How not to motivate introverts?Introverts: We’re 51% of the population, and still people don’t get who we are and how we functionbest.

We are in your workplace as employees, colleagues, managers, bosses. We can be a family member,child, lover, or friend. We are definitely well represented among your clients and customers. Notunderstanding us is your loss.

You may be crying out for creative, innovative thoughtwithout realizing that you have it within your circle –housed in quiet people who too often feel shut out ofgroup processes.

Many of us are highly motivated: we often collectinformation in detail and use it to perform at a high levelof skill. Those seemingly random bits of information thatmany of us store in our heads can be put together insome amazingly creative ways.

If you want to tap into introvert talent, here are some “don’ts”:

DON’T

*Pressure us to perform: Don’t use pressure as a motivator. Introverts are easily overstimulated, andalthough quiet on the surface, we often feel like pressure cookers about to explode with ideas,information, and feelings. We need time and space in which to think, and a receptive ear to listen toour ideas.

*Force us to compete: We prefer, and perform best, when we are given support and feel we arecollaborating with others.

*Demand an immediate decision: When you do so, ask yourself if there will be quick, negativeconsequences if a decision is not made and acted upon immediately. That would be an emergency.Urgency – the emotional need for quick action – may be as dependent on inner impatience as it is onoutside circumstances. Learn to distinguish between the two.

*Finish sentences or thoughts for an introvert because you think he or she needs prompting. All thisdoes is turn off a deep and potentially productive thought process.

*Think that a stimulating environment will raise introvert energy levels. People who run meetings andconferences usually defer to extroverts, who respond well to that loud, jazzy music which is often usedto open the meeting, often urging participants to get up and dance. For introverts, this is a little likebeing attacked by Harry Potter’s “Dementors”: it sucks the life right out of us.

We introverts need to retreat occasionally from too much stimulation to process informationthoroughly – and to come up with those creative, innovative ideas for which you may be desperatelysearching.

Lynette Crane is a Minneapolis-based speaker, writer, and coach. She has more than 30 years'experience in the field of stress and time management and personal growth. Her latest book is TheConfident Introvert, written to help introverts overcome the stress of living in a culture that idealizesextroversion, so that they can thrive, and not just survive.Visit her website athttp://www.creativelifechanges.com/ to see more in-depth articles and to view her programs.