For a long time, I tried to decide whether I was an introvert or an extrovert. When I am facilitating, I am extrovert: full of energy, constantly keeping people going, occasionally the “life and soul of the party”. But given the choice between going out and socialising with a group, or staying home with a good book/going for a walk with my fabulous husband, I’d choose the latter any time.
Having explored all the personality tests out there (for what they are worth: not much, I think, but that’s another topic), I think that I am probably a mix of the two. Like most people.
And that can matter a lot in futures work. Many futures processes quietly reward the loudest voices, the fastest answers, and the people most comfortable thinking out loud. Without intending to, we design for extroversion, especially in workshops, online sessions, and strategy rooms. When that happens, we don’t just lose participants. We lose perspectives.
Introverted ways of knowing, like noticing, reflecting, and sensing patterns over time, are essential for working with uncertainty. If futures facilitation only values quick articulation, we narrow the range of futures that can appear.
Good futures facilitation designs for both-and: space to think before speaking, multiple ways to contribute, and moments where silence is doing real work.
When we design for introvert-extroverts, futures get richer.