jenn Velázquez , these tips are actually very helpful regardless of an introvert or extrovert to reduce the sense of stress and stay concentrated and mindful of what you are doing.

🙏

[Dan Breyen]

As an introvert leading meetings.  I am almost always nervous, even if it's a meeting with people that I'm very comfortable with.  I always find having an agenda is a good thing to have to keep the meeting moving.