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Have you ever wondered whether introverts prefer online meetings, or if in-person connections are more fulfilling? In this episode of the Quiet And Strong Podcast, David Hall explores the different types of meetings—virtual, in-person, and hybrid—and examines how each format can support or challenge the needs of introverts. You’ll discover practical strategies for preparing for meetings, tips for making your voice heard, and ways to protect your energy before, during, and after workplace interactions.
Key takeaways include:
- The pros and cons of online, in-person, and hybrid meetings for introverts
- How preparation and weekly reviews can help you contribute effectively
- Insights into building a reputation for thoughtful engagement
- Ideas for communicating your needs and working with your energy, not against it
If you want to show up authentically, maximize your strengths, and ensure your ideas are valued in any meeting environment, this episode is for you. Listen, learn how to master meetings as an introvert, and be strong.
Do Introverts Prefer Online Meetings? Exploring the Best Meeting Formats for Introverts
Starting the Conversation
Welcome to Episode 283 of The Quiet And Strong Podcast! I’m David Hall, creator of Quietandstrong.com and your devoted host. Today, I want to dive into a question I was recently asked during a talk on introversion: “Do introverts prefer online meetings?” It’s a great question—and one that doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all answer.
The Diversity Within Introverts: Avoiding Generalizations
One of the most important things to remember is that introverts are a diverse group. People often assume all introverts will feel or act the same way, but personalities are nuanced. When I was confronted with this question, I had to pause and reflect on my own preferences. For me, I actually find that in-person meetings help me feel more connected and present. Being able to read the room and feel the energy in person is important. But I know that might not be everyone’s choice, even among introverts.
In-Person Meetings: Connection and Collaboration
In-person meetings, when possible, offer strong opportunities for relationship building and reading non-verbal cues. After the pandemic, I noticed many people—even in person—seemed to struggle with responses and engagement, almost as if we were all missing our “emoji” reactions! Still, there’s no replacement for the organic engagement, the spontaneous discussions before or after the meeting, or the richness of face-to-face brainstorming, especially with sensitive topics.
However, in-person meetings aren’t always feasible. They can be more expensive, require travel (even if it’s just a walk down the hall), and obviously can’t always include everyone due to logistics or health limitations.
Virtual Meetings: Convenience and Inclusion
Virtual meetings have firmly rooted themselves in our work lives since the pandemic. They’re incredibly convenient—sparing everyone the commute and opening up opportunities for collaboration with people across the globe. I love that I can host guests from all over the world on this podcast because of virtual tools. It’s also helpful for people with mobility or health concerns.
Virtual meetings shine when it comes to flexibility and including larger or more diverse groups. Scheduling across locations and time zones is much easier, and for quick check-ins, nothing beats the time savings. But they do have drawbacks: building rapport and team chemistry is more difficult, and informal networking or “water cooler” moments are lacking. Virtual meetings can also be more susceptible to distractions and multitasking (sometimes I’ve gotten emails from attendees during the meeting I’m currently in with them!).
The Technology Challenge in Virtual and Hybrid Meetings
Technology can be a blessing and a curse. We’ve all had the frustrating experience of being in a meeting where audio isn’t working or the platform isn’t playing nice. Now, “Can you hear me okay?” has become a staple of virtual dialogue. Levels can be uneven, platforms can glitch, and sometimes people simply aren’t present—physically or mentally.
Participation can be lopsided, and chat features can become distracting when there are multiple conversations happening at once. If there were that many side conversations in-person, we’d have to rein things in! So, making the chat work for the meeting, not against it, takes intention.
Hybrid Meetings: Including Everyone, But Not Without Issues
Hybrid meetings attempt to blend the best of both worlds. They’re practical for groups with both on-site and remote members. The technology supporting these formats has improved, but hybrid meetings can make it especially difficult for remote participants to feel truly included, especially if most attendees are in person. As a facilitator, it’s important to actively ensure that every voice is heard, no matter the setting.
Which Format Is Best For Introverts?
So, which meeting format is best for introverts? The real answer: it depends. Each option has its merits and pitfalls, and preferences will always vary. Sometimes, circumstances simply dictate the choice—what’s most cost-effective, what technology is available, or who needs to participate and how.
How Introverts Can Show Up Strong: Preparation Is Key
Regardless of meeting format, preparation is critical—especially for introverts. One of our greatest strengths is our ability to reflect and think deeply, and often our best contributions come after we’ve had a little time to prepare.
