Introverted (I) personality types with a Turbulent (-T) Identity form a group that we call the Constant Improvement Strategy. People who identify with this Strategy have a lot of common characteristics and share certain challenges as well. Most struggle with self-doubt, for example, and many aren’t very socially confident. Check out a few stats about Constant Improver personalities (a.k.a. Turbulent Introverts) from our “Social Contact,” “Social Activities,” and “Doubts” surveys, which you can also take for yourself:
- About 76% of Constant Improvers say interacting with people at work typically causes them moderate to significant stress. The average agreement rate for all other types is about 37%.
- About 85% of Constant Improvers say they rely on others to start a conversation and keep it going. About 42% of other types say the same.
- About 88% of Constant Improvers say that when they make a mistake, rather than brush it off, they usually tend to start doubting themselves, their knowledge, and their abilities. Agreement averages about 51% among other types.
That kind of self-doubt and social stress are likely to interfere with Constant Improvers’ job satisfaction and success. Given their sensitivities, it might seem odd to say that being a workplace mentor is a great way for these personalities to improve their situation. (It might sound horrible, but hear me out!) Mentoring can help Constant Improver personalities address their own issues – and progress professionally at the same time. This idea isn’t based on an altruistic rationale, either, so let’s consider how it can work.
Debunking Your Impostor Syndrome
If you’re a Constant Improver, chances are you suffer from some form of impostor syndrome at work, meaning that you chronically underrate your own abilities, wisdom, and accomplishments and feel like you don’t really deserve your status. That can cut you off from many of the positive emotional rewards that make your work more enjoyable and motivate you to take your success to new heights. But those consequences might be caused by a mere illusion. You have flaws and make mistakes, just like everyone else. But as a Constant Improver personality, you tend to see negatives as being much greater than they actually are.
That view can be adjusted through direct experience, because nothing refutes impostor syndrome like evidence of your own competence. And that’s exactly what you affirm and demonstrate when you mentor someone. There are probably a hundred little things that you do every day with unwitting aplomb. The knowledge, skills, experience, and perspective that you don’t give yourself enough credit for might be incredibly valuable to a junior coworker. Mentoring is a great opportunity to review the fact of your competence and let it boost your self-esteem. Helping someone else make progress in your workplace will help you realize just how far you’ve come – and that you deserve to be where you are.
Sharing Mutual Support
Mentoring is more than just task-training and teaching knowledge – it’s about helping someone build their own workplace confidence and identity. Mentorship is a chance to share emotional support and to work together to process the challenges and stresses that come with any given work environment. When compatible people share goals and activities, it’s natural to form a bond that offers some mental and emotional benefits. And while you may be the more experienced employee, the benefits of that kind of working relationship can help you just as much as the other person.
As a Constant Improver personality, you may find your own Turbulent Identity soothed and supported as you mentor another. You may both feel stronger as you face work-related worries, frustrations, and challenges together as peers. A junior coworker may even come to look up to you, and you may find yourself more easily mustering a bold, optimistic attitude as you try to set a good example. Modeling workplace composure and confidence for the sake of your mentee is a great way to practice those same qualities for yourself until they flourish more naturally within you.
Low Social Barrier
It’s important to note that while mentorship may test your social skills, it’s not necessarily a major drain. It’s merely spending time with one person during working hours, and that compartmentalization can make it much easier. Mentoring someone can be a facet of your work persona, no matter how socially reserved you are otherwise, and it doesn’t need to intrude on your personal time. Given those facts, mentorship might not trigger much of the social anxiety that Constant Improver personality types often struggle with.
It’s one thing to stand up and conduct a training seminar in front of a bunch of people. It’s much easier to just hang out with a junior coworker for part of the workday. Even if your mentorship ends up being intensive, it might be a fun change from your other routines. So even though the idea of mentoring may initially conjure up images of social stress, the reality is that one-on-one social contact can suit the taste of Constant Improvers like you quite well. In fact, many negative factors like boredom and loneliness can be relieved by workplace interactions, making your day better.
Wanted: Willing Mentee
Opportunities for mentorship may be formal or organic. You may be able to talk to your managers about mentoring someone, with the understanding that you may need to commit to their version of that process. Or you might be able to just start mentoring someone you already work with in your own way, although it’s essential to make sure that they want your guidance. There’s a difference between mentoring and meddling.
However you start your mentoring journey, it’s best to set specific objectives for development, including what success and completion look like. You may form a casual, ongoing bond with someone, but it shouldn’t be an assumed thing, partly because as a Constant Improver, you don’t want to bite off more social interaction than you can chew. Be willing to make an investment in the process for the sake of what you and the other person can gain, but also respect your own limits.
Conclusion: Taking the Lead
While the nominal purpose of mentoring is helping someone else develop, it can also offer big benefits for Constant Improver personality types like you. Mentoring is an opportunity to grow past some of the personality challenges that may be holding back your career, and the areas that we’ve mentioned are part of that equation. Only about 47% of Constant Improvers surveyed say they consider themselves leaders, compared to roughly 79% of other personality types. You may or may not want a formal leadership role at work, but leadership takes many satisfying forms beyond merely having authority and position.
A leadership mindset is a way to help guide the direction and tone of your work environment, for both your own and others’ sakes. Mentoring is an excellent way to practice leadership, even if it’s only focused on one person at a time. Think of it as a chance to overcome your own flaws and doubts, affirm your worth, and become a stronger and more capable person. And, yes, even though we said this isn’t about being altruistic, think of leadership as a way to flex your personal resources to nurture others. There’s still a benefit to you in that, because it can feel amazing.
Plus, who knows, that kid you mentor might end up being a beloved member of your team – or your boss.
Further Reading
- Check out our Specialized Career Tests to learn more about your leadership style, motivation, and ambition in the workplace.
- Motivating Workplace Heroes Using Personality Types
- Workplace Weaknesses: 16 Flaws Each Personality Type May Unknowingly Show
- Why Workplace Criticism Is Harder on Turbulent Personality Types