New markets: In 2000 I was fortunate to have a one-week experience training the leaders of one of the largest organizations in Mauritius. The tiny South African island country of Mauritius has a reputation for being a melting pot of cultures that at the same time exists with a national unity belief, like no other place in the world. As Mauritius partners with industrialized nations, the foreign investment creates new opportunities for entrepreneurs. This creates expansion into totally new markets, quite possibly not open before by either side. Mauritius, a developing country, is a metaphor for a developing entrepreneur: bring in a melting pot of personal cultures and create one larger belief to be able to give something to the greater success of a broader new market. Even though Mauritius is now exposed to the global economy to a greater degree, it is thriving more than it likely would have all on its own.

New product development: In most joint ventures, new product development comes from the combined efforts of the collaborating parties. At some point of attraction which bring the parties together, there may have been spoken or unspoken, “Hey, we are speaking a similar message, and we are providing a similar product, but in different ways. So how could we take this all to another, higher level?” Joint Venture partners are able to combine their knowledge, expertise and experience. Ideas to create new products that could be very appealing to their respectivecustomers and clients (current and prospective) come out of that sharing. New contacts come along the way as their JV partnership grows and evolves. With proper structuring and respectful communication, no one loses their shirt.

Giving style balance: Hewitt Associates research on joint venture success found that one main reason of several for JV difficulties is that there are often conflicting corporate cultures and operational styles. Entrepreneurs may find this also to be the case with their unique giving styles. For instance, when you combine what two or more JV partners have to offer, you have more tangible and intangible resources on hand to use. One intangible resource is giving. Too much giving on either side of the equation can often spell trouble. If you give to the degree of never monetizing efforts, then this can become either an issue for opposition or an issue that doesn’t get addressed and one partner may walk away. If at the other extreme, there is a hoarding of giving, the same fracture of the relationship can occur. With leverage and balance of two or three different giving styles at the same time, risk goes down and financial success goes up. In the creation of new products and new markets, giving becomes more like the back only taking off it’s shirt.

With about 30 to 61 percent of joint ventures failing or fading away within 5 years, the art of balancing selfless and selfish is key. New products, new markets are possible in the most successful of joint ventures by strengthened giving styles. By not giving the shirt off your back, you can be both selfish (maintain individual integrity) as well as selfless (reaching to new markets and products).

Are you in a joint venture? Is your combined giving style strengthening or weakening your new products or new markets? Tell me what your findings are.

Find out how compatible you are for your next Joint Venture. Sign up for a free one-hour online webinar, Joint venture matchmaking: How compatible are you?

Not-So-Often and Begrudging Giver: This giving only on a “have to” basis. You know the expressions and quotations, “It’s better to give than receive,” “We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.” In an African folktale The Collared Crow, a farmer and his wife who have no children are faced with a desperate situation. The crows come and eat the seeds as they are sowing the fields. As they are planting seeds, one crow encourages them to give the last remaining ones to the birds. After obliging, they are rewarded for their giving with eight children. You know stories like this. Giving infrequently or giving begrudgingly when done with good
intentions can still be rewarding.

Cheerful and Extravagant Giver: In the bible, Solomon often did what he did in a large way. Consider that Solomon had the gift of wisdom when discerning this type of giving. He’s credited with giving three thousand proverbs and over one thousand songs. He built a temple and a palace for the people and himself to enjoy with splendor like no other at the time. People came to listen to his wisdom and he was famous in surrounding nations. He didn’t hide his giving or shy away from the recognition it gave him, instead it grew larger.

Go-Getter Giving: Who comes to your mind when you think of Go-Getter? Donald Trump maybe? Ted Turner? People usually think of leaders and people of action or who make things happen as that person with a fire under them. Sometimes they may come on aggressively or highly energetically. In every action they take, even if it’s with something in it for them first, there is either by chance or indirectly, a giving for a common good.

