Introversion Versus Extroversion: How Does Personality Affect the O&P Team?

Like many team activities, working with a group of people poses significant challenges. Some of which can be attributed to differences in background, level of experience, and personality. This article explores how personality can affect our dynamics as O&P practitioners. Are there some key takeaways that we can use to communicate within our team to better serve our patients? Personality has multiple dimensions, but one of the most influential is extroversion. Both introversion and extroversion are terms coined by the psychoanalyst Carl Jung, MD, in his book, Psychological Types, originally published in German in 1921. 1 Jung focused on the way individuals interact with objects. He believed that extroverts draw energy from objects and people outside themselves, whereas introverts guard themselves against loss of energy to the external world. Common traits of extroverts include being sociable, jovial, active, carefree, and sensation seeking. Introverts, on the other hand, are more reserved, controlled, less sociable, quiet, and even passive in nature. 2 Jung further defined personality types into four subcategories: thinking, feeling, sensation, and intuition. The thinker attempts to focus on intellectual conclusions, founded in objective data such as facts or generally accepted ideas. This does not mean they are unaware; they will often see their own flaws as imperfections. 3 The feeler makes judgements about experiences based on the behavior of others. For example, a feeler might say something is beautiful even if they do not think it is beautiful because they are more focused on other’s feelings about an event or object. 3 A senser or sensation type is most concerned with the intensity of a connection. Whether that be between a person and object or two people, the senser is moved by strong connection. As intensity is their focus, this can mean strong positive or strong negative connection. 3 Intuition is a subconscious process but can be viewed as “seeing” into events, objects, and people. An intuitor actively creates his or her perception of objects such that he or she “reads into” them. 3 Understanding these different archetypes, how can we better communicate with our team members? The following are some communication guidelines based on an understanding of these general personality types. Remember that communication is a two-way street. Taking a pause to allow the other person room to express themselves can be helpful in many settings including meetings, personal conversations, and even electronic communications. Avoid assuming what the other person will say. If an extrovert interrupts, he or she can halt the introvert and may miss insights and thoughts of a less extroverted counterpart. 4 Use built-in breaks from patients and staff wisely. If you know that the best way for you to decompress is time spent alone, make sure to cultivate a quiet space to recharge. Say yes to social invitations sometimes. Going out with coworkers, or simply putting effort in joining in activities, creates stronger bonds and a more cohesive team. 5 Be aware of your body language and eye contact. 5 These skills apply to our interaction with our team and our patients. Cultivate individual relationships. Become acquainted with your team and communicate with them frequently. The more open the channels of communication, the stronger the team. A recent poll conducted with the current cohort of students in the Northwestern University Prosthetic-Orthotic Center (NUPOC) graduate program (n = 28) found an equal split of introverts and extroverts. This first points to the diversity of the program at NUPOC and expands to the outcome of the program, as not every student will go on to pursue clinical care as the final career goal. An ideally diverse clinical team will be structured in a similar, balanced fashion of both introverts and extroverts. Common Personality Types Seen in O&P Roles Before diving into this section, it is important to note that these roles are based on my very limited experience working in a clinic prior to completing O&P graduate studies. Does this mean if your personality type does not match up with your role that you need to switch careers? Absolutely not. In many ways, having a personality that differs from your peers can help strengthen your team. Any role can have any personality type and different clinics will have different combinations of personalities. Technicians: Introverted Thinkers These are often quiet lab workers. It would not be a shock to say that our nimble-fingered colleagues are orderly, more oriented to objects, and often perceived as rigid or detached. 6 Technicians often work in solitude, focused on fabrication or other finer details of socket construction. These traits are common signs of an introverted thinker. They can also be found in the lab making lots of noise with cast saws, shoe machines, or other grinding apparatus that makes conversation difficult. A technician with effective communication skills is vital to the success of a clinic. As more clinics turn to central fabrication, communication becomes an ever-mounting concern. Often a technician will convert a clinician’s vision into a reality. Open communication is vital to ensure patients receive quality devices and care. >Tips to communicate: Introverts can thrive if they are invited to speak or welcomed into a conversation. Extroverts can help by breaking the ice in conversation, allowing the introvert a natural chance to speak. Feelers can also help introverted thinkers by informing them when a conversation is framed properly. Administrator/Patient Care Coordinators: Extroverted Feelers Conscientiousness is a key indicator of an administrator’s success. 7 Time management and flexibility are also vital for the front office. With the primary focus on patients, this role is well suited for extroverted feelers. Administrators are the voice of the office. Difficult patients can be softened by a caring front office worker, thereby reducing the stress load on the clinician. An office that prioritizes their incoming calls puts the administrator as the first point of contact for many patients. The front office team sets the tone and puts their personal touch on each interaction. >Tips to communicate: As feelers are emotionally centered, it is important to match emotion in an interaction. A team member may have understood the feeler, but the feeler may not feel heard without a matching emotional response. Clinicians: Introverted Intuitors There are many different titles to consider, but for simplicity let’s consider all practitioners in a single group based on the common focus on patient care and healing. As O&P practitioners, we interact with patients daily with a focus on patient outcomes and a goal of healing. A classic personality type for healers is introverted intuitive. The open-minded, empathetic, and idealistic nature often leads to the purpose seen in individuals across healthcare. 