I talk about this at length in my book, “Minding Your Time: Time Management, Productivity, and Success, Especially for Introverts.” My favorite approach is a weekly review. Inspired by David Allen’s “Getting Things Done,” I look ahead at upcoming meetings and activities, identify what preparation is needed, and jot down the points I want to raise or questions I want to ask. This planning not only reduces stress but allows me to contribute meaningfully.
Managing Your Energy
It’s important to recognize which meetings and activities energize you and which ones drain you. Introverts need a balance of collaboration and quiet, focused work. With a weekly review, you can proactively schedule breaks or blocks of time for deep work, so you’re not running from one draining meeting to the next without recovery time.
Participate Early and Make Your Presence Known
As introverts, we may not speak as often as our extroverted peers, but it’s crucial to let your voice be heard—preferably early in the meeting. If you wait until the end, people may assume you’re disengaged. Establish yourself as someone who has insights and is engaged in the conversation. If you need more time to think about something raised in the meeting, speak up and request time to reflect, then follow up with your ideas—ideally with a clear timeline.
Play To Your Strengths: Listening and Observation
Listening and observation are introvert superpowers. Use them to your advantage—often you’ll spot details others have missed, or you’ll be able to synthesize complicated discussions into actionable insights. One thoughtful point can have more impact than dominating the conversation.
Key Takeaways from This episode
- David Hall emphasizes that introversion is not something to fix, but to embrace, focusing on understanding and leveraging introvert strengths.
- Preferences for online, in-person, or hybrid meetings vary by individual introvert; there is no one-size-fits-all answer (01:01).
- In-person meetings allow for stronger relationship building, better engagement, and easier reading of non-verbal cues, but can be more time-consuming and costly (02:34, 03:47).
- Virtual meetings are convenient, inclusive, and cost-effective, but make it harder to build rapport and can lead to distractions and uneven participation (04:41, 05:22).
- Preparation is key for introverts to succeed in meetings; strategies include a weekly review, organizing thoughts beforehand, and speaking up early to ensure participation (10:07, 12:12, 13:41).
- Following up after meetings can be necessary, but sharing ideas during the meeting is ideal for introverts to be heard and involved in decisions (15:05).
Make Changes Now
- Reflect on Your Meeting Preferences
- Consider whether you feel more comfortable and effective in in-person, virtual, or hybrid meetings. Identify what aspects work best for you to advocate for your needs and preferences in future meetings.
- Start a Weekly Review
- Begin setting aside time each week to review your upcoming meetings and activities, as recommended by David Hall at 12:12. Prepare notes, questions, and plan for any needed follow-up.
- Prepare and Share Your Ideas Early in Meetings
- Before each meeting, jot down your main points and questions. Try to contribute early in the discussion to establish your presence and ensure your ideas are considered, as emphasized by David Hall at 13:41.
- Schedule Recharge Time
- Assess which meetings or activities energize or drain you. Block out short breaks or focused work periods in your calendar to recharge, following David Hall’s advice at 12:23.
- Communicate and Follow Up as Needed
- Don’t hesitate to ask for time to think before responding if needed. If you come up with insights after a meeting, follow up with the group or individual afterward (15:35), making sure your thoughtful contributions are heard.
Embrace Your Introverted Strengths
Finally, remember: introversion is not a weakness to fix, but a strength to understand and utilize. Working with your natural preferences, advocating for your needs, and showing up authentically—regardless of meeting format—are key to thriving as an introvert.
Continue the Conversation
Thank you for exploring this topic with me. There’s always more to learn about thriving as an introvert! If you want to dig deeper into your strengths, check out the free Typefinder personality assessment at quietandstrong.com. And don’t hesitate to reach out if this episode resonated with you—I’d love to hear your thoughts and stories.
Let’s keep the conversation going and remember: honor your introverted strengths and be strong.
Links and Contacts
Contact the Host of the Quiet and Strong Podcast:
David Hall
Author, Speaker, Educator, Podcaster
quietandstrong.com
Gobio.link/quietandstrong
david [at] quietandstrong.com
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Timestamped Overview
00:00 The section discusses the benefits of in-person meetings, particularly their advantages in relationship building, reading non-verbal cues, engagement, rich discussions, and ease of collaboration, despite the adaptation challenge after the pandemic.
04:10 The section discusses the benefits of virtual meetings, highlighting how they enable global communication, accommodate those with mobility issues, eliminate travel time and expenses, and are convenient for remote interactions.
