8 Ways Introverts Excel As Leaders

Recently I came across an article from Wrike that tried to list 6 ways introverts make great leaders. Unfortunately, after reading through the article I concluded that they had only listed 2 ways introverts could be effective leaders and 4 ways introverts deal with the ways of the business world. I did some additional brief research and managed to cobble together a list of 8 qualities of introverts that make them excellent choices for leadership positions. Here is the list I put together:


1. Great listeners
Introverts tend to be great listeners. As an introvert myself, I can attest to a preference to listen to the ideas and thoughts of others. It gives me good insight into a variety of perspectives and the more listening that can be done, the more connections can be made between sometimes seemingly disparate ideas. Of course, this preference for listening can also be very encouraging for employees who often want to know someone is listening to them, which in turn can motivate them to contribute even more to an organization.

2. Focused in times of stress
There are many times and situations where organizations have to deal with a crisis of varying degrees. When placed in this scenarios, introverts have a great ability to sit back, listen, take in information being tossed about by the talkers in a group, analyze it, and then come up with a solid plan. Some have noted that introverts can oftentimes come up with a fully formed plan that others may have missed. This can be very reassuring to the rest of the organization as they grapple with challenges knowing they have a plan of action in place that helps to remove some uncertainty.

3. Humility and servant leadership
We have all seen the cartoon comparing a "boss" sitting in their cart being pulled by employees versus a leader out in front of employees helping to pull the cart. This goes to the idea of a leader being a servant along with the "followers" in an organization and how effective this can be in motivating others. For introverts, who some studies claim have a tendency to humility anyway, being a servant leader may be a bit easier since they tend to shy away from the limelight. Instead, they frequently put others, the organization or a goal first.

4. Even tempered
One "hidden asset" of the introvert is their quiet nature which can bring a sense of calmness to an organization. This can introduce some much-needed peace to others and help them process the various situations they have to deal with in business. Often the introvert can be just the ticket for someone who needs to vent since they are not only great listeners, but they tend to not get caught up in the hype - or at least they don't show it. This can help to bring others back down when their buttons have been pushed.

5. Depth, not breadth
Introverts tend to not be interested in the superficial niceties of chitchat that seems to occur in many social and business interactions. Discussing the weather or the latest ballgame is not high on their list of things to do. What introverts do enjoy is digging into an issue. In business, this can mean diving into what is taking up the time and energy of employees and to do that, introverts will tend to move right into questions that have real meaning for an organization. Questions about improvements that can be made, problems that are keeping people up at night, what may be stressing out employees.

6. Think first, talk later
As you probably sense by now, part of an introverts' success in business and as a leader is related to their tendency to speak later. As i noted earlier, this often means giving others a chance to speak first while the introvert listens. This also gives the introvert time to do some thinking about issues and challenges. When the introvert finally gets around to speaking, they can then share ideas and suggestions that are well-reasoned, impactful and measured. Likely the introvert is going to be able to share something that is particularly impactful thanks to the time spent in reflection.

7. Writers, not talkers
I am not sure how accurate this claim is, but I would not be surprised as to its truthfulness, but introverts tend to have a preference for sharing thoughts and ideas via the written word instead of through talking. This means they are often strong writers who are able to effectively communicate ideas in letters, memos, presentations, or proposals. In this day and age, it also means there is a good chance they are effective at using social networking tools and platforms so their thoughts can be a good way to help an organization establish a relationship with customers and others through those channels.

8. Managing reflection time
Finally, introverts often need time to themselves to process information as well as to recharge their "social batteries." By effectively managing the time needed for some solitude, introverted leaders can also help other manage expectations. Too often employees have trouble saying no to requests. However, an introvert who has mastered management of their reflection time will guard it and usually has little trouble letting others know that. This means they can provide more realistic feedback to others about what is reasonable to expect in terms of work to be completed.

For more on how introverts can excel as leaders, check out 6 Reasons Why Introverts Make Great Leaders, 5 Reasons Introverts Make Better Leaders, and Why Introverts Can Make The Best Leaders