Dr Jenny Brockis
Why Introverts Are Collaboratively Important
A Place AT The Table:
“I’m an introvert...I love
being by myself, love being
outdoors, love taking a long
walk with my dogs and looking
at the trees, flowers, the sky.”
- Audrey Hepburn
Where do you do your best work?
Do you prefer to work alone? Or do you work
better in the company of others?
I recently found myself in a collaborative
working space. We were together alone,
working on independent projects that required
thinking, modelling and design. The mood
in the room was upbeat; the vibe was one of
heavy thinking. You could almost hear the
crackle of the collective neurons firing off.
As I sat, I noticed my brain shutting down. The
more I tried to think, the more my mind was
being drowned out by the brainpower surging
around me.
Frustrated with my blank mental sketchpad, I
sought refuge elsewhere. All I wanted was a
quiet space with a door to close, a table and
chair and room to think. Unfortunately the only
alternative appeared to be the ladies loo, which
wasn’t quite what I had in mind!
We live at a time where collective workspaces
have become the norm; where school
classrooms have tables grouped together,
where University students study collaboratively
on projects, and where workplaces have
become open, activity based spaces.
Don’t get me wrong, there are times where I
love losing myself in my thoughts in a crowded
café or spending times talking through ideas
with colleagues.
But not all the time.