The Science of Extroversion

For the past 13 weeks, I have worked in a high-stress environment where people are experts at what they do. They are intense and hard working, and are often quite intimidating. I have questioned whether or not I belong and have, at times, absolutely dreaded coming to work. Or, at least that is what I have thought for the past 12 weeks, until this week.

This week, I have learned about my personality, work ethic, and my niche, through a few important conversations. On Monday, my supervisor and assistant director and I went to lunch here in Washington. We talked about graduate school, future plans, politics, and finally about my experience at GAO (the good, bad, and the ugly). I expressed that while the engagement has been fascinating, challenging, and rewarding, there were times when my lack of person-to-person contact became very discouraging. That having been said, my assistant director pointed out one of the best lessons of the summer: (speaking to my supervisor he said) "you are an extrovert, and receive energy from other people". When he said that, it was as though a light bulb turned on in my head... I am also an extrovert and become energized when I have contact with other people.

Well... come to find out, (according to Wikipedia) extroversion is the act, state, or habit of being predominantly concerned with and obtaining gratification from what is outside the self. Extroverts tend to enjoy human interactions and to be enthusiastic, talkative, assertive, and gregarious. They take pleasure in activities that involve large social gatherings, such as parties, community activities, public demonstrations, and business or political groups. Politics, teaching, sales, managing, and brokering are fields that favor extroversion. An extroverted person is likely to enjoy time spent with people and find less reward in time spent alone.


They tend to be energized when around other people, and they are more prone to boredom when they are by themselves.



Or... in other words, without person-to-person interaction, I can't survive.
I always knew I was an extrovert, but what I didn't know was that I thrived on frequent interactions with people. Oh how I wish that I had known this 13 weeks ago and could have countered the discouragement that crept upon me after 8 hours of solitude with my computer (to this day, I have not named the computer, and it's probably a good thing considering the solitude)! Yet, looking back at the experience, I have grown in ways I could have never imagined. I have become a better communicator, better professional, better critical thinker, and have come to realize more about my individual needs. And, without the extended 13 weeks of solitude, I would never have learned the most important lesson I could have ever learned: my place within the science of extroversion.