Why introverts make great publicists

I’ve just made a career shift from a large organization to a small tech company. After years on a PR staff of 10, I’m now the solo communications representative.

Startup culture requires you to take initiative, work on multiple projects at once, be assertive, innovative, creative and ready to handle change at any moment. This has been a most challenging environment for me because I’m a textbook introvert.

Yet, I’m thriving. Why?

I recently read Susan Cain’s Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, a passionate and persuasive look at the value of the introvert. She examines how and why American business culture prizes the extrovert, and she uses social, psychological and scientific research to explain the difference between the two personality types.

The traits and characteristics of an introvert are so valuable to communications and PR. I’m good at my job because I’m an introvert, not in spite of it. Inspired by Cain’s book, I’ve outlined five traits that make introverts better publicists.

1. We prefer listening to speaking

Whether your job requires you to deliver your key messages, or prepare someone else for remarks or an interview, this skill is vital for communicators.