How Extroverts Use Their Gifts Overseas

Our teams need all kinds of people who function in different ways to be effective. We’re taking a couple of blog posts to explore the unique ways that different personalities contribute to impactful overseas teams. 

Today, it’s the extroverts’ turn. 

One main difference between extroverts and introverts is what they need to rest and recover. While introverts need time alone to rest, many extroverts find too much time to themselves draining and lonely. They are energized by being around others, so relaxed time with friends and family is what helps them recharge. 

Culture is made up of people, so learning to navigate a new context involves a lot of social interaction. Extroverts’ natural love of social settings and their high energy for connecting with new people give them valuable skills that benefit overseas teaching teams:

• They can be good initiators, opening doors to learn about the culture by diving right in and learning on the job. The cultural slip-ups at the beginning are worth it for the gain in cultural knowledge! 
• They have a good eye for social opportunities, which can help draw their introverted friends into experiences they wouldn’t have naturally sought out. 
• They are connectors, the match-makers of the friendship world. They often draw local friends into team activities and help their acquaintances from different settings to mix.

In the introvert post, we mentioned that teaching overseas isn’t rocket science, but if it were, introverts would be the fuel gauge, filter, and navigation system of the spacecraft. In this illustration, extroverts complement these roles by functioning as fuel and the sensors that identify what is going on around the ship. 

Fuel

Because their energy comes from social interactions, extroverts can be the fuel that keeps the team moving. This is especially important given the extra energy required to leap the language hurdle in daily interactions. Extroverts' ability to be the initiators helps them prompt the team into action when a chance for connection comes up. 

Sensors

Sensors map out what is going on in space around a ship to inform navigation. The overseas teaching equivalent is knowing what community-building activities are open to a team on their campus or in their city. Since extroverts naturally seek out social situations, they are more alert to opportunities as they come up. Those opportunities may be less obvious in an unfamiliar culture, but extroverts can help teams find all the best ways to connect with students and friends. 

Connection is a huge part of what drives our success and makes our teams sustainable in the communities where they serve. Extroverts have lower barriers to making these connections because the social element of day-to-day challenges doesn’t drain their energy. 

Extroversion and introversion aren't black and white. People who lean toward being extroverted sometimes need to be alone, and introverts need and enjoy social time. The distinction is only useful if it helps us identify our strengths and build awareness of where we need to look to our friends and teammates to help us. Collaborating this way highlights how the combined strengths of all kinds of personalities make our teams strong.