How extraversion shapes remote communication
I recently read a great piece in the Research-Driven Engineering Leadership newsletter by Lizzie that I wanted to share. It explores how our personality, specifically whether we are more introverted or extraverted, affects how we experience remote work.
Of course, introversion and extraversion are not black and white categories. Still, it can serve as a simplification model (systems engineering, anyone?) that we can use to study and improve real-life interactions.
The study highlighted an interesting contrast in communication needs:
- Task-focused team talk is good for everyone. When team interactions were centred on the work at hand, everyone reported being more productive. This effect was even stronger for extraverts.
- Supervisor interactions are personal. This was the most surprising finding for me. Introverts reported higher well-being and productivity after having relational, more social chats with their supervisors. Extraverts, on the other hand, benefited more from task-oriented conversations with their boss. My gut feeling would have said this was the other way around, so that is an interesting find!
- More check-ins are not always better. This was not so much of an eye-opener, but it is an important reminder: a higher frequency of interactions with a supervisor was linked to a slight decrease in productivity for everyone. This suggests that the quality and purpose of an interaction are more important than the quantity.
A practical takeaway
The original article offers more clear advice, but one point stands out for creating an inclusive remote environment: provide balanced communication channels. Ensure your team has access to a mix of structured, task-oriented discussions and informal, relational spaces to meet the diverse needs of every team member.
The original article can be found here: RDEL #97: How does extraversion shape communication behavior in remote workplaces?
