At a work meeting during which she scarcely paused for breath between sentences, Erin Barnett mentioned that she tends to be extroverted – a quality that some of her colleagues had already gleaned from the fact that she never stops talking.
“Yeah, she’s mentioned the extrovert thing probably a few dozen times,” said coworker Scott Jones. “I stopped listening after like the eighteenth time. I know that’s bad.”
Another coworker, Kevin Belmont, stated, “I wasn't sure what an ‘extrovert’ even was, but from Erin I think I’ve pretty much figured it out. It's someone who never shuts up, right?"
He added, "Don’t get me wrong, though, she’s great. Never at a loss for words, that’s for sure.”
Fellow colleague Lisa Cannon, agreed. “She’s awesome to hang out with when I’m in a funk and don’t feel like talking, because with her, I know I won’t have to – in fact, I couldn’t if I wanted to. And even if I did want to, it wouldn’t be with her. So our dynamic really works."
Aware of her extraordinary verbal abilities, Barnett herself makes a point of not overshadowing the dimmer lights in the room. “There’s room for everyone in a workplace. Introverts have a lot to offer. I genuinely believe that.”
When Cannon tried to comment, Barnett cut her off. “No, seriously, no matter what anyone says, there’s nothing wrong with being a quiet type. No one should ever feel bad about being who they are."
Cannon grinned. “See what I mean? She never disappoints.”
Barnett gave her colleague's shoulders a playful squeeze. “You’re so sweet. I hate that you’re always overlooked. Let's do something about that."