Go-Giver: Bob Burg and John David Mann authored the Go-Giver one of my favorite all time books. It’s a story of Joe who is a Go-Getter but one day feels as if this style just isn’t working for him. Then through a series of introductions through a legendary consultant to various people Joe’s focus changes. The Go-Giver focus puts other people’s interest first, regularly adding value and then attracting rewards unintentionally.

Who can say what style is best? Likely it’s only you. What’s more likely is that there are times when you are one giver style or another and to know, how is your style working for you? However you give, you:

– find greater happiness and joy,
– clear the way for more to come to you,
– connect more deeply, and
– help others.

Speaking of giving, what do you bring to a Joint Venture (JV)? Want to learn how to put your best face forward and create successful JVs from two experts who have already walked that path. Visit http://prostrategies.com/jointventures.html

Even the best bred have challenges. My husband and I had the pleasure, and honor, of showing our 1933 Packard in Louisville, Kentucky. There at Colonial Downs we learned a little history about the Triple Crown history. It is a tremendous challenge for the horses to get there:

Only America’s best three-year-old thoroughbreds, as well as outstanding horses from other nations, make it there.

All three races that make the winners are run within five weeks, a grueling schedule for the horses.

And three races are of varying distances: 1¼ mile; 1 3/16; and 1½ mile.

How incredible is that winning horse? If as an introvert you want 2010 to be a year of success, or being noticed for your creativity or for being taken seriously, while it may be a challenge, it is still possible. Maybe it won’t be in the speed of a Kentucky Derby race, less than two minutes, but it could be your year to win.

Other people’s words. In 1949, trainer Ben A. Jones said that Ponder was about as good a contender to win in a Kentucky Derby as a Shetland pony. But Contender won! Well okay, not the triple crown but remember, to get to the Triple Crown was a strength in itself. Thank goodness Ponder knew where the winning came from. Not outside of him. Ponder’s wins came from within. Introverts, usually in our head, can leverage that talk into winning action. Begin to believe your confidence in yourself more than other people’s misguided words. If you can’t find it inside on your own, get a coach or a mentor. It’s there; it really is.

Ponder was a closer. Horses that are closers run races from behind. It seems that for years the introvert has been misunderstood. Usually we have to come in from behind. But when it matters, we’re the leaders and we’re the idea people who can be counted on.

And then, in a number of traditions that play a large role in the Derby atmosphere, here’s one to aim.

The infield, a spectator area inside the track, isn’t for the introvert. So what if the infield is relatively inexpensive and attracts tens of thousands of people. What introvert wants that kind of a crowd? We might be “innie” people but following the lead from this Derby tradition, we’re going to want to go where fewer people go. “Millionaire’s Row”, the area with the expensive box seats. That’s what to aim for to get a sense of the party with a smaller group.

We may have to may the price – let go of the introvert myths, get out of our head and move into action. We may need to learn to not listen to others and instead take that quiet time of reflection and begin to listen to what we know. Are we ready to come up from behind? We have to be – the world needs us.

What do you think? What kind of lessons can you learn from Ponder?

He sometimes refers to the cloud that surrounds him with pride as the dust of ancient civilizations. In the last strip that Pig-Pen appeared in he was uncharacteristically embarrassed and ashamed of his dirtiness, forgetting his tie to those – ancient civilizations. In everyday situations we want to remember our strengths and focus on them. Remember what they are: focus, listening, original thinking, depth. Gee. Doesn’t it sound like this are needed in our world now? Our strengths can carry us up and over anything we might judge as a shortcoming. Our strengths, like the dust of ancient civilizations, can be a positive force in our lives.

“Pig-Pen” is very good at playing the drums, as shown in the special Play it Again, Charlie Brown. What are you good at? While certainly not perfect, with our depth of thinking we can take it all in, cut through other’s BS and read people pretty well. How would that play out as an energy saver for us? Our strengths, acknowledged and applied, give us that energy we need. We are all good at some things that others are not. When we can remain true to our inner self and play up to our strengths then someone may just ask us to “Play It Again.” We can decide at that time if we want to.