06:50 The section discusses the challenges of online meetings, such as people talking over each other, the effectiveness of using hand raising in large meetings, and the benefits of the chat feature for sharing links or participating in group activities.
12:12 The section discusses identifying activities that energize or drain you and suggests using a weekly review to schedule breaks, focused work, and downtime to recharge effectively.
16:25 The section discusses how introverts can build a reputation for thoughtful insights by effectively using their energy and authentic communication, and it highlights the availability of a free Typefinder personality assessment for further self-exploration.
17:23 The free assessment provides a Myers-Briggs Code and encourages users to contact the creator via email or website to discuss their introverted strengths further.
Podcast Transcript
David Hall [00:00:00]:
Foreign. Welcome to episode 283 of the Quiet Strong podcast, especially for introverts. I’m your host David hall and the creator of Quiet and strong dot com. This is a weekly podcast dedicated to understanding the strengths and needs of introverts along with strategies for success. Introversion is not something to fix, but to be embraced. Normally we will air each episode on a Monday. Be sure to subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a review or a rating that would mean a lot to me and also help others find the show. Tell a friend about the podcast and help get the word out there that introversion is a beautiful thing.
David Hall [00:00:44]:
So I was speaking on introversion recently and someone asked, do introverts prefer online meetings? And it seemed like the assumption was that they did. You know, we have to be really careful when we’re making generalizations about all introverts. There’s so many aspects to our personalities and I think the question is going to depend on the individual introvert. So I had to think about it for a second and for myself I said in general I preferred going to in person meetings. I feel more connected in an in person environment. It’s easier to read the room and feel present, you know. Soon after the pandemic, I was presenting at a high stakes meeting and I could just see many faces on the screen but I could not read the room at all. It was very uncomfortable, very silent.
David Hall [00:01:38]:
I couldn’t tell if the people were laughing at my jokes. Just like right now, right? And virtual meetings became widespread with the pandemic and they have become a very common way to meet ever since. But they have their place. But in person meetings have their place too. And of course there’s the hybrid meeting which I was doing long before the pandemic. I had many team members that were at different locations and we would make sure that they could attend if they couldn’t travel. I will tell you that since the pandemic, the technology for online or hybrid meetings has greatly improved. Rooms are better equipped with microphones and the technology is just better.
David Hall [00:02:24]:
So anyway, do you have a preference for online or virtual meetings? And why? Let’s talk about it. Let’s talk about the pros and cons of the different types of meetings. And of course the most important thing, how can we show up our best as introverts? So again, in person meeting I think is usually the best. If you can do it, you can do stronger relationship building and you can read the non verbal cues. Again, after the pandemic I was in a different meeting and it was almost like, you know, this was in person and it was almost like people didn’t know how to react anymore. They wanted their emojis, which I don’t really care for. But anyway, in an in person meeting you can get better engagement, have a richer discussion, especially if there’s some brainstorming or sensitive conversations kinds of things. The interaction is easier and hands on collaboration is easier most of the time.
David Hall [00:03:24]:
Also it’s easier to connect before or after meetings. You know, I even just meetings that were on my location. If you, you know, had to walk to a meeting, you could walk with the colleague or after the meeting you could walk back with a colleague. And it was just nice for making connections that sometimes were spontaneous. Of course the in person meeting could be more expensive and time consuming. Depends on the situation. Maybe, maybe it’s just you’re meeting on location, which is great, but maybe there is travel involved and parking rooms, meals, all that stuff. And of course you can’t always meet in person.
David Hall [00:04:10]:
You, you, you work with people all around. I mean, even with this podcast, I love it. I talk to people all over the world that I otherwise wouldn’t be able to talk to. And, and there are people too that have mobility or health limitations that can’t attend in person. And not only does it take the time to meet, but there’s the before and after of traveling, whether it be a few minutes to the meeting room or you know, hours to a meeting location. So virtual meetings definitely have a place. There’s no travel and you can schedule more meetings and so you definitely can save money, that type of thing. And you know, again, we work with people all over and it’s very nice and very convenient to be able to meet whether the person is a great distance away or they have, or they only work remotely, that type of thing.
David Hall [00:05:11]:
And of course it’s easier to schedule across locations and time zones and often easier to include larger and more diverse groups. But think about it, you know, what are the cons? It can be harder to build rapport, it can be harder to build team chemistry. And the informal interactions like we’re talking about can be limited. And the virtual meeting could be more prone to distractions, technology and uneven participation. I don’t know about you, but sometimes when you’re really busy, there is that temptation to multitask. You might have a lot of other work to do and you know, nobody’s in there in the office with you, so you may be able to get away with. Is kind of funny. Sometimes you’re in a meeting with someone and you’re on an email from them, you’re like, hey, you’re supposed to be paying attention to this meeting.
