Imagine you’re with people you know, and someone broaches a topic — a topic you know very little about if anything at all. As everyone else is offering their opinions and suggestions, you remain silent. Recall a moment when you were scheduled to give a presentation at school or work, and immediately, you were overcome with anxiety.

There have been times when introverts have not had the strength to speak up, speak out, and be brave. Be it during public discourse, at work, or elsewhere, it has been difficult for you, the introvert, to speak your words with conviction. Why is this?

Well, let’s blame our wonderful, yet sometimes challenging introverted biology. I said challenging because, while there are many wonderful characteristics of introversion, in certain instances, we as introverts flounder. For example – speaking our minds and unleashing our voices to be heard. Additionally, most introverts are hard-wired to remain silent, unless dialogue is one-on-one, in small groups, and/or with people for whom there’s comfort and familiarity.

So, depending on the given social conditions, as introverts, we may opt to sit on the sidelines during deliberations to listen and observe. Yet there are times when introverts must approach the fray to voice thoughts and opinions. But despite our reserved introverted nature, we need not be extroverted or domineering to speak up. This being the case, if you have been classified as someone who isn’t a leader, sidestep the results of the Meyers-Briggs test.

If your color is cool blue and you want to assume a shade of dominant red, you can make the switch. To change colors, I suggest adherence to the following four-step process:

1) Adaptability

2) Courage

3) Knowledge.

4) Find Your Voice

Before moving onward, I’d like you to think of a time when you were afraid to speak out. What or who restrained you from speaking your mind? For the remainder of this post, I will explain the preceding fourfold formula for verbal confidence, and how all four noted advisory points can assist with finding your verbal bravado when needed.

ADAPTABILITY

Adaptability is a powerful talent. To survive or better yet – to thrive, you must adapt to any environment or set of circumstances. Don’t get me wrong — it’s always best to be your authentic self. However, occasionally we all must acclimate to the given climate and conditions of where we are.

OK, but being your authentic self, yet acclimatizing to a given climate or condition – isn’t this contradictory? Not at all. Let me explain – acclimatization involves showing more or less of a given action, or emotion. For example, the ever-glowing life of the party personality type will emit solemn vibes at a funeral. Meanwhile, for the reserved introvert, instances of intense debate require all senses on deck, like unbreakable eye contact and poise.

Yet acclimatization isn’t limited to climate or conditions, as occasionally we acclimate to whom we are around. And sometimes “the whom” plays a more critical role than “the where” as a deciding factor on how well, if at all, you can acclimatize. For instance, on any given day, your spirits could be as high as the stars until you find yourself in the company of a particular person or people.

For example, decades ago, some women struggled as a minority group among the dominant status quo known as men. In today’s world, the landscape has changed. More women have and are ascending the ranks of corporate professions, and entrepreneurship. Undoubtedly, the sisterhood has gained momentum and a voice, but the legacies of the past still linger, here and there.

Enter psychologist and counselor, Kim Gaines Eckert. Dr. Eckert is familiar with the occasional waning of the female spirit in a male-dominated setting. In her book, Stronger than you think, Dr. Eckert wrote, “reflect for a moment on the last group discussion you participated in with both men and women. How did the women speak in comparison to the men? Were the women likely to make disclaimers before they spoke, such as, “I could be wrong, but…” or” This is my only opinion, but…”

As a millennial, early in my lifetime, I’ve heard some women make such statements. But recall my assertion from earlier: the sisterhood has gained momentum and a voice. Considering all things gained, why did I mention Dr. Eckert’s excerpt? Because of disclaimers as in “I could be wrong, but…” or” This is my only opinion, but…” – they sound familiar. Accordingly, how often have you, the introvert, spoken like statements when the moment was too big, the surrounding energy was too strong, or if there was little to zero familiarity with the people around you?  If this is you, you must don a cape and assume a stronger identity. What I mean is you must switch your color to red and speak boldly.

On the surface, this is switching from mild-mannered to ferocious to adapt to the given environment — especially one that requires a modicum of dominance. Beneath the surface is a force that empowers people, extroverts, and introverts, to speak out. The force in question is one of the vehicles from the fleet of awesomeness — it’s called courage.

Next week, I’ll delve into the powers of courage and knowledge. Until then, thank you for reading this post; I’ll see you soon.

Kind regards,

Joshua