5 Ways to Beat Shyness at Work

Research may show that both introverts and extraverts can succeed as business leaders, but ask the average person to imagine a CEO and they'll probably picture an outgoing, enthusiastic hand shaker with plenty of self-confidence and no qualms about sharing their beliefs and accomplishments. Climbing the career ladder with a shy personality is possible but it involves overcoming others' expectations and learning to sell your skills and connect with colleagues.

Luckily, there are plenty of examples of successful introvert bosses to inspire the shy but ambitious and also no shortage of tips on how the less outgoing can make it in business. The latest of these is a huge list of 19 tips from the Business Insider War Room on overcoming shyness at work. Some you've probably heard before, but many are both fresh and useful, including:

Have a conversation road map. Psychologist Bernardo Carducci says we talk to strangers in five stages: opening line, introductions, trying out topics, exploring common ground, and closure, where you sum things up and possibly exchange contact information. If you can remember these steps, you can recognize where you are and where you should be going next.

Warm up before parties. Carducci advises us to show up early to parties, to get a chance for one-on-one time. Then use "quick talk": talking to a lot of different people in a short period of time, without getting too deep or putting pressure on yourself to keep the conversation going. By the time you've had the same conversation eight or ten times, you'll know who is the most interesting and if you made a connection.

Feeling intimidated? Use your imagination. Erika Hilliard says: Imagine your body growing until your head skims the ceiling. Now your boss looks like a five-year-old child who wants a hug. See yourself smiling warmly, and the interaction is more likely to go well.

When approaching a stranger, relive a confident moment. "Remember the last time you were shining inside and out, and your body will be responsive," says Hilliard. This works better than pretending, or trying to hide your anxiety.

Be the Don Corleone of networking. In networking, figuring out how to help the people you meet is more important that seeing how they can help you, says Carducci. If you bring people together, "you will become powerful and vital, like Don Corleone."

Read More on BNET:

• 3 Ways to Self-Promote Without Feeling Smarmy
• Office Politics for Introverts
• Psychologists: Confidence Is a Learnable Skill
• Self-Promotion Secret: Forget You, Focus on Your Ideas