This is a great reminder that remote communication is about tuning into how people feel connected and seen. One nuance I’d add: it’s not just extraversion vs. introversion, but how these traits interact with seniority. Junior introverts may not get the informal mentorship they’d naturally absorb in-person, which makes structured but relational touchpoints even more important. The manager's job becomes a lot more about designing space, not just giving feedback.
When we first went fully remote, I assumed introverts would thrive and extraverts would struggle. But one engineer on my team (an extravert by every measure) actually loved the new setup. Why? He said he could finally focus. What mattered wasn’t being around people, it was feeling included in the flow of work. We added async rituals, event-driven updates, and reduced his Zoom load. It turned out he didn’t need more face time, he just needed better signal.
This is a great reminder that remote communication is about tuning into how people feel connected and seen. One nuance I’d add: it’s not just extraversion vs. introversion, but how these traits interact with seniority. Junior introverts may not get the informal mentorship they’d naturally absorb in-person, which makes structured but relational touchpoints even more important. The manager's job becomes a lot more about designing space, not just giving feedback.
When we first went fully remote, I assumed introverts would thrive and extraverts would struggle. But one engineer on my team (an extravert by every measure) actually loved the new setup. Why? He said he could finally focus. What mattered wasn’t being around people, it was feeling included in the flow of work. We added async rituals, event-driven updates, and reduced his Zoom load. It turned out he didn’t need more face time, he just needed better signal.