Violet: Pig-Pen, you’re an absolute disgrace! All that dirt and dust… you could be a germ carrier. Did you ever stop to think of that? Pig-Pen: So what if I am? Even germs get tired of walking now and then! Anyone can get tired every now and then of others asking them to be something they are not. Yes, when the tiredness wears down your otherwise natural contemplative defenses and you find yourself giving in to thinking you need to act like an extrovert, stop. Be yourself. Ask yourself, how and where will I draw that energy from? Then act on it.

Decide to step away from emotionally identifying with those internal, external and shared beliefs that keep you from living your dreams, your purpose and being yourself. Heck, everyone has some. You know the ones that hold us back? That ones that make you think you are shy, aloof, anti-social and the list goes on. Learn from Pig-Pen who decided that the clouds of dust surrounding him were there to serve him in a positive way. The clouds can easily dissipate if or when you need them to.

Charlie Brown would say, “Good grief!” What would you say?

Pig-Pen gets dirty just walking in a snowstorm. The dust clouds stay with him for all but a few of the briefest of periods. If you are under an illusion that you are shy, aloof or even anti-social, then you are walking around in a snowstorm, which keeps you from being all that you are. The dust cloud around you distorts your vision, both of yourself and others, and it needn’t be that way.

Even in a Halloween costume, everyone knows he’s Pig-Pen, since under it is a cloud of dust. What’s the point in pretending we want to be the life of the party? That puts undue stress on us and in the end serves no one well. You don’t need the Halloween costume. Like introverts trying to act like extroverts, it does us little good personally when we try to be like extroverts. We can absolutely learn the social skills we need and want to learn. Let’s just honor ourselves by doing what we need to so we feel and act our best.

He doesn’t try to explain it, hide it, or fight it. Pig-Pen is mostly right: stop hiding and stop fighting. As introverts it is however sometimes worthwhile to explain ourselves to others. If they try to coax our shyness out of us, let’s explain to them, it’s not a shy issue. If they ask us why we are so quiet, let’s tell them we’re thinking. Decide where the line is for you – to fight it or explain it. Use your strength to get quiet inside and then take action.

On rare occasions, like once to impress a maybe heartthrob Violet, Pig-Pen showed up clean but unrecognizable. Being awarded twice, a Networker of the Year award by a local women’s organization, it’s likely someone might draw the conclusion that – I go and yap, yap, yap about myself, collecting as many business cards as people once collected baseball cards, attend a networking event every night, and more. I’m not out to impress anyone in this way. Besides, whom does that impress? What keeps me recognizable is – an other focus. How can I connect others to whom they want to meet or plan to arrive early and leave early. Oh yeah, I’m recognizable, in my introvert way.

Let’s stop walking around in a cloudy dust of misinterpretations about ourselves. We have many strengths those clouds are hiding. As Pig-Pen might say, “I have affixed to me the dust and dirt of countless ages…who am I to disturb history?” Let’s make some history introverts.

What are your clouds of dust? How are you handling them?

Much of my work with people in career transition is evaluating strengths. Sometimes, people have been working for twenty years and haven’t had to step back and ask themselves — is this right for me? Am I on the right path? There’s nothing like being out of work to give you the time, space and motivation to ask these questions.

So I work with them on evaluating the right fit for their needs. We talk about where they’ve had success, where they’ve struggled, what they love and what they never, ever want to do again. And we come back to the question of strengths — what are your natural gifts that make you unique, and uniquely marketable? How have those strengths supported your success in the past? How can we harness these strengths moving forward?

From there we look at job paths that make sense with someone’s specific skill set and strengths. It’s at this point that people let slip the “I” word.

“What do you think about sales?” I might suggest. They get quiet. “Well…” A pause. “I’m not sure that I’d want to work with people that much. I think that I might be… some kind of introvert or something.”

And I try not to laugh.

