Ditch the role play – and 4 other tips for training introverts

Words by Laura Linham

It’s estimated that 30-50% of working professionals are introverts. You've probably coached some before – but some traditional training methods can make introverts feel misunderstood and damage their confidence.

“If anyone’s needs are not considered they may end up not getting the full benefit of the session,” says chartered psychologist and and author of The Leader’s Guide to Resilience, Dr Audrey Tang.  

What's the difference?

“The terms ‘introversion’ and ‘extroversion’ are colloquially understood as “extroverts are outgoing and introverts are quiet loners, but this is an oversimplification of psychoanalyst Carl Jung’s original approach.

The terms actually refer to how people react to their experiences in the world around them. A person with a more introverted preference will react to an experience by turning inward and reflecting; while a person with a preference for extroversion will react to an experience by actively engaging with it.

“Everyone has both introverted parts and extroverted parts to them, while probably leaning more towards one side of the spectrum than the other,” says Dr Tanya Boyd, Learning and Development Expert at Insights. “Good training seeks a balance between introverted exercises and extroverted exercises, so everyone can engage with the material in a way that aligns with their preferences.”

With that in mind, here's how to keep an introvert happy and confident during a training session.

Create a safe space

“The concept of psychological safety is absolutely essential for inviting those with an introverted preference to participate,” says Dr Boyd.

“Create a safe space where it is OK to “fail” or provide a “wrong” answer, or suggest a new way of thinking about thing.”

It's a sentiment that Dr Tang agrees with: “The training environment is not the same as a working one,” she says. 

“We don't really want the “character” that the person may use for professional success to be present in this context as that can interfere with the ability and opportunity to learn and develop.”

Time to reflect

“Give time for reflection prior to discussion,” suggests Dr Boyd.

“In order to make this a positive thing for those with an introverted preference, build in and structure time for individual reflection on a question prior to discussion.”

If there is a way to share the core content prior to the live session, this is the simplest, most impactful adjustments to make to respect and include the introverted preference.

It's a technique that's worked well for Paul Wiltshire, former regional trainer for Reach PLC and now a senior lecturer at the University of Gloucestershire. 

“I wanted one of my tutees to be more vocal and to have the courage of her convictions,” he said. “I emailed her a question that I was going to ask in the next teaching session and asked her to email me back her best shot at an answer. 

“She was spot-on, I told her so, and when I put the question to her in class, she was happy to speak out.”

Please, Sir

“Try not to recreate the anxiety that many people felt in school waiting for the teacher to call on them to give an answer,” says Dr Boyd. 

“Invite those who wish to volunteer to do so, but don’t call on people randomly. 

“If you want to be sure that everyone has a chance to participate, you can ask a question and invite people to share an answer with the person next to them rather than in front of the whole group. 

“Many with a more introverted preference are comfortable speaking with one other person where they may not be comfortable speaking in front of a large group”

Ditch the role-play (sort of)

“If you are going to use role play – use actors,” says Dr Tang. 

“We use role play because it’s a great way to get people to try things and then reflect on them, but asking people to act out roles is awful for most adults –  and especially for introverted ones.

“I have an actor who is briefed on the areas of exploration and this means that delegates can concentrate on doing the self-development work instead.” 

Get writing

“Writing answers rather than being asked to shout them out allows those with an introverted preference to express their thoughts comfortably,” explains Dr Boyd. 

“Once they've done that they may decide to sit back and observe from then on, or they may feel comfortable speaking to the group after floating their ideas first.”

These few hints can help to help ensure everyone is comfortable with the activities in  their professional development and make the experience more appealing for everyone – and as Paul Wiltshire points out: “Looking globally, if we're going to find answers to problems, we need everyone to be round the table. It's all part of diversity in the end. And often it's the quiet ones who speak the most sense.”