This is an interesting conversation. As an introvert myself I sometimes get really uncomfortable in social gatherings with lots of unfamiliar faces. But to your point about introversion having nothing to do with being social, I could not disagree more. It is very stressful for some introverts to conjure up a conversation with total strangers, event with people they know. Unlike extraverts, introverts are not often good starting simple conversation, and even when they do, they sometimes struggle internally thinking about what to say. Moreover, while an extravert will talk right of the top their mind, the introvert tend to think about what to say,and a host of other things depending on their assessment of the conversation. With that said, that sense of anxiety introvert feels in social settings often come with a great deal of analysis paralysis.

I think the trick for introverts going to networking events is to have a game plan about what they hope to accomplish from the event. The goal should be to try an make a least 2-3 meaningful connections. They should not feel burden with the need to be extroverted, or be something other than oneself.

This mentality, which personifies American corporate culture, about extroversion being good and introversion being bad, started with Cale Carnegie in the early part of the nineteenth century.

I think what every introvert and business should understand is that introverts bring some of the best ideas to table. However, most often employers want that extroverted employee, who always seems happy and smiling and talks a lot. That might might be good for corporate image, but not always the bottom line.