Introverts Leadership: Can Introverts Be Leaders?

Considering the cool, calm, and quiet nature of introverts, it’s easy to think that they can’t make good leaders. Well, that is not true. Here are eight reasons why introverts can be great leaders.

96 % of leadership positions are filled with extroverts with extroverted qualities.

This is so even though about 50% of the population identifies as being introverts.

This lack of confidence in introverts to take on a leadership role is a result of the popular myth particularly in the business world, that introverts cannot make good leaders.

Research shows that introversion is seen as a “block to leadership” by 65 percent of senior executives, and only 6% believe introverts have the people skills needed to lead a successful team.

Well, despite popular belief, science has continuously proven this myth to be untrue.

Research conducted by the Harvard Business Review also shows that in complex and unpredictable situations, introverts are more effective leaders.

This is as a result of their unique ability to handle situations extroverts cannot, since quiet leadership is often critical to the long-term success of any company.

According to a study, 40 percent of the leaders of today are introverted.

Business leaders like Steve Wozniak, Marissa Mayer, and Bill Gates are introverts.

Many people assume introverts are quiet, shy, and boring. However, they possess qualities that make them excellent leaders.

If you’re an introvert, or you are here wondering if introverts can make great leaders, here are 8 leadership qualities of an introvert.

8 Introvert Leadership Qualities

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1. They Are Great Listeners

One of the most important qualities of a good leader is the ability to listen to what others have to say.

Research shows that only 8% of leaders are great listeners, which leaves room for much improvement.

This low performance gives introverts an edge as we all know that introverts are great listeners.

As stated by Nancy Ancowitz, a career coach and author of Self Promotion for Introverts, introverts tend to shy away from being the center of attention, and when they do talk, it’s often only after considering what they wish to say.  

Introverts not only listen when others speak, but they also command the attention of others when they speak.

The introvert silently observes the group, pays attention to everyone’s contribution and only speaks when they have something important to say.

An extrovert, on the other hand, will speak out loud, making themselves the center of attention.

Introverts take a long time to add to a topic, but when they do, their words are so powerful that they have a tremendous impact on the people and ideas.

This is clearly so as their contributions are always well-considered and developed, making them useful to the group.

2. They Build Meaningful Connections

Extroverts are known for their ability to form connections quickly with anyone in a conference room.

Introverts, on the other hand, can be mistakenly viewed as incapable of building connections or being disconnected from other people.

Well, that’s not true. It is just not so easy for them to form just any kind of relationship.

Instead, they concentrate on quality connections and productivity. This makes the process of making connections slow, but meaningful.

It generally takes time for introverts to open up to someone, but once they do, they establish deep relationships that are rewarding to both parties both on a personal and professional level.

3. They Make Decisions With Certainty

Most great leaders make excellent decisions after a long period of extensive thinking and contemplation.

Let’s simply say that doing it and making sure that you do it are two poles on a rod.

Extroverts sometimes try to “just do it”, but that doesn’t work well in the corporate world.

That introverts “make sure of it” doesn’t mean they’re scared of taking risks.

Rather, it means that when they do, they want to be sure they’re taking the appropriate steps.

So, yes, introverts don’t make snap decisions. They don’t rush anything.

Before acting, they thoroughly consider an idea, weighing all options.

Most great leaders make excellent decisions after a long period of extensive thinking and contemplation.

Therefore, introverts are propelled to great heights by their ability to contemplate.

4. They Are Humble

Introverts are people who are quiet and reserved. Humility is not a quality that many leaders possess.

It is, nevertheless, what has moved many introverts up the corporate ladder.

Humility helps them to manage people better. It also motivates them to serve others at all levels.

Introverts are quite confident because of this trait as they also don’t brag about their achievements.

They are not proud to encourage other leaders to help their teams achieve their objectives as well.

Introverts who are humble can succeed in business and life because they can admit mistakes and accept constraints.

They also welcome fresh ideas and feedback without feeling intimidated.

5. They Are Good Communicators

Introverts Can Communicate Effectively.

Research has shown that despite communication being one of the most timeless skills, only 8% of leaders are great communicators

It’s all too easy to mistake an introvert’s internal processing for boredom. However, most introverts are simply meticulous thinkers.

They speak less, and this does not mean that they are poor communicators. It only means that they think before speaking.

And I think it’s an excellent thing to do before you ever consider leading someone.

The mind of an introvert functions in such a way that they spend a lot of time in their heads pondering situations before they say or do anything.

In a leadership role, it’s important to know how best to communicate with your subjects.

Research shows that introverts use concrete, clearer, and precise language when describing things than extroverts. 

They may take longer to participate, but when they do, they make sure their ideas are well-thought-out and valuable.

6. They Are Result-Driven

One of the most popular misconceptions about introverts is that they aren’t as determined to produce the result as people who are more socially motivated (extroverts).

The truth is that they’re simply motivated by different factors, and they use different criteria to measure their success.

We must understand that the brain of an introvert is built differently, with different stimuli triggering separate reward systems.

This makes an introverted leader more satisfied by the team’s productivity and high-quality work than by self-recognition and professional progress.

7. They Encourage the Sharing of Ideas

Introverts understand that they do not know it all and that their idea may not always be the best in the room.

As a result, they tend to encourage participation in the thinking and decision-making process.

A study conducted by the Wharton University of Pennsylvania found that because introverted leaders encouraged others’ ideas, they produce much better results than extroverts in the management of employees.

8. They Are Problem Solvers

Problem-solving is at the heart of all excellent leadership.

And science shows that introverts have more gray matter in the prefrontal cortex, which is the part of the brain responsible for abstract thinking and decision-making.

This makes them more likely to only decide on giving it a lot of thought and thinking about creative methods to address the challenges.

Research also shows that introverts are less inclined to make hasty decisions.

This means that introverts are not just problem solvers, but they solve problems with thoroughness and are never in a hurry to do so.

They don’t settle for mediocrity because exceptional work is always their goal.

An introverted leader, for example, will be less likely to endorse a project if other team members have concerns or reservations.

Before moving forward, the leader will want to ensure its success by clearly addressing those issues.

If a conflict arises, an introverted leader will have an edge in resolving the issue for the project’s benefit due to their lack of concern for social standing or positions.

Conclusion

Great leaders aren’t always the loudest or most noticeable ones, and the assumption that introverts can’t succeed is potentially inaccurate.

The truth is that any company would do well to help the introverts among its ranks rise, allowing them to shine, even if they would like to do so away from the spotlight.

The truth is, introverts can become great leaders!

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