As a leadership consultant who studies workplace psychology, I’ve spent more than 30 years helping thousands of individuals and CEOs at multimillion-dollar organizations navigate tough relationships and achieve success.

Out of all the different personalities I’ve worked with, ambiverts stood out the most. Because they have tendencies of both introversion and extroversion, they can leverage inward reflection and outward interaction in a strategic and balanced way.

Ambiverts are also ambitious and goal-oriented. Their sharp observational skills help them see both the bigger picture and potential pitfalls — all while building a community around them to help them achieve their vision.

If you identify with any of the traits below, you might be an ambivert. Here’s what makes this personality type so underrated and more successful than their extroverted and introverted peers.

1. You are very selective when it comes to social engagements.

You don’t seek interaction just for the sake of it. You carefully evaluate which opportunities align with your goals, values and energy levels. This allows you to be fully present and able to contribute in every interaction.

DON’T MISS: How to start a side hustle to earn extra money

2. You turn solitude into a superpower.

Time alone isn’t just relaxing — it’s productive. You use alone time to process, reflect and plan, rather than as an escape. After a long day, you step back to recharge in a way that makes you emerge with fresh insights and ideas.

3. You are fluent in speaking introvert and extrovert.

You are highly adaptable and skilled at adjusting your approach to match the other person’s energy or preferences. You’re equally at ease diving into deep conversations with quieter individuals and engaging in dynamic, intense discussions with people who are more outgoing.

4. You can take the lead, but you also know when to step back.

You excel at commanding attention but know when to let others shine. You pivot effortlessly between leading and listening during group discussions.

5. You speak to make progress, not noise.

Extroverts often speak when they shouldn’t, and introverts often don’t speak when they should. But as ambivert, you know when to talk and when to listen.

6. You act with intention and perfect timing.

You have an extraordinary ability to read situations and people: Who holds influence? Who is disengaged? Where are the real opportunities where you can contribute? You are constantly analyzing all the details of a given interaction, and you know exactly when to step in.

7. You can turn boring interactions into opportunities.

When faced with boring or irrelevant meetings or conversations, you don’t just zone out. Instead, you scan the room to identify interesting people — those you could benefit from engaging with to reach your goals. This way, you turn what others might view as “wasted time” into valuable connections.

8. You are a versatile problem-solver.

Because of your deep self-awareness skills, you understand both the rational aspects of a problem and the emotional sensitivities for the people involved. This gives you a unique ability to devise a solution that works for everyone.   

For extroverts, this is all about developing the skills to thrive in quieter, more introspective moments. Here are three simple things you can try:

1. Pause and think before speaking: In conversations, count to three before responding. This gives others space to contribute and ensures your input is thoughtful.
2. Practice silent observation: In meetings or group settings, observe dynamics without speaking. Pay attention to who talks, who listens and how decisions are made.
3. Schedule alone time: Block out 30 minutes each day for journaling. Use this time to review your day and plan your next steps, or to just process your thoughts. Think about recent interactions or decisions. What insights can you take away?

For introverts, this is all about expanding your range. Here are three simple things you can try:

1. Prepare what you want to share: Write down one or two points you’d like to share before attending a meeting. Commit to proactively contributing something meaningful. This will make speaking up less intimidating.
2. Follow up: Send a quick email or message after meeting someone. Reference something specific you discussed and thank them for their time.
3. Recharge with purpose daily: Set aside some alone time every day to process your thoughts. Analyze your interactions. Plan how to apply what you’ve learned. Draft ideas for what to share in the meetings and conversations planned for tomorrow.

Stefan Falk is an internationally-recognized executive coach, workplace psychology expert, and author of “Intrinsic Motivation: Learn to Love Your Work and Succeed as Never Before.” A McKinsey & Company alumnus, he has trained over 4,000 leaders across more than 60 organizations and helped drive transformations valued in excess of $2 billion. Follow him on LinkedIn.

Want to earn some extra money on the side? Take CNBC’s new online course How to Start a Side Hustle to learn tips to get started and strategies for success from top side hustle experts. Pre-register now and use coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off $97 (+taxes and fees) through April 1, 2025.

Here’s some advice from the CEO of a $61 billion company: Raise your hand for opportunities you might not be ready for yet.

Volunteering for a task — or applying to a job — without proper preparation or qualifications may feel like a mistake waiting to happen. But it’s a great strategy for your career growth and personal development, according to Sridhar Ramaswamy, CEO of cloud storage company Snowflake.

″All of my success in my life has come from people giving me jobs that I didn’t think I deserved or qualified for,” Ramaswamy, 57, recently told LinkedIn’s “This Is Working” video series. “The more you take responsibility and the more you’re broad about what defines ‘team’ and ‘success,’ the more likely it is that somebody is going to say, ‘You know, this is the person I want leading the next rung of the organization.’”

Ramaswamy got a PhD in computer science from Brown University in 1994, according to his LinkedIn profile, and worked in the tech industry for nearly a decade before joining Google as a software engineer in 2003. He worked his way up to a senior vice president role within eight years, and left the company to co-found a startup called Neeva — an AI-powered search engine meant to compete with Google — in 2019.

