Are you an innie or an outie? I’m not talking
bellybuttons; I’m talking about your leadership style. Are you an introvert or
an extrovert?
Leadership, like personalities, comes in
different shapes and sizes. Introversion or extroversion is not about how shy
or social you are; it is about how you derive your energy.
An introvert’s essential stimulation, their
source of energy, comes from within, from their inner world of thoughts, ideas, and reflections. They direct energy and attention inward and receive energy
from reflecting on thoughts, memories, and feelings.
Extroverts get their essential stimulation
from the outer world, the world of people and things. They direct their energy
and attention outward and receive energy from interacting with people and from
taking action.
This week, I’m going to talk about the
introverted leader. I’ll cover extroverts next week.
What are you?
Introversion or extroversion is not so much a
personality trait as it is a preference for interacting with the world in a way
that feels the most comfortable to you. Everybody has both qualities in their
personality, the inward and the outward energy, but we do tend to lean
consistently one way or the other.
To find out what you are, the Meyers Briggs Type Indicator is the gold standard. You can simply Google Meyers Briggs and you'll be
directed to lots of sources and short tests you can take to learn more about your personality
preference.
But a super easy place to start is to simply
assess the way you feel about interactions based on the energy explanations
above. Ask yourself:
Are you energized by interactions or enervated by them?
Generally speaking, if you are energized by
interactions you are an extrovert. If they enervate you, you are an introvert.
Introverts and extroverts in the workplace
It’s all about where you prefer to focus your
attention and get your energy. In general, introverts:
- Are drawn to inner world
- Prefer written communication
- Prefer reflection over action—may need time to “process” before taking action
- Work out ideas by reflecting and thinking, not speaking (as extroverts do)
- Learn best by reflection
- Guard thoughts until they are (almost) perfect
- Are private and contained
- Defend against external demands
- Enjoy working alone or with only a few people
Introverts are really good at paying
attention to the infrastructure, conceptualizing problems, and looking deeply
into issues.
The leadership difference
The introversion/extroversion personality
preference is important to leadership because it directly pertains to how
people relate to other people, especially in terms of communication and
engaging with others.
Because introverts are more naturally
inclined to focus their energies within they sometimes forget the importance of
connecting and communicating with others consistently and openly. In a sense,
the introverted leader often has to work a little harder on the “people” side
of leadership.
Challenges for introverted leaders
Introverts possess many skills that are
associated with great leadership. Introverts are associated with deep
reflection and a desire to think through decisions. Introverts are naturally
disinclined to be in the middle of the fray, so they can provide an outside
perspective on what is happening. They are very good at analyzing and
assessing. Because they are listening more than talking, introverts can also
gain deeper understandings of situations.
By the same token, introverts tend toward
isolation; projections of aloofness, snobbery, or disinterest; lack of
communication; and lack of engagement.
Here are some specific strategies introverted
leaders can utilize to become better leaders:
1. Communicate, communicate, communicate.
Learn to think out aloud. Include others in brainstorming.
2. Use listening skills to create trust and
build rapport. One of the greatest projections people make about introverts is
that they are great listeners. Use this to your advantage.
3. Reflect back what you’ve heard. People
want to know that they have been heard.
4. Involve others and articulate your
thinking. Share information freely. Introverts have a habit of delivering
full-blown solutions or edicts without articulating the thought process or
motivation behind them, so learn to articulate your thinking and involve
others.
5. Be accessible. Engage others
substantially. Network!
6. Followers need to see you. They need to
trust and understand you. They need to think you have their best interests at
heart. So get out there.
7. Take care of your solitude. Carve out
specific times of solitude for recharging yourself.
The best leaders
The best leader is not an introvert or an
extrovert. The best leader is someone who can inspire, motivate, and enable
others to act. Introverts can be great leaders, as long as they use their
natural abilities wisely and use strategies to overcome the challenges inherent
in their personality preference. Good luck!
~~~
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