Introverts as Leaders — Understanding When Less Is More
Turning your “negatives” into positives.
By Joe Flanders
Some people might characterize the business world as a cutthroat environment. Similarly, they might say this atmosphere requires a zealous personality to be an effective leader. While many ultra-successful people are extroverts who thrive in social arenas, there is plenty of room at the top for quieter, more reflective personalities. In fact, in some situations, introverts are more effective leaders than their outgoing counterparts.
Defining success and successful leaders
First of all, let’s define success. A successful company is one with cohesive teams that work toward a common goal to grow the company and sustain a high level of effectiveness. So, for simplicity’s sake, let’s assume a successful company has successful leaders.
Some of those leaders will be the high-energy go-getters who exude an “I mean business” attitude that never lets up. But not all leaders can possess this quality, or they would not be able to work together effectively — not everyone can be in charge, right? So, where is the balance among leaders?
As leaders, introverts offer skills from the other end of the spectrum. They possess the quiet…
