Passion and enthusiasm are oft-sought qualities in job adverts, with employers craving the kind of energetic workplaces that are perhaps the norm for the extroverted among us. For introverts, however, not only are such workplaces horrible places to be, but it can often be difficult to display the kind of characteristics that employers seem to want.
Research from Harvard Business School highlights how extroverted employees are generally more likely to be viewed as passionate than their introverted peers, even if that’s not actually the case.
More demonstrative
The reason is that extroverted people tend to be more demonstrative, so give off more evident cues as to their feelings and emotions. By contrast, introverts can appear aloof and reserved.
Suffice it to say, this incredibly narrow and simplistic concept of what passion looks like significantly impinges the prospects of introverted employees and limits the talent available to employers. What’s more, even if introverts are hired, they’re likely to be overlooked by managers for promotions and raises because they don’t behave in a way that typifies what they believe “passion” should look like,
The researchers found that we have certain expectations of what being passionate should look like, so if we tend to select people who meet those expectations, we’re missing out on a lot of people who may be just as passionate but who communicate that passion in different ways.
Showing passion
They surveyed over 1,800 managers and employees from across the United States to better understand how both introverts and extroverts not only express passion but also perceive and experience it in the workplace.
To adequately measure each of these aspects of passion, they developed what they refer to as the “passion experiences and behaviors scale”. This allowed them to capture the various ways we feel and behave when we’re experiencing high levels of passion.
The results showed that managers were far more likely to view extroverted people as passionate, even when introverted employees actually reported having a similar level of motivation and excitement. This is perhaps because extroverts tend to express their passion in a more outward way that is therefore noticeable to others.
Introverts would typically display more subtle expressions of passion, such as a high quality of work, more social interactions, and a general immersion into their work. While these are reliable indicators of passion, they’re often indicators that are overlooked by managers. This means that introverts tend to be overlooked for pay raises, promotions, and advantageous assignments. When applied across the organization, it tends to result in an under-representation of introverts at the top of our organizations.
Does passion matter?
Of course, one might justifiably question whether passion even matters to begin with. After all, research from Florida State University reminds us, however, that passion can also be a pathway toward burnout.
“We all know people who are gung-ho but who don’t have a plan or a defined mission and go forward anyway,” the researchers explain. “Passion has to be tempered, moderated, and managed as a resource to make its maximum positive impact.”
The key is something the researchers refer to as “ego resilience”, which when present helps to ensure that passion is positive rather than negative. Ego resilience encompasses the capacity for sound self-regulation; the conscious choice to readjust oneself; the willingness to receive input from trusted individuals; and the ability to assess one’s mental and physical well-being, adapting as necessary or seeking assistance to do so.
“In the workplace, ego resilience can mean things like pausing, reflecting on where you’re at for a minute and seeing if you can get someone else on board,” the researchers explain. “It’s the ability to realize that it’s not always OK to keep going forward, especially if you’re going in the wrong direction.”
Reducing the bias
So what can we do to change things and make sure that introverts get a fair crack in the workplace? The first step is to accept that we do, indeed, have these biases toward more extroverted displays of passion.
You can then gain a greater appreciation for the different ways in which people display passion. Indeed, you may even choose to actively ask employees how they show their passion for their work or employer. You may even ask them what you can do as a leader to help them express their passion more frequently.
Last, but not least, you need to make sure that passion, in all its guises, is then rewarded with the pay raises, promotions, and assignments that so often today go to those extroverts in your company. If you can do these things, you’re likely to build a workplace that rewards both introverts and extroverts.
