So ends the dialogue among people with differing perspectives and practices. Stereotypes can easily be elicited, and constructive behavior can often be misunderstood. Yet, the dialogue must take place, and the biases must be unearthed. All of us might gain from the assistance of those who are different from us. And, because of this difference, they can complement our own understanding of the world in which we live and the actions we must take to improve this world. While this shared understanding and appreciation might be easiest with our extraverted colleagues who are operating outside the tent, it is also important that we enter the tent and sit down with our introverted colleagues to find out more about the Ruby Red, Azure Blue, or Golden Yellow world in which they live.
Hopefully, the descriptions we have just offered can be of assistance in gaining an appreciation of the preferences that differ from our own. However, we also wish to provide an alternative perspective on the three preferences that we believe will further this appreciation. If nothing else, this alternative perspective will help us gain further appreciation for the portrayal of these three preferences in two well-known fantasies. We offer these fantasies. They might even help orchestrate our dialogue with colleagues who operate from different preferences inside or outside the tent.
Conclusions
Before offering fanciful descriptions of the three basic interpersonal preferences as related to the two Jungian attitudes and expanding on our description of the three basic preferences, we offer one more way in which to distinguish between extraversion and introversion. We draw an analogy that is particularly aligned with the role played by these two Jungian attitudes when they are on display in teams. Imagine a team operating like a symphony orchestra. This analogy is drawn by many organizational and leadership theorists, such as Ron Heifetz (1998) (son of the violin virtuoso Jascha Heifetz) and even Benjamin Zander (Zander and Zander, 2002), a noted symphony conductor. In our use of analogy, we turn to the function served by various instruments in a musical ensemble.
Back in the era of Baroque classical music, the major theme or melody was played by many of the string instruments, the wind instruments, and the brass instruments. There was also the so-called bass line that was played by an instrument called a Basso Continuo. This baseline was usually not very prominent in the Baroque ensemble; however, it provided the foundation for the composition being played. Later, this bass line was often played by a harpsichord. Similarly, in contemporary symphony orchestras. There are specific instruments that usually provide the baseline. These are the double bases and the percussion instruments (especially the timpani). Jazz ensembles also rely on the often-overlooked instrument providing the bass line. This is usually the bass, though on occasion (for example, with Count Basie), the piano can provide the bass line. Similarly, rock groups look to the bass electric guitar player for an ongoing baseline. Think of the role played by John McVie in Fleetwood Mac.
We offer this brief bit of musicology because we find that the “extraverted” role in a musical ensemble is typically assigned to the string, wind, or brass players. Along with a vocalist (in some cases), the players of these instruments provide the melody and other thematic material of the composition being performed. The “introverted” role is played by those folks who provide the baseline. Less attention is usually devoted to these latter performers by members of the audience; however, other members of the musical ensemble are likely to heap praise on the vital role played by these fellow musicians. The baseline not only helps to define and dictate the rhythmic structure of the piece being played but also provides a continuing (continuo) foundation for this piece.