David Hall [00:06:07]:
And then there’s the technology. I think since 2020, the phrase can you, can you hear me okay? Has become very popular. And I tell you what, it can be so frustrating when your technology is working fine for one meeting, you move on to the next. Maybe you’ve switched platforms and then, and then you’re people are like, we can’t hear you. So definitely technology can be a challenge. Or, you know, even the levels of different participants, one person you can barely hear and the person is too loud and you have to keep playing with your volume. So technology can be a challenge. And participation can definitely be uneven.
David Hall [00:06:50]:
In the online meeting, people may talk over each other. You know, if you’re a reflective person, the virtual meeting can be a challenge when you’re thinking and you’re sharing what’s most important and others are thinking out loud most of the time. Of course, you know, you can always raise your hand. I, I personally like the less informal type meeting where hand raising isn’t needed. You know, where it’s a virtual meeting is just like if you were in person and you talk and you take turns and that kind of thing. But you know, sometimes in especially large meetings, the hand raise can be convenient, effective. Another issue I have with the virtual or hybrid meeting is the chat feature. I think it could be very handy for sharing links or, you know, maybe you do have a group sharing activity where you’re doing an icebreaker and you say, hey, where’s everybody from? Or, you know, that kind of thing.
David Hall [00:07:54]:
And maybe it is a meeting where somebody is presenting something and you want to ask a question, but they’re not taking questions yet. It could be nice to put in questions. But what I find really distracting is when people are sharing ideas, people are talking, and it’s like there’s two conversations going on that can be very distracting. If you were in person meeting and there was a bunch of side conversations going on, you would have to shut that down because it’s really hard. We can’t focus on more than one thing at a time. So anyway, it’s just, you have to keep an eye on, you know, effective use of the chat. And it just. With the virtual meeting, it can be difficult with the discussion and some interaction.
David Hall [00:08:45]:
And of course, there’s the hybrid meeting and it’s just, you know, sometimes there is a group that’s able to conveniently meet, but there’s others that, that are not able to meet. Maybe they’re great distance away or they only work remotely. So the hybrid meeting, it’s a very convenient way to make sure everybody can meet. But just like we’re talking about with the virtual meeting, there could be technical problems. And sometimes, you know, it’s really difficult when most of the people are in the room and just there’s a couple people that are experiencing the technical issues. And, you know, it’s. It can be a challenge to keep up with two audiences and the remote participants can feel left out. And so as the facilitator, you just need to make sure that everybody’s heard in the meeting, whether they’re in the room or not.
David Hall [00:09:40]:
So which do you prefer? Again, they all have their place. You know, sometimes it’s just not possible to meet in person, or maybe you are meeting a person, but there’s some that just the only way they can join is remotely. So you gotta, you gotta figure that out. What, what’s best, what’s most convenient, what’s most cost effective. But then, as an introvert, how do you show up effectively for meetings? And I, I always say a key to introvert success for meetings and other areas of life is preparation. We have talented minds and great imaginations, but often these gifts require some time and space. We’re not always the best at thinking on our feet. In my book, Minding your time, Time management, productivity and success, especially for introverts, I discuss the importance of preparation for meetings and other things.
David Hall [00:10:33]:
As introverts, we think first and then speak with intention, and we do our best. So we prepare ahead of time. Course, we can’t prepare for everything. And some things we are well prepared for without advanced preparation. So I definitely always want to mention that. For example, I have thought, read and talked so much about introversion, I could easily speak to a group or be on a guest on a podcast with little preparation. But you asked me a question on something that I’ve never thought about before. I’m going to need to think about it.
David Hall [00:11:12]:
So one strategy I found is a weekly review. It’s a key part of preparing as an introvert because it gives you time to organize what needs to get done, look at upcoming meetings and activities, and think ahead instead of reacting on the spot. I remember reading about this concept in David Allen’s great book, which I recommend, Getting things done. So with the weekly review, you look ahead at the coming week, or maybe you might even be looking a couple weeks ahead in advance. What meetings do I have? Do I need to prepare for them? Do I need to do some work in advance of them? Is there an agenda posted? If not request one. So as I’m looking at these meetings, I make myself a note about the points I want to make in a particular meeting. I list the questions I want to be sure to ask. I also look at the meetings I have and different activities and I may plug in additional needed time for focus and recharge.
