Why do introverts think they’re bad at networking?
In this solo episode of From a Woman to a Leader, I dig into why "just walk up and start talking" is the wrong advice for the rest of us, and what works instead.
Following my conversation this week with Naama Nicotra, CEO of NakedPak, I noticed something most listeners missed: Naama is an introvert too. The way she met her husband at a party, one drink, one person, one question, isn’t an extrovert’s playbook. It’s the introvert’s. And nobody calls it that.
In this episode, I walk through:
– Why I was terrified at Java One in 2001 (and what I had to learn the hard way)
– The 1-on-1 superpower, and why I get more from one conversation than extroverts get from a roomful
– The exact three moves Naama was running without realizing it
– What I told a client this week who’s worried her team will leave because she’s not "easy-going" enough
– The one thing that actually drives retention, and it has nothing to do with whether you’re their best buddy
If you’ve spent years comparing yourself to the extroverts in the room, this is permission to stop and a tactical playbook to use the next time you walk in.
Chapters:
00:00 The client who thinks she’s losing her team for being too quiet
02:23 Naama’s introvert playbook (and the story that gave it to me)
04:47 Java One 2001 and what I learned the hard way
07:11 The 1-on-1 superpower (and the gigs that come from it)
09:21 What actually drives retention (it’s not chit-chat)
Connect with Limor:
Website: https://limorbergman.com
Podcast: https://limorbergman.com/podcast/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/limorbergman/
Substack: https://limorbergman.substack.com
Questions this episode answers:
Are introverts bad at networking?
How do quiet leaders build meaningful connections?
What does an introvert actually do at a conference?
Why do people leave their jobs — really?
Can introverted managers retain their teams?
What’s the best networking advice for introverts in tech?
