Moving up the corporate ladder comes with an extra challenge for introverts: making sure your ideas and contributions are heard.
It’s a problem Mara Chomsky, Google’s global lead for local guides, knows well. “The biggest challenge in my career is that I’m an introvert,” Chomsky tells Fortune in an interview series launching on International Women’s Day.
It’s a hurdle, sure, but one that can be overcome. “You can have the best mission or the best data in the world, but if you can’t talk about it or win people over or sell to people, you can’t make moves and get things done,” Chomsky says. “It’s part of the business. It’s part of being a leader. If you are someone who feels like that, it’s totally workable—just get out there and start talking about it.”
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Chomsky began to realize how much an introverted personality can affect your career when she started a new job with more management responsibilities. She found she was totally drained by the end of the day, even without the rest of her work changing that much.
Part of the solution? Hiring team members who can turn up the extroversion when you can’t. Watch the video for more of Chomsky tips for introverts at work.
In Fortune’s Trailblazer series, powerful women in business share formative stories about overcoming a challenge in their lives. Watch them all here.
