I recently learned the terms internal and external processor, which I’ve found very helpful for understanding how differently we each process information and communicate.

External processors: These thinkers clarify their thoughts by expressing them outwardly. They often need to speak their ideas to fully understand them and find clarity emerges during conversation rather than before it. If you prefer talking through problems or feel that your thoughts become clearer once you’ve shared them, you’re likely an external processor.

Internal processors: These thinkers develop their ideas thoroughly within their own minds before sharing. They prefer quiet reflection and typically present more polished thoughts. If you need time alone to think before meetings or if interruptions disrupt your thinking flow, you’re probably an internal processor.¹

I’m beginning to more clearly understand my needs as an internal processor and have naturally developed some strategies often time, and now this offers language to help clarify what I need. As an internal processor, I need a few quiet minutes to gather my thoughts before sharing them. I sometimes need a quiet moment to myself to reset in the midst of busy conversations or gatherings. I’ve noticed that when communicating with external processors I often need more frequent breaks.

Strategies to support internal processors:

• As a Zoom meeting host, before moving people into breakout rooms, offer a full minute or two of silence (perhaps while you set up the rooms) for the participants to take a moment to organize their thoughts for the next discussion. Make sure this is true silence: if there is any talking or instructions being given, that won’t allow space for internal processing. ^3ddded
  • This is also a huge support for [[active listening]]! If people are immediately sent into breakout rooms after discussion prompts have been given, they’ll need to be thinking of how they might respond while other people are already responding, which means the participants aren’t actively listening to one another.
  • Give a discussion prompt, allow people time to read & digest it and contemplate their response (2-5 minutes ideally for this) and then start the discussion by sending people to their groups.
• When facilitating group events, ensure there are some exercises that support internal processing style. The often-used pair or group discussion is great for external processors, but can be very challenging for internal processors if we are not given any individual reflection time first to formulate our thoughts internally.
  • The Think-Pair-Share exercise is a great one that starts out with quiet, individual reflection on a prompt, then invites people to pair up to share their reflections, then finally the full group is invited to come back together to share what ideas came up in their pairings that might be beneficial to the whole group.

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