I’m an introvert. I proclaim that proudly and un-loudly, and I wish our culture would embrace introversion rather than putting so much value on extroversion (“people-person”, “charismatic” etc.). I wrote a post a while ago about Why I Hate Meetings to essentially stand up for myself and my introversion: meetings are useless; innovation and creativity do not come to me while I’m a meeting, they hit me when I’m alone. So it was with great pleasure that I read an article by Susan Cain on the New York Times website about the New Groupthink. Read it, it may be enlightening. If you’re an introvert, you’ll nod your head and say “Amen.” If you’re an extrovert, maybe this will help you understand why so many of us despise “brainstorming sessions,” or “team meetings,” or “group projects.”
Hi Courtney, I assume you’ve read and enjoyed Susan Cain’s book Quiet. I came across your posts here doing research on a new game for people who hate meetings. I have been looking for people to try it out before doing any extensive marketing. It is called Enduroo, and the object of the game is to predict the exact duration of a conference call or meeting before it starts. It’s intended for people who like their co-workers but don’t like wasting time and grand-standing in meetings. At enduroo.com. Appreciate your inviting some co-workers to play during your next web meeting and letting me know your thoughts.