There's a vacancy in the Team and his name is Neil

“There is simply no place in society for someone who isn’t a team player, or able and willing to re-invent themselves as a gregarious party animal. We simply don’t need them. They are quiet, unassuming and take so long to form opinions and contribute to group discussion. In fact, it’s highly likely that there isn’t very much going on in their heads at all.” Neil Wilkins

Now, before I go on and incite global revolution, I should clarify something important; I am an introvert.

I am not a lightweight, wannabe, introvert. I am a fully functioning, right on the edge of society, kind of introvert who, according to the Myers Briggs scale, sits in the rarest group of extreme introverts on the planet. Just 1.5% of us in fact, survive each day in this minority group and we are special; uber introverts, if you like.

I am writing this somewhat tongue in cheek and of course whilst we are special in the definition of rare, we are no more special than the rest of the universe. But wait a moment. If there are only 1.5% of the human population who exhibit our kind of behavioural style and thought processes, then we must stand out. And yes, that is exactly why we could be perceived in the somewhat disparaging way I described earlier.

I also have an unsubstantiated claim to fame and that is that I believe myself to be the most introverted marketer on earth.

I have spent over three decades working in marketing, one of the world’s most extrovert industries. I have launched products, run conferences, managed television advertising campaigns, taken the stage at international events and learned ways to be effective in face to face networking and sales meetings with clients. I have presented to the boards of multinational companies and regularly been in front of the camera without flinching or enjoying the raised levels of heartbeat that most would endure in such situations.

And yet I am an uber introvert.

Something here simply doesn’t add up.

And yet, here I am, talking about me, me, me, in what might be viewed as a rather extrovert style… something isn’t quite right.

I and my fellow introverts are on a journey and this is the subject of one of the three books I am writing: To help frustrated introverts become the people they believe they can be and to help misguided extroverts understand the value that introverts can add to their world. I think it may all be about connection and open, honest communication…. come with me on the journey and we will see.

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