Over that time, Ramaswamy repeatedly took on roles and assumed job responsibilities he’d never had before. Neeva was acquired by Snowflake in 2023, Ramaswamy became their SVP of AI that same year, and was promoted to CEO in 2024, another role he had no prior experience in.

“Sometimes you can say: ‘Think ridiculously ambitious,’” he said, adding: “It doesn’t work everywhere, and sometimes you fall flat on your face. You’ve got to play the game of averages. If you try enough ambitious things, a bunch of them work out.”

To show he was ready to take on the role of CEO, Ramaswamy gave Snowflake’s founder an in-depth spreadsheet detailing how AI will be incorporated into Snowflake’s mission and offerings. He also spent months conducting weekly “war room” meetings with employees, from marketing reps to engineers, to help demystify AI for them, he said.

The Bozeman, Montana-based company currently has a $61.22 billion market cap, as of Friday morning, up from about $50 billion the year before he took over.

Ridiculous ambition requires emotional intelligence, Ramaswamy said. You need to be highly aware of your own strengths and weaknesses when tackling something new, have the self-management skills to adapt to new environments, and be resilient enough to pick yourself up after a failure.

Billionaire LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman agrees: A CEO’s ambition is the No. 1 trait he looks for when deciding to invest in a company, he said in a recent podcast episode of “The Diary Of A CEO.” The No. 2 trait, he added, is a combination of awareness and emotional intelligence.

You can sharpen your emotional intelligence with practice, Christine Cruzvergara, chief education strategy officer at careers platform Handshake, said earlier this month.

One strategy she recommends: In meetings, take notes about how the other participants comport themselves. Then ask yourself questions like: What’s their body language showing? What cues made you think they were comfortable or uncomfortable? Who appeared to have the most influence in the room, and why?

Your observations can help you “gather a fuller picture of the discussion” and train yourself on the types of cues that help people interact well with each other, said Cruzvergara.

Want to up your AI skills and be more productive? Take CNBC’s new online course How to Use AI to Be More Successful at Work. Expert instructors will teach you how to get started, practical uses, tips for effective prompt-writing, and mistakes to avoid.

Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It’s newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.

Brett Baty’s choice to hold onto his high school ride just paid off big time.

The New York Mets third baseman has been driving the same 2016 Toyota 4Runner since he was a teenager, holding onto it despite having earned nearly $5 million so far in his career.

But that changed this week after the arrival of superstar Juan Soto, who signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets this offseason. Soto has worn No. 22 since he first entered the league in 2018, and in his contract negotiations asked to keep wearing it in Queens.

Baty, who had previously worn No. 22 for the Mets, agreed to give up his number and switched to No. 7 for the 2025 baseball season. To show his thanks, Soto did some digging about what would make his new teammate happy.

The answer? A Chevy Tahoe that Soto said set him back $92,000.

“We did our [research] and tried to make sure it was a car he likes. He was talking to one of our guys and he was letting him know it was the car of his dreams, that he dreams of one of those cars,” Soto told reporters. “So I made sure he got it.”

Soto presented the black SUV to Baty at the Mets’ spring training complex in Port St. Lucie, Florida — complete with a giant red bow on the front and “Thanks For #22” written on the rear windshield.

“I just appreciate you,” Soto told Baty while giving him the car. “Thank you for the number, I really appreciate it. It’s the first one I ever wear, so I want to give you something nice.”

Baty, who put more than 150,000 miles on his old car’s odometer and whose $800,000 salary means he’s set to earn $61 million less than Soto this season, was taken aback by the gift.

“It’s amazing,” Baty told reporters. “Just for him to be able to think to do something like that, I couldn’t be more grateful. I’m just really excited that he’s on our team.”

Despite his Want to earn some extra money on the side? Take CNBC’s new online course How to Start a Side Hustle to learn tips to get started and strategies for success from top side hustle experts. Pre-register now and use coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off $97 (+taxes and fees) through April 1, 2025.

Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It’s newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.

Most couples think they know each other well, but real intimacy is a lot more than just being able to name your partner’s favorite food or TV shows.

As a psychologist, I’ve found that people in the happiest, most successful relationships see in their partner what others can’t or would normally overlook.

If you can answer these five questions below about your partner, your relationship is built on a highly coveted level of understanding and connection. (And if you don’t know the answers? It’s the perfect excuse to start asking.)

We all have those moments that stick with us for life — something a high school teacher said in passing, a compliment from a stranger or a minor rejection that still stings years later.

These events might seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but they can radically alter the way we see ourselves, and they rarely come up in casual conversation.

DON’T MISS: How to use AI to be more productive and successful at work

If you know about one of these small core memories in your partner’s life, it means you’ve had the kind of deep conversations that reveal the invisible threads of their personhood.

When life gets hectic, everyone has their own way of mentally checking out. Some fantasize about quitting their job and moving to a remote island. Others scroll real estate listings for cities they’ll never move to, or envision alternate versions of their life.

