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Do you think of yourself as an introvert or someone who prefers to spend time by themselves? Or are you an extrovert who is outgoing and sociable? You could also be someone who’s at times introverted and at other times, extroverted.
Personality types vary on a scale of social to solitary. You may relate to any one type or none at all. However, there’s no rule that you have to be one or the other. There are those whose personality type falls somewhere in the center of this scale. They have a different personality type—ambivert.
Those with an ambivert personality can switch between being an introvert and an extrovert. They are comfortable in social situations where they have to talk to people. They’re equally happy spending time by themselves.
Say that you work with a small start-up that has only 50 employees. Your department has six members and you have to communicate with them during meetings and events. If you’re an ambivert, you’ll find this situation ideal. You can work independently and socialize when needed.
An ambivert is balanced and doesn’t get bored of being by themselves. At the same time, an ambivert is also happy to interact with others. Here are some of the advantages of having an ambivert personality.
Advantages Of Being An Ambivert
If you can switch between being reserved and being social, you’re most likely an ambivert. Ambiverts don’t mind working alone or in a group, neither do they have a preference when it comes to choosing between being introverted and extroverted.
This flexible personality type works to your advantage in a professional setting where you may have to deal with different kinds of people and engage in a variety of tasks. Being adaptable will open doors to better opportunities and you’ll find that you’re more receptive to your surroundings.
Someone with an ambivert personality is also good at speaking up for themselves. They’re able to compartmentalize their emotions and think objectively. They can be assertive when they need to be and reserved in other situations.
You’ll find that ambiverts perform well in client-facing roles. Dealing with clients or customers requires a lot of patience and an active listening habit, traits that ambiverts have.
Here’s an example:
Say you have to check in on one of your organization’s retail stores. This will be your first meeting with the staff and your first experience in dealing with customers. Now, as an ambivert, you won’t mind working with new people, a task an introvert would find daunting. If a customer wants to return an item and it’s against the store’s policy, you’ll also likely deal with the situation in a composed manner.
There are several competitive advantages of being an ambivert and they’re especially important for navigating professional settings:
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They can be great orators and listeners at the same time. In other words, they can talk persuasively and listen actively, which further allows them to be expressive and open. They understand and respond appropriately to others’ wants and needs and it’s no secret that empathy is essential for strong interpersonal relationships and collaboration.
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They can switch between spending quality time with others and spending time on their own, at home. They feel comfortable in social settings and can network effectively in business meetings or parties. On the other hand, they won’t mind spending a Friday night at home, reading a book, cooking dinner or watching a movie. The ability to switch provides such people the flexibility to adjust to different types of social situations.
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They’re quite intuitive, that is, they know when it’s the right time to talk or the right time to move away from a conversation. They’re observant and they treat each situation in a unique manner. This is particularly helpful when navigating conflicts where people often get into heated debates. Sometimes, moving away from the situation is the best thing to do.
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They aren’t afraid to take risks but aren’t too quick to jump to conclusions either. Ambiverts are wise when they take risks. They tend to find the middle ground and avoid risky situations as well as impulsive decisions. They decide to act on something only after they have judged the situation.
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As communication is one of their strongest abilities, it’s easier to collaborate, cooperate and work together in teams. As a result, ambiverts have good teamwork skills, allowing them to freely exchange ideas, indulge in multiple perspectives and step outside their comfort zone.
While it looks like an ambivert personality is the jackpot, it comes with its own set of limitations. Ambiverts are often considered to be flexible as they can swing between two extremes: introversion and extroversion. However, keeping the balance isn’t always healthy and it can get tiring very soon. Depending on the situation, there might be extra strain on ambiverts to keep up the balance and be the wise person in every situation. There are various characteristics that make an ambivert; not everyone will have the same set of traits. Let’s look at some of the common characteristics in detail.
Characteristics Of An Ambivert
Imagine you have to meet your friends for lunch. They invite a few colleagues without telling you. Once you’ve been introduced, you realize that you have nothing in common with your friends’ colleagues. So, you choose to sit next to your friends and interact with them rather than making small talk.
An ambivert will find this situation natural. They’ll not feel forced to interact with strangers. Nor will they feel out of place talking only to their friends.
Let’s see if you can identify with any of the characteristics of an ambivert.
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Balanced And Stable Approach
An ambivert is more inclined to give equal weightage to opposing ideas. Say your colleague and you are at odds over an important decision. You’re more likely to think about things from both perspectives before coming to a conclusion. You’ll weigh each option and choose the one that suits both you and your colleague.
In a negotiation, this trait is especially helpful because the goal of any negotiation is a win-win outcome. Ambiverts will make great negotiators because of the stability they bring to the table.
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Good Communication Skills
Ambiverts have excellent communication skills because they’re perceptive when it comes to timing. A great communicator knows when to speak and when to listen. If you’re an ambivert, you can probably judge the situation well before you interject. You’ll first observe and then try to get your point across.
This trail is helpful during brainstorming sessions where you won’t mind sharing your ideas. As an ambivert, you’ll also be open to questions and suggestions about your work.
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Importance Of Alone Time
An extrovert enjoys social engagements such as meeting friends and networking. Introverts, on the other hand, prefer alone time over socializing. But ambiverts can pick when to be social and when to switch off.
Finding comfort in your own company is important. It can help you in difficult situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic when you can’t meet friends and family and are forced to be alone.
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Peacemaker Or Pacifier
In an argument, it’s the ambivert who takes on the role of a pacifier. They’re most likely to listen to both sides before making a decision or placing blame. They can think objectively. They’re also great listeners and understand other people’s emotions and thoughts. This is also a good trait to have during workplace conflicts, salary negotiations and performance appraisal meetings.
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Good Leader
All these skills combined make an ambivert an empathetic and charismatic leader. The ability to listen without bias or prejudice is helpful in decision-making. Their quick-wit and objective thinking make them excellent problem-solvers as well—another critical skill for a leader. Leadership is about separating your emotions from your decisions to do what’s best for your organization. Therefore, someone who can see both sides of the coin will do a commendable job in a leadership role.
If you were able to identify with any and all of these characteristics, chances are you’re an ambivert!
Conclusion
The hardest thing to do is to define who you are. Ambiverts find it especially difficult to understand their personality type because they fall in between introverts and extroverts. Self-awareness and introspection can help you come to a conclusion.
It’s okay if you don’t understand your exact personality type. But discovering who you are will help you get ahead in life. You’ll understand where your strengths lie. For instance, if you’re good at speaking, you might want to try a profession that gives you opportunities to speak in public.
Extroverts have good people skills so they’ll do well in client or customer-facing roles. Meanwhile, introverts prefer creative fields like writing or art.
Discovering your personality traits can help you determine the kind of people you need to spend time with at a professional level. While most people prefer to interact with like-minded individuals, they need to engage with different personalities to build a good network. Harappa’s Expanding Networks course will teach you how to build a strong and sustainable network. You’ll learn how to identify different personality types and work styles. Build connections that are mutually beneficial and help you further your ambition!
Explore Harappa Diaries to learn more about topics related to the COLLABORATE Habit such as Building Relationships, How to Build Rapport, What is Teamwork, Extrovert Personality & Introvert Personality and build strong professional networks.
