I identify as an ambivert, positioned between being an extrovert and an introvert. Extended periods of speaking often leave me feeling exhausted, and I particularly struggle with conversations involving aggressive personalities. I tend to be a reflective thinker, processing information at a slower pace after conversations.
In my role at work, which involves technical client interaction, I’ve been actively trying to participate more in discussions, but the progress is slow and painful. I’ve noticed that public figures like Elon Musk and Mark Cuban project confidence in their speech, in contrast to the more reserved and calm demeanor of Sundar Pichai and Mark Zuckerberg.
While I understand there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, I would greatly value any insights or personal observations, even if they are subjective.
Eh, sure, not one size fits all but Oxford released a study a couple weeks ago and found that people with these traits correlated with 80% of successful startups. So, it matters.
Need for variety and novelty, reduced modesty, an openness to adventure, and heightened energy levels
They further found that about 8% of the world has these traits (characteristically, “entrepreneur”) and though that teams are just as capable - that if you don’t have these qualities, find a cofounder who does.
Or learn them, right? Like being proactive (which kinda equals high energy levels) and being focused. And not putting your energy into “useless” activities.
Maybe. Not saying you’re wrong, just that I think it’s a good question and important discussion.
It’s very hard to learn a different personality. What the study somewhat correlated is that there is a reason 90% of startups fail; that, coincidentally, only 8% of the population has these traits and that those people correlate with 80% of the success. That’s a lot of people without these traits that rather closely lines up with most of the failed startups.
Coincidence? Maybe. But some relevance? Must be. So why not just teach founders to be like this (arguably, we’ve known this for decades; this is just research that proves it out). Why do we teach Lean, business model canvas, pitch deck, and all the technical considerations when what we know is simply: is this you or not? If not, you must learn it.
Because we can’t just change how people are. Hence they found and advise what we also already know - you must have a team (solo founders almost always fail). Likely because without knowing or realizing it, a team makes it more likely that someone has these traits.
Need for variety and novelty, reduced modesty, an openness to adventure, and heightened energy levels
Notice, it doesn’t say focus. There is a great school of thought that I’ve found true, that “focus” is common but bad advice to startups. Focus on what?? You can’t know, it’s a startup.
Need for variety and novelty is explicitly not focus. If something needs to be done, do it. Such people do it.
How? Sense of adventure and Heightened sense of energy. I don’t work 9-5. I work all the time, as much as I can. I love it.
You can’t teach adventurousness (risk tolerance, thrill seeking, novelty, willingness to fail spectacularly, taking on uncertainty). People just have that, or they don’t.
So people with ADHD? Maybe I was built to lead!