8 Problem solving is also an extremely important skill in O&P as unorthodox solutions are often seen in daily practice. >Tips to communicate: Introverts often communicate well in writing. As clinicians, we spend plenty of time communicating verbally and in written form in emails and notes. Allowing an intuitor time to gain insights will allow the individual to communicate his or her thoughts most effectively. Business Development Managers: Extroverted Thinkers As a sales-forward position, the business development manager needs strong negotiation and relationship-building skills, a positive mentality, and a can-do attitude. 9 They are responsible for connecting the clinic with opportunities to grow and further expand while maintaining core values and integrity. To accomplish this, many individuals in this role exhibit traits of extroverted thinkers. Business development managers have many fields to navigate, and it is vital that they remain focused on the essential elements of the company while frequently sharing these with potential clients. >Tips to communicate: Extroverts enjoy processing their thoughts out loud, which can leave an introvert with less room to enter into a conversation. An introvert can aim to visibly respond to show they are actively listening. 10 Clinic Managers: Combination This position typically involves decision-making power balanced with creating a work environment that is both nurturing and structured. The clinic manager needs integrity, effective communication skills, empathy, patient care experience, and organizational skill. 11 There is no one personality trait that is associated with the clinic manager role, but we can look to our leaders and see that they often need a balanced approach to both lead and manage their team. The environment created within the clinic is directly correlated with the manager’s personality. >Tips to communicate: Respect is an extremely important tenet for communication with everyone, not just managers and regardless of personality type. Asking and giving feedback is a valuable way to open the door for conversation with a manager. Find time to schedule one-on-one meetings to ensure you are on the same page. Patients: All of the Above Our patients are the most diverse group. Many articles show a tendency toward introversion in patient populations, especially in prosthetic patients. 12 This can be attributed to the often-traumatic change patients experience with disability. 13 Individuals may also present with introverted traits in a clinical setting due to lack of familiarity and discomfort in a patient-care environment. As adaptation occurs, the patients will often naturally drift back to their original personality orientations. >Tips to communicate: Ask open-ended questions and give your patients as much time as they need to flesh out their thoughts. By allowing patients space to communicate, we are less likely to lead them to conclusions. Conclusion Despite the specific divisions of personality defined here, it is important to note that this is not an exhaustive list. There are many other schools of thought and interpretations of personality. The goal of defining personality is not to reduce the infinite variability of the individual to limited set descriptions, but to find the most meaningful and “parsimonious means of representing human personality,” as Jung intended. 3 When working in an O&P team, we encounter many different individuals with varying personality types. Certain roles in O&P may have archetypal personality types, but to provide optimal patient care we must not only understand the personalities of those with whom we work closely, but also our own. Both introverts and extroverts have something to learn from our complements, and together we can bring our skills to patients and advance the field of O&P. Bradley Barksdale, CFo, is a first-year student at NUPOC. He is a technician and fitter working in the Illinois Medical District during graduate school. References Eschner, K. 2017. Five fascinating facts about Carl Jung. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/five-fascinating-facts-about-carl-jung-180964112. Saklofske, D. H., H. J. Eysenck, S. Eysenck, R. M. Stelmack, and W. Revelle. 2012. Extraversion-introversion. Encyclopedia of Human Behavior (Second Edition) 150-9. Jung, C. G. 1923. Psychological types . Harcourt, Brace and Company. Terrill, H. 2021. 3 Tips for extroverts on how to communicate with introverts. https://www.icmi.com/resources/2021/tips-for-extroverts-in-contact-center. Stasik, S. 2019. 7 Nursing communication skills for introverts. NurseChoice. https://www.nursechoice.com/blog/profiles-and-features/nursing-communication-skills-for-introverts. PrinciplesYou. Accessed January 9, 2024. https://principlesyou.com/archetypes/technician. Berzman, R. 2023. Key traits of an outstanding administrator. Indeed. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/what-personal-characteristics-define-an-excellent-administrator. Med School Insiders. 2023. Myers-Briggs breakdown: Ideal medical specialty based on personality. https://medschoolinsiders.com/pre-med/myers-briggs-medical-specialty. Singh, A. 2021. 10 Qualities of a successful business development manager. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10-qualities-successful-business-development-manager-amandeep-singh. Stegmaier, J. 2013. Moral dilemma for the day. jameystegmaier.com. https://jameystegmaier.com/2013/08. 5 Characteristics of a successful clinical manager. 2022. Master’s in Public Health Degree Programs. https://www.masterspublichealth.net/list/5-characteristics-of-a-successful-clinical-manager. Şimsek, N., G. Küçük Öztürk, and Z. Nilüfer Nahya. 2020. The mental health of individuals with post-traumatic lower limb amputation: A qualitative study. Journal of Patient Experience 7(6):1665–70. Sahu, A, R. Gupta, S. Sagar, M. Kumar, and R. Sagar. A study of psychiatric comorbidity after traumatic limb amputation: A neglected entity. Industrial Psychiatry journal 26(2):228-32.

Introversion Versus Extroversion: How Does Personality Affect the O&P Team?

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