An introvert's lessons from glamping
This past weekend, three friends and I went on a glamping adventure in the mountains of Colorado. For those not familiar with the term “glamping”, it’s a combination of “glamourous” and “camping”. Being an introvert on a weekend trip with extroverts provided a great opportunity to reflect on our group dynamics.
Here are 4 team lessons this introvert learned from this glamping experiment:
Know your NON-NEGOTIABLES: at its core, this is about knowing yourself. What are you open to? What makes you uncomfortable? Where are you willing to budge, and what is a hard no? E.g., you need coffee first thing in the morning, more than two drinks will leave you with a headache the next morning, subfreezing temps while sleeping is NOT okay. Next time I will reflect ahead of time on my non-negotiables and be prepared.
Confirm EXPECTATIONS: four people; four different perspectives. How would we spend our time? Always together or is alone time okay? Planned or free flowing? Stay up late or take advantage of no responsibilities and maximize sleep? While some of this was “discussed” over a chat thread when sharing the weather forecast, in hindsight I might explicitly ask everyone (including myself!) what their expectations were in advance.
Respect different PERSONALITIES: some people are extroverts and process through talking. Others are more reflective and might get drained with endless chatter. There were times I felt there was no space for me in the conversation, as the conversation free-associated and jumped from one person and story to the next without pause. This reminded me of “conversational equality”, a factor Google found was critical to high performing teams, where no one person dominates the conversation. For Google, this led to better ideas, execution and ultimately, outcomes.
Know when to SPEAK UP: when there is no clear leader, as in a group camping trip, it is even more important for introverts to speak up when it’s important. E.g., with the extroverts caught up in a long conversation, and the sun starting to fade, making the effort to interrupt and suggest going for the hike then to take advantage of the sunlight.
Do any of these lessons resonate with you, perhaps from a similar experience?
Warmly,
Bijal
The intent of these emails is to provide different perspectives, ideas, and insights as you navigate the path forward for yourself, your team, your organization, and your family.
Click here if you were forwarded this email and would like to sign up to receive my emails. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Bijal Choksi, MA, CHPC, ACC