It’s easy for me to help people embrace introversion as a strength rather than the weakness that most people seem to take it as. I’m an introvert myself.

Growing up I was pretty painfully shy. I disliked attention. I kept to myself, and my studies.

I was branded a “nerd,” and somewhat socially isolated because I found sleepover parties to be an unfathomably tiring endeavor.

Around high school, I decided to force myself to be something else. I became involved in theater, convinced that by placing myself in front of people on an ongoing basis, that it would help me overcome my “shyness.”

And to a certain extent, it worked. I developed the ability to get up in front of people confidently. But I still found that afterwards, while the rest of the cast was charged up, I was wiped out.

Now, I do extensive public speaking, which is hugely effective for my business. But I’ve learned some tactics to help me be more effective in public, face-to-face situations — tactics I share with my clients.

1. Know your land mines. Watch yourself for energy drain, and pay attention to where it’s coming from. You may find that you do well with a high level of face time for up to two hours, but after that your effectiveness decreases. Or you may be okay in person but have a harder time over the phone. By watching which situations are most draining for you, you can better plan your work to take advantage of your strengths.

2. Understand the value of the activity. It’s easier to motivate yourself out of your comfort zone if you have a clear understanding of the end goal. Conversations are crucial to closing deals. If you want to make money, you have to understand the role that new relationships play in that process.

3. Don’t try to do it how other people do it. People who are extroverts are not good models for how to be successful yourself in developing profitable business relationships. While they may be able to spend an entire day on the phone, or moving from meeting to coffee date to networking event, that kind of schedule may be unsustainable for someone who doesn’t enjoy that kid of activity. Learn from their successes, but apply what you learn to your own style and personality.

Here’s the great part: being a natural introvert gives you an edge on extroverts when dealing with certain personality types, or in situations that require more in-depth discussion or analysis, and in managing your own time and efforts. Your other strengths can give you the advantage.

I’ve come to understand that excellence comes from embracing who you are, not who others think you should be. How can you make the most of your unique gifts?

Kristi Daeda is a career coach, blogger and personal marketing strategist helping professionals nationwide create their own career opportunities. She is the founder of LaunchSummit, a free web-based educational event for job seekers, and blogs on job search, management, leadership, networking and more at Career Adventure.

So Kristi asked, how can you make the most of your unique gifts?

1. Social online networking, already prevails with introverts. One MBTI provider reported albeit and unscientific survey of about 286 people that Introverts, INFP’s and INTJ’s dominate Twitter. ESFP’s are all under-represented in the Twitter Community. In 2010 we will see this prevalence evolve online to smaller and more intimate groups where the introvert has a more comfortable feeling.

2. Collaborations will bigger just begging for the introvert natural creativity. Entrepreneurs in the USA, likely the world, will step up to the task of bringing their best ideas to the market. Why? So they can contribute to bailing out massive government debts. Someone has to do it. There will be more and better networking both in-person and online. What we’ll see more of is collaboration – across borders. People will come together with ideas and will rapidly take them to the market in 2010. While the speed may require the more extroverted, a successful collaboration requiring attention to personally engaging relationships, is something at which introverts excel.

3. More connecting opportunities will be created with social media. This will take research and planning so who better than to do the work than introverts? This will be the perfect type of project or continuing work for the introvert to apply for so dust off your social skills.

4. Since old cookie-cutter type models aren’t working in business, particularly in marketing, 2010 will need creativity. This introvert strength is something small, medium and large business alike can harness with properly balanced brainstorming sessions. While we often appear quiet, that’s usually an indication that we have an idea brewing. It’s a time for new approaches and fresh ideas.

5. There is continued growth in outsourcing via Virtual Assistants. Small to large businesses will want people who have the ability to work efficiently possibly in isolation. We all know that an introvert is the best person for working independently.

6. “I believe that children are our future; teach them well and let them lead the way,” are lyrics to a song by Whitney Houston. Just change it a bit to, “I believe that introverts are our future,” and I think that is the truth for 2010. Add in an introvert who knows the value of solitude and introspection and you have the makings for creative and authentic expression in a world spinning tirelessly.