This is so much more than just a quirky habit; it’s a window into how your partner copes with stress. If you know the answer, it means you understand their inner workings, and that’s a rare kind of closeness.

We all have social scenarios that make us feel uneasy. Maybe your partner dreads small talk at parties, or they hate ordering at a restaurant in a group setting.

Knowing what makes your partner uncomfortable means you can be a source of support in situations where they might otherwise just grin and bear it. This is a sign that you’re truly attuned to their subtle mood changes — something that the untrained eye wouldn’t notice.

Whether we like it or not, we inherit certain habits from our upbringing — some good, some bad. For example, maybe your partner has a hard time accepting compliments because they never got any growing up.

If you know what habit your partner struggles with, it means you’ve had the vulnerable conversations about the family dynamics that shaped them into who they are today. These are the kinds of details most people don’t get the chance to learn, or simply don’t care to.

Everyone has accomplishments that they’re secretly proud of, but refrain from announcing to the world.

Maybe your partner once helped a stranger in a way that changed their life, or they pushed through a health, family or finance-related struggle that no one knows about. 

If you know about any of their unsung victories, it means your partner feels safe enough to share their most humble, meaningful moments with you. That kind of trust is invaluable in a relationship.

Mark Travers, PhD, is a psychologist who specializes in relationships. He holds degrees from Cornell University and the University of Colorado Boulder. He is the lead psychologist at Awake Therapy, a telehealth company that provides online psychotherapy, counseling and coaching. He is also the curator of the popular mental health and wellness website, Therapytips.org.

Want to up your AI skills and be more productive? Take CNBC’s new online course How to Use AI to Be More Successful at Work. Expert instructors will teach you how to get started, practical uses, tips for effective prompt-writing, and mistakes to avoid.

When I was young, if someone had told me that I would grow up to run my own business and become a millionaire in my 30s, I wouldn’t have believed them. 

I was raised by an extremely frugal single mom, and being rich was never the kind of success that I thought was possible. I also didn’t have a mentor when it came to my finances.

That’s why it was so important to me to start my personal finance site, Parent Portfolio. I want to help others feel confident about money, whether it’s paying off debt or retiring early.

Looking back, these are the key habits that helped me get to where I am today. 

For a long time, I thought that being rich was something that only a select few could achieve. Over time, I realized that true wealth isn’t just about how much of money you make — it’s about how much time your money can buy you.

DON’T MISS: How to start a side hustle to earn extra money

Rather than fixating on an arbitrary dollar amount, I turned my attention to cultivating assets that would make my life more flexible, which in turn helped me boost my income. 

Sometimes our perceptions about money can hold us back. For example, if you have a negative opinion about having money, it’s natural that you might avoid situations where you might become wealthy. But where do these feelings come from? Are they nurtured by your parents or your environment?

Now, when I work with my financial coaching clients, I’ll often ask them these kinds of questions to help them get to the root of their beliefs, and reframe them.  

For many years, I thought I had to stay up late and work at all hours in order to be successful. But I paid the price and constantly felt exhausted and unproductive. 

Eventually, I hit a breaking point, and the routine became unsustainable. I realized that trying to be superhuman was only making me and the people around me suffer.

Rest is essential, and admitting your limitations is not a failure. Once I understood that, my work performance improved, I had renewed energy and I made better decisions with a clearer head.

I often attribute the growth of my own wealth to a love of reading books that introduce me to new perspectives and skills. 

That curiosity was one of the reasons why I started a personal finance blog. It was a chance for me to explore the biggest questions I had about money, and the concerns of young families like mine. 

Developing that blog, Parent Portfolio, into a business has been one of the greatest joys of my life because it opened up a whole new world to me.

I had to learn, often on the job, about things like hiring, when to outsource and when to keep projects in-house, and how to develop strong partnerships. 

I’ve found that honing an in-demand skill that adds value to other people’s lives is one of the best ways to earn more money. 

When I first started sharing my writing online, I would write guest articles for free just to get my name out there. Over time, I discovered more demand for personal finance content. I was able to apply my real life experience and charge more.

All the money I made writing for other media platforms, I reinvested back into our site.

Today, I love paying it forward and recommending all of the people who worked with us to help our business evolve. 

No matter how hard I worked to grow our business, I needed a lot of support along the way. People gave me their time, offering advice and sometimes simply listening. 

Having those people in my corner has been invaluable. Their encouragement provided the courage I needed to keep moving forward.

That’s why I always make sure to express my gratitude. Creating this network helped me grow as a person and opened so many more doors, all of which helped me achieve my financial success in the long run. 

Jonathan Sanchez is the co-founder of Parent Portfolio, where he helps readers take control of their financial future and build wealth for the next generation. He was raised with frugal habits and by practicing wise money decisions, became a millionaire in his 30s. Follow him on Instagram and join his newsletter at Parent Portfolio.

Want to earn some extra money on the side? Take CNBC’s new online course How to Start a Side Hustle to learn tips to get started and strategies for success from top side hustle experts. Pre-register now and use coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off $97 (+taxes and fees) through April 1, 2025.