We think of the CEO who embraces public speaking and town hall meetings as an extrovert; and of the I.T. programmer or research analyst as an introvert.

Extroverts are gregarious, work better in groups than independently, and thrive when they're surrounded by people and their ideas are being heard. Introverts are shy, reserved, prefer to work alone, and tend to shun the spotlight and any attention.

While there may be grains of truth in these generalities, there are common misconceptions about both personality types. The truth is, while we tend to think of diversity in the workplace in terms of gender, race, nationality, and perhaps sexual orientation, our offices are also a blend of introverted and extroverted types – and there may be distinct advantages for businesses to celebrate their differences and their respective strengths.

Self-professed introvert and author of a best-seller on the subject, Susan Cain, takes it a step further, suggesting that companies should consider mentoring and cultivating personality differences within their organizations – even down to pairing introverts and extroverts together to learn from each other.

Cain writes and lectures extensively on the topic, as described in her "Management Mentors" blog. She suggests that such individual or group mentoring not only can help work teams better appreciate individual member strengths and contributions; it also can contribute to fostering talent, employee retention and even improving an organization's bottom line.

No Black and White Distinctions

Psychologists, inspired in part by the writings of Cain and fellow author Sophia Dembling, are focusing on the distinctions between introverted and extroverted personalities more today than ever before. This is, in part, because we've created a society and a business culture that values those who are prone to speak up as business leaders and colleagues more than individuals who are reflective and prefer to think through ideas before they offer input at a staff meeting.

An article published in the Huffington Post last year discusses a number of commonly held misconceptions about introverts, including:

• All introverts are shy and vice-versa. Ms. Dembling cites this as the primary misconception about introverts, and Ms. Cain points to Bill Gates as a high-profile business professional who is introverted but in no way shy.
• Introverts don't like to be around people. It's likely more accurate to say that extroverts are more comfortable in large groups and introverts prefer one-on-one interactions.
• Introverts don't make effective leaders or public speakers. Cases-in-point cited are, once again, Bill Gates, as well as Abraham Lincoln and Mahatma Gandhi (both thought to have introverted personalities).
• It's easy to identify someone as an introvert or an extrovert. In a business setting or a cocktail party, it may seem easy to pigeon-hole an individual who seems gregarious as an extrovert. In truth, many introverts enjoy being around people; they just need to recharge their batteries after several hours of social interaction.

Enter the 'Ambivert'

Some of the most current thinking on the subject appears in a fascinating, very recent piece on Huffington Post that theorizes that many of us (nearly 40% of the population, according to one psychologist) don't fit neatly into either category, but are instead "ambiverts": people who possess traits of both introversion and extroversion.

The post takes the position that there's a wider personality spectrum than is commonly thought, and that ambiverts, who are able to draw strength from both sides of the spectrum and place themselves in the middle, may have an advantage in business and in society.

As an example, the article cites people who can balance the qualities of an introvert (the capacity for solitude, focus and quiet self-reflection) with extroversion (outgoing, friendly and approachable) as excelling in an area like sales – often thought to be the exclusive domain of extroverts.

It May Be All in the Mind, Literally

The above-cited HuffPo article even goes into some scientific explanation for what makes us more introverted or extroverted as having its origins in the neocortex section of the brain, and how prone to external stimulation or "arousal" we are.

This theory will no doubt be the subject of further discussion as more research about personality traits comes to light. In the meantime, HR professionals have plenty to think about to focus more carefully on personality differences among our staffers, and how to capitalize on those distinctions.

A recent article from Business News Daily offers some handy pointers on how to work more effectively with both introverts and extroverts; as well as how to manage a team where different personality traits come into play. It even offers a short quiz that may provide some guidance on where along the personality spectrum we fall.