7. The economy will rebound, ever so slowly. That means with still more time to turn a big ship around, more time for solitude of introspection can be the propellers. Many believe we were due for a wake-up call, so many things, and so little thinking. But guess who can help with a different perspective on life?

8. With so many more possibilities it’s going to be easy for the introvert in business to get overwhelmed. If you are on a team or working solo, while “bright shiny object” opportunities abound, those latest things or distractions that actually sabotage your efforts. Stay true to yourself and continue to be curious, research for yourself and then focus your efforts.

9. 2010 can be created anew. Give an introvert the time and room for exploring ideas and they can clearly express most creatively. Then, give them a structure for those ideas and they will be ready to get into action on their role. This is a double win: better outcomes for all and more confidence for introverts.

There are undoubtedly more 2010 predictions that would bode well for the introvert to be the one selected, the best person for the work or the best choice to get a task done. From where I sit, this only means the potential contribution factor for the introvert is ours to take.

Are you ready? What are you predicting for the introvert in 2010?

First, a cartoon that appears with the article is incorrect; introverts don’t hate people. And, we aren’t shy either. We are just guarded about our time with others because that outward activity can drain us of personal energy. The cartoon made me wonder if the author is possibly introverted to the degree of wanting nothing to do with people, which isn’t the norm. Or also quite possibly is a shy introvert too. Or that the author isn’t an introvert at all anyway.

Second, the author has a narrow definition of what actions are. I think what might be truer than his saying, “The hardest part of the process [meeting people], for introverts, is taking the first step,” is that it’s hard for introverts to take the same first step as someone more extroverted might take. In meeting people, an introvert will typically analyze the situation – is there a compelling enough reason to want to connect further? It’s also possible that someone more introverted wants to find out more about the person through other connections before talking further. As an introvert, I’ll often take those next steps identified by the author, after steps that I am suit my curious and contemplative nature.

Then, at the end of the article, it seems to me the author offers even more misguided advice. He suggests that introverts don’t pick up the telephone or have coffee or lunch with an old school classmate or someone they met in another venue as an ideal way to get more referrals. Well the truth is, most introverts do have deep enough relationships with a smaller circle of people in this respect that it would be comfortable for them.

If the author’s intent was to encourage introverts to step up to anything, for me, I step up to my disagreement with his overall message. How degrading to start with a cartoon that simply perpetuates a negative myth; we’re not shy and we certainly do not hate people. And then to add to the indignity of by telling what first steps should be. There is more than one way to Rome isn’t there?

What do you think of the article? Is it mostly true for you? Or do you disagree?

Hustle, bustle, hurry. Life is hectic – get over it. It comes with the territory. As societies advance in technology and information, we often find ourselves in overwhelm. Sometimes you may feel like you are in a zoo and the cages are left open. As introverts we must create our own structure so that we can find a cage rest and recover for a brief escape. How do you do this? Be yourself. Use your strengths. With networking as an example, if you find yourself going to an event, you can either scout a quiet place out on premises upon arriving or plan your day with more solitary activities before and after the event. Since you aren’t life’s zoo keeper, just take care of your own cage, I mean space of course!

Hang around the edges. I say hang around the edges of whatever the situation or event, until you are darn good and ready to move into the action. As you hang around the edge of the crowd, savor your energy and get comfortable with putting your plan into action. No don’t let the edges get frayed but instead, use that savored energy to move you forward. Currently, social online networking is all the rage. As we come to the end of the year, if you have been on websites like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and the like, stop, pause and evaluate, how effective were these networking venues in meeting your intentions? By now there are likely thousands more so, be yourself. Take time to look back, evaluate and then plan better for 2010.

