6 Unexpected Ways for Extraverts to Use Their Personality Type to Their Advantage

Many of the most talked-about skills Extraverts have are not necessarily the most important. While they’re great at getting on with people, there are many more hidden and unexpected ways that Extraverts can use their personality to lift up those around them and nurture closer relationships.

Here are six unexpected ways Extraverts can use their personality type to their advantage and for the benefit of others.

1. Helping others be more positive and energetic

Thanks to Extraverts’ ability to make friends easily and adapt to different social settings, they have the unexpected advantage of being able to influence the energy in a room. Their upbeat, energetic personality is infectious. When an Extravert arrives on the scene, they bring a dynamic, fun-loving and powerfully positive energy with them.

Extraverts have the hidden talent of lifting up the people around them and bringing a sense of animation and excitement to any social setting. This is a huge advantage in the workplace and at home. Their expressive, passionate personalities have the hidden benefit of bringing good vibes wherever they go.

2. Advocating for others

As Extraverts are comfortable in most social situations, this personality trait gives them an extra advantage when it comes to advocating for other people. Extraverts are not afraid of speaking out and are usually able to cope with confrontation and mediating conflict. At the same time, their social skills mean they tend to possess strong emotional intelligence and are able to read people easily.

This unique skill set means Extraverts are well-suited to standing up for others and advocating for friends, family and strangers when needed. Whether that means creating a safe and empathetic space for others, being a confidante or utilizing their public speaking skills to speak up on key political issues, Extraverts can use their personality type to their and other people’s advantage through advocacy.

3. Negotiation, bargaining and selling

Preferring fast-paced, dynamic environments to sleepier settings, Extraverts are natural negotiators and salespeople. While it might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of an Extravert’s character, their brilliant communication skills mean they usually find negotiating, bargaining and selling really easy.

This underrated talent is hugely useful in an Extravert's work and life. There are so many daily interactions that involve negotiating or selling and being able to move through these scenarios with ease is a massive advantage for Extraverts. From interviews to dating to shopping, Extraverts know how to get what they want and put their best foot forward in every interaction. 

4. Putting themselves in someone else's shoes

Extraverts are always interested in what’s happening around them and they tend to have a big circle of friends and acquaintances. One of the unexpected skills of Extraverts is their ability to put themselves in other people’s shoes and understand what they feel.

For Feeling Extraverts, this type of emotional empathy comes naturally. Feelers pay attention to how their decisions affect other people and they easily imagine and understand what other people are going through. When combined with Extraversion, this ability turns into caring, positive actions that seek to support and lift up the people around them.

For Thinking Extraverts, putting themselves in someone else’s shoes looks a little different. These individuals are able to empathize with others from a position of strength and self-assuredness, meaning they often end up standing up for the people around them. You’ll often catch Thinking-Extraverts fighting for the underdog and leading people towards a collective goal. 

In both forms, this unexpected advantage of the Extraverted personality type makes them nurturing, supportive people to have around and this is a characteristic that whole communities can benefit from.

5. Expressing themselves effectively

Extraverts don’t usually struggle to put their thoughts into words and they rarely suffer from stage fright or social anxiety. What this means is that they’re able to express themselves effectively wherever they are.

This underrated skill is something Extraverts can use to their advantage. Extraverts are masters of the ‘elevator pitch’ and can express their ideas, opinions and key points in ways that are easy for anyone to understand. Whether they’re writing, talking or presenting to a large group, Extraverts’ ability to convey their thoughts simply and succinctly is a massive advantage. 

6. Active listening and learning from people

Though Extraverts are often big, boisterous characters, they also have the unexpected advantage of being good listeners. Many Extraverts have the ability to listen, understand and learn from the people they interact with when they choose to do so.

Extraverts are always meeting new people and being exposed to new experiences and ideas. This gives them ample opportunities to learn from the people around them. When Extraverts are able to tune into conversations and practice active listening, they tap into a huge wealth of knowledge and perspectives.

This unexpected advantage of the Extravert personality means that they are constantly learning and growing, even without realizing it. Extraverts who are able to nurture this side of their personality will not only build closer connections with others but also gain a richer, more diverse understanding of the world around them.

The many skills of Extraverted personality types

Extraverts possess many unexpected and underrated life skills that give them a huge advantage in their day-to-day lives. From understanding and advocating for others to expressing themselves effectively and communicating across a variety of social settings, Extraverts are the masters of many skills.

To use your personality type to your advantage, try to work on cultivating these hidden talents and using your extraverted personality for the good of everyone around you!