Ivan is the CEO and founder of Kea Babies. Within five years, he led the growth of KeaBabies reaching over 5 million customers worldwide.
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We live in a world where extroverts are generally seen as more vocal, persuasive, and good with people. So they are supposed to be better leaders. Because charisma is often associated with great personalities, introverted leaders – those who are quiet and reserved – often face prejudice in the workplace or the wider world. However, a study from Florida International University found that introverts and extroverts are equally effective as leaders as each person has their own strengths.
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Leadership suits both introverts and extroverts
Author and lecturer Susan Cain defined introverts as “those who would rather listen than speak; who innovate and create, but dislike self-promotion; who would rather work independently than work in teams.”
Because leadership involves a significant amount of interaction with others, introverted professionals may be considered less suited to these roles. However, the Harvard Business Review found that both introversion and extroversion have benefits in different environments. Introverted leaders, for example, were more effective at leading and supporting employees who like to take initiative. Meanwhile, leaders who were more commanding and dominant were found to be more effective in leading passive employees. So a company that focuses only on hiring extroverted individuals for strategic positions may be missing out on high performers on the other side of the personality spectrum. Introverts bring a different perspective to the management table.
3 Leadership Qualities That Go Beyond Personality Type
To know the effectiveness of introverted leaders, you need to understand how the same qualities manifest between them and extroverted leaders. Both are capable of strong leadership, but they approach certain scenarios a little differently.
1. All leaders promote a unified vision
Real leaders are not born. They were made, according to the late Warren Bennis. The leadership expert went further, saying the first thing they need is “a leadership vision.”
I wholeheartedly believe in this. A clear guiding vision is the fundamental element of leadership. A good leader must set a clear vision, mission and direction for the company and its teams. They then translate the clues into actual results by expertly guiding the team to follow the path.
A leader is someone who lives by his principles and reflects the culture of the organization and its people. Your examples and actions influence how the team members think and act, directly impacting their confidence in where the company is going.
Whether introverted or extroverted, you have the ability to lead team members through a shared vision. Extroverted leaders can guide their employees with more direction and even spontaneity. Introverted leaders are more likely to lead by example and then gently guide employees into environments that allow for more participation.
2. All leaders know how to work together
Introversion and extroversion have their defining characteristics. In general, introverts listen more than they speak. Extroverts, on the other hand, are very charismatic and often enjoy leading conversations. Both are valuable properties.
Being a good listener is crucial in an organization that wants to stimulate feedback, embrace change and improve through collaboration. Being an introverted leader myself, I find that listening has given my people the chance to be proactive and come up with their best ideas. On the other hand, an extroverted leader can use motivational conversations to create opportunities for others to step forward.
Regardless of whether you identify as an extrovert or an introvert, I agree that charisma is something a leader should have. People must believe in the vision and mission, which requires you to trust that you are passionate. Because charisma requires expression and articulation, introverts can learn to embody it while remaining authentic.
3. All leaders encourage the best of employees
Having a diverse group of people benefits the organization, so there needs to be an environment of authenticity where everyone can thrive. However you see yourself, as a leader you need to understand how to support and encourage both the introverted and extroverted people in your teams.
One way to ensure this is to have efficient processes that you know by heart. Being able to live these processes makes it easier to support your team, helping them pick things up faster and freeing up space to focus more on delivering results. It also helps you find areas that can become more efficient.
Motivation is an important part of being a strong leader, and there are many ways to motivate employees that you can adapt to your own style. For example, when it comes to recognizing employee contributions and achievements, an extroverted leader may celebrate them publicly, while an introverted leader will reach out privately. Both approaches are very encouraging. As long as you understand your employees and understand what works best for them, your personal style as a leader will support everyone.
In an organization people need to know where they are going. As the captain of the ship, your ability to lead and guide them to the destination is paramount in taking the business to new heights. So you don’t have to like the spotlight to be a good leader. At the end of the day, the results you can generate speak volumes about your leadership.
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