Avoiding self-promotion: Self-promotion can make you feel like you are a shark circling it’s dinner. The truth is, that style is quite long ago unappreciated. It is surprising though how many people still go in circles with this. Self-promotion is not about being verbally diarrhea-like all over someone. Think of it as tooting your own horn in harmony. If you toot your own horn then first, you tune into yourself; find that place where you connect with yourself inside and feel that confidence soar. Then, focus on your intention: if you want to find a prospect, what’s important to them? If you are applying for a job, what do they need and then – you toot in harmony with them. For the introvert or shy: let your listening, your natural curiosity and your planning strengths work in your favor. You’ll find you attract more people who want to meet with you, if that is what you want.

Networking is all wrong. In a recent article, Introverts at Work, Jennifer Kahnweiler was quoted from her book, “The Introverted Leader: Building on Your Own Quiet Strength” as saying that 80 percent of introverts struggle with networking. If this is true for you, how do you release yourself from this straight jacket? After all networking is said to put us just 2 or 3 people from whatever it is that we want: a client, tickets to a theater show, a referral to possible employment. One reason introverts often have a problem with networking is because we approach it like an extrovert: attend all events we can, meet as many people as we can and collect all the business cards that are flying in our faces. How disillusioning; introverts and extroverts are as different as a candle is to a halogen light. Decide which events serve your purpose best. Plan around your different energy needs: consider meeting a number of people you want to meet or decide how long you will stay at any particular event. The key to comfort in this personally engaging process is to pay attention to being you. Be yourself.

We can dramatically shift our results our introverts if we look at our strengths instead of envying the extrovert preference. Not being recognized, not having sales success, not feeling confidence, doesn’t need to be your reality. I’m an introvert too. It may take time for some to be happy with that and to claim it as a distinct advantage. Once you realize you are perfect as you are, and it’s time to claim that, 2010 can be your year.

What do you think will be your piece to claim in 2010 as an introvert? Where are you being like an extrovert that you can and will let go of in 2010?

Enjoying life on the water.
There were a number of years where my husband and I enjoyed traveling the Chesapeake Bay in a 43 foot trawler named Half Fast. It was perfect for my style: it would only go about 8 knots, that’s about 8 miles per hour, at top speed and plenty of room for privacy even with another couple. The dilemma was, Half Fast also a party magnet. When docked at any marina with a high probability of knowing someone after about 15 years of boating, our boat became the one of choice to host the party or hook up to for the party.

Try to be an extrovert.
Early on in trawler life, without all the attention, we would host small, just four of us, quiet dinner or wine cruises. These were always satisfying as the other couple were close friends and the conversations were deep and interesting. We also would be playful and find time for games that got us engaged with charades and sketching ideas. Then Half Fast grew in attention. I became an extroverting introvert, keeping up with conversations going long into the evenings while hanging around the docks with dozens of people.

Frustration leads to disaster.
Then one weekend afternoon, out of frustration in not being able to find that quiet place with 20 or more people hanging around on the deck, I shut down conversations even with my close friends. I’d hide out in the cabin away from everyone, even at times resorting to the head. It was disastrous, prompting one very good friend to talk with my husband. She was worried about something being seriously wrong with me.

Beat the guilt.
Regardless of the social situation you find yourself in as an introvert, it’s all too easy to be gripped by guilt even though, there’s really no need to feel guilty. We are who we are and we must be perfect as we are being put here by God: God doesn’t make mistakes. It was a long time coming but then I gradually, as the evening unfolded, let friends know, “Hey, I’m just an introvert so I’ve had enough for today, good night.” All always prearranged with my wonderfully, wildly extroverted but understanding husband.

Be true to yourself:

– Recognize that introverts can be social but not in a marathon way.
– Understand that using your social skills is for any temporary situation or event.
– Find your way of letting people know when it’s time for you to retreat.
– Appreciate what you bring to each relationship in meaningful conversation, being a listener and depth of your relationship, because your friends do appreciate you.

What situations have you experienced have the irony of being who you are in them? Did it make you feel guilty or something else? How are you better for it now?