At UNC, I learned from the great Southern studies scholar Samuel Hill about the South’s general preference for extroversion, especially in evangelical Christian circles. From my mentors in ministry, I learned about how pastors need to “work the crowd,” take initiative, and generally be socially gregarious.
John Chandler
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I learned how to do it. I also learned how to be exhausted by it. What helped me to understand this dynamic was learning that while I was a “professional extrovert,” I was actually a personal introvert. In short, while I needed time alone to recharge, the demands of ministry were largely social.
Last month, Susan Cain published Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking (Crown, 2012). Here is her “Manifesto for Introverts.”
1. There is a word for “people who are in their heads” too much: thinkers.
2. Solitude is a catalyst for innovation.
3. The next generation of quiet kids can and must be raised to know their own strengths.
4. Sometimes it helps to be a pretend-extrovert. There’s always time to be quiet later.
5. But in the long run, staying true to your temperament is the key to finding work you love and work that matters.
6. One genuine new relationship is worth a fistful of business cards.
7. It’s OK to cross the street to avoid making small talk.
8. “Quiet leadership” is not an oxymoron.
9. Love is essential; gregariousness is optional.
10. “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” — Mahatma Gandhi
Cain said in a recent Time magazine interview, “Shyness and introversion are not the same thing. Shy people fear negative judgment, while introverts simply prefer less stimulation; shyness is inherently painful, and introversion is not. But in a society that prizes the bold and the outspoken, both are perceived as disadvantages. Yet we wouldn’t want to live in a world composed exclusively of bold introverts. We desperately need people who pay ‘alert attention’ to things.”
I believe we are on the cusp of a cultural trend where our culture is beginning to value the contributions of introverts. Things like careful observation, deep thinking and reflective conversation are beginning to be prized alongside of gregariousness, sociability and bouncy energy.
A significant question is: Will our churches grow in appreciating these gifts as well?
Trending is written by John Chandler, leader of the Spence Network (www.spencenetwork.org./equip.htm).