David Hall [00:12:12]:
Do you know which meetings and activities are going to energize you and which will drain you? You may need to schedule some breaks or time to do some quiet, focused work. So sometimes, you know, you can’t just take breaks all the time. But maybe, maybe it’s you’re drained from a particular thing, but you can set aside some time to work quietly and that might be recharging for you. But the key is figure out what drains you and how do you recharge best and figure that out as part of your weekly review. Plug in some time here and there. Or maybe it’s just a matter of making sure you have a little bit of time between meetings that you know you, you don’t go straight from one to another, that you block off some time to get some work done, to do some thinking. Again, introverts, we don’t want to be alone all the time, but we need some a balance of collaboration and thinking and working time. So this weekly review helps you focus on what matters most and show up as your best.
David Hall [00:13:19]:
And make sure you’re weak, matches how you work best, how you protect your energy and create that life that fits your needs for quiet reflection and some deep work. In other words, the weekly review, it’s not just a productivity habit, it’s a way to work in a more intentional and sustainable way. So with preparation before the meeting, your ideas are already organized. I recommend speaking up early to show that you’re present and have some valuable insights to share. I hear all kinds of advice. Some people say wait till the end. But the problem is as an introvert, you are never going to be speaking as much as your extroverted colleagues. It’s just we think and then speak and we share what’s most important.
David Hall [00:14:11]:
Extroverts think out loud. It’s just natural for both of us. You know, there’s not a good or bad, a right or wrong, it’s just the way it is. And if you wait till the end, people might think you’re not engaged, that you don’t have anything to say. So I recommend as soon as you can, just make sure to speak up and you might speak up again, you might speak several times. But establish yourself as someone that has ideas to share and that you are engaged. Because if you’re not careful, you can get run over by the people that are thinking out loud most of the time. And again, you know, no matter how confident you are, your strength is thinking.
David Hall [00:14:53]:
Just keep that in mind. So you know, I also hear a lot of talk about following up after the meeting as an introvert, which is sometimes just it’s going to be necessary. But my recommendation is that you really want to share your ideas in the meeting. And that’s why preparation is so important. Because sometimes, you know, that’s when the decision’s being made. And after that the ship is sailed. So do your best to prepare again, you can’t prepare for everything. If you need time to think about something, ask for it, establish a timeline, maybe say, yeah, let me get back to you tomorrow, or by Friday or some deadline.
David Hall [00:15:35]:
So it’s not just endless. So again, the idea is let’s have this meeting, let’s talk about what we need to talk about. But there’s always going to be things that we come up with after. So in general, it needs to be okay if someone follows up in writing, in an email, maybe to the group, or maybe one on one, or maybe have a one on one conversation after the meeting. That needs to be okay most of the time. And as an introvert, you have keen powers of observation. So use your listening and observation strengths to understand what others need. Often this is an introvert superpower to uncover things that no one is noticing or to synthesize what is happening in the discussion and focus on depth over volume.
David Hall [00:16:25]:
One strong point or thoughtful question can be more effective than whoever’s talking the most and build a reputation of being engaged and having thoughtful insights. I remember having a guest on my podcast that said the CEO would always turn to her in meetings and ask for her opinion because she had built the reputation that she was a deep thinker and she had a lot to say. So remember, introversion is not a weakness to fix, but a strength to understand and use. Well. Introverts are effective when they work with their energy, communicate their needs, and show up authentically and powerfully instead of faking extroverting. Thank you so much for joining me. I hope you take the time to explore other episodes and learn from other amazing guests. If you’re interested in getting to know yourself better, there is a free Typefinder personality assessment on the Quiet and Strong website.
David Hall [00:17:23]:
This free assessment will give you a brief report including the four letter Myers Briggs Code and I will add a link in the show notes. If this resonated with you, I’d love to hear from you. Reach [email protected] or through the quietandstrong.com website. And let’s keep this conversation going. As always, get to know your introverted strengths and needs and be strong. Sa.
David Hall, M.Ed. is a speaker, author, and host of the Quiet and Strong Podcast, where he interviews thought leaders, creatives, and professionals who help introverts thrive. With over 25 years in higher education, David has led workshops, trainings, and presentations on productivity, personality, and introversion. His mission is to help introverts honor their needs, understand their strengths, and succeed on their own terms. He is the author of Minding Your Time: Time Management, Productivity, and Success, Especially for Introverts and a passionate advocate for creating work environments where introverts can do their best work.
