137: Becoming a Flourishing Introvert with Joanna Rawbone

Hello Couragemakers! For this week’s episode, I had the real pleasure of chatting to Joanna Rawbone.

Jo is a Flourishing Introvert with an international training & coaching business based in the UK.​Joanna has spent more than 24 years working with 000’s of international clients through her own training & coaching consultancy, Scintillo Ltd. During this time, and through her own earlier experiences, she has seen just how problematic the Extraversion bias in organisations is. Recognising that it was time for action, Joanna founded Flourishing Introverts to

support those who want to fulfil their potential without pretending to be something they're not. educate and inform organisations about the true cost of overlooking their introverts promote positive action and balance the extraversion bias

in 2019, Joanna delivered a TEDx talk on the subject called ‘Tackling Extraversion Bias to unlock the potential of Introverts’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QD7GXMeH4yI

Joanna has a real passion for helping her clients make the small but sustainable changes that really make a difference. Her weeks are spent working with clients, travelling, writing and just 'being'.The things that make her happy include her work with individuals and groups,  spending time on her own; necessary in order to replenish sufficiently and music, crafts and reading; all pastimes in which she can 'lose' myself

During our conversation, Jo shares her journey of learning she was an introvert and the fabulous work she now does to advocate for fellow introverts.

We have so many great discussions during this episode, from our shared value of integrity, how how exhausting it is pretending to be an extravert because we think we should be and expanding your comfort zone while staying true to who you are.

We talk about the concept of heart-song work and how Jo found hers, and her brilliant advice for anyone searching for work that makes their heart sing.

We dive into how flourishing is a choice, Jo’s experiences of being an introvert and the six different types of introverts. I learned SO much during this interview and I can’t wait for her podcast which is launching at the end of February.

This is such a practical episode, I got so much out of it and I am just so excited to share it with you!

Enjoy today’s show!

About Jo 

own training & coaching consultancy, Scintillo Ltd. During this time, and through her own earlier experiences, she has seen just how problematic the Extraversion bias in organisations is. It negatively impacts employee engagement, retention and productivity. It also impairs the physical and mental health & well-being of employees with the obvious consequences. 

Recognising that it was time for action, Joanna founded Flourishing Introverts to

support those who want to fulfil their potential without pretending to be something they're not. educate and inform organisations about the true cost of overlooking their introverts promote positive action and balance the extraversion bias

in 2019, Joanna delivered a TEDx talk on the subject called ‘Tackling Extraversion Bias to unlock the potential of Introverts’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QD7GXMeH4yI

Joanna has a real passion for helping her clients make the small but sustainable changes that really make a difference.  Being a functioning introvert, her clients value her ability to listen to more than the words, understand things from their perspective and co-create robust, pragmatic solutions. 

Things We Talked About

Jo's journey of discovering she is an introvert How exhausting it is pretending to be an extravert because we think we should be Dealing with inauthenticity Tackling the introversion bias How flourishing is a choice Expanding your comfort zone while staying true to who you are The 6 different types of introverts How Jo found her 'heart-song' work and how you can find yours

Resources

Byron Katie - The Work (video containing the quote) Myers Briggs Ikigai - 4 circles model

About Meg & The Couragemakers Podcast

I’m Meg and I’m the host of Couragemakers and founder of That Hummingbird Life. I’m a coach for creative and multipassionate women, a writer and INFJ creative and multi-passionate who has a bit of a notebook and post-it note obsession, loves foot-stomping country music and likes her hot chocolate with way too much chocolate.

I started Couragemakers because I wanted to create a platform for passionate and unconventional women to have honest conversations and to share their stories, struggles and dreams. The intention behind this podcast is to inspire and encourage creative and mission-driven women to live a wholehearted life and follow the beat of their drum.

When I'm not recording episodes, writing bullshit-free Sunday Pep Talks to my wonderful Couragemakers community or working 1:1 with coaching clients, I'm usually covered in paint or walking my wonderfully weird cockapoo Merlin.