Can an introvert make an ideal leader?

What comes to mind when you think of a leader? A charismatic individual, with a great fan following and a striking personality; somebody radiating confidence. Basically, an extrovert, right? It wouldn’t cross your mind to think of an introvert, now would it?

But what if we changed the narrative? What if we said that an introvert is just as capable of becoming an exceptional leader? Not by changing their persona, but by building on the very traits that make them introverts, to begin with.

Can qualities like quietness, awkwardness or being shy lay the foundation for leadership? We did a little survey and checked out shared office space in Noida and its surrounding area to see what people have to say. This is what we discovered.

Extroverts get all the attention but their faults could get overlooked.

Extroverts are instinctively liked by everyone. Their interpersonal skills are excellent and come easily to them. People are drawn to them and their outgoing, confident personality. However, often times it is precisely these extroverted tendencies that make us overlook their other characteristics, not all of which are positive behavioral traits. It is not enough to be a people person; the quality as a leader that matters as well.

Introverts are often deep thinkers and better listeners.

An extroverted leader could be a great communicator and yet struggle when it comes to formulating sound strategies. An introverted leader, on the other hand, not bogged down by constant interactions with other team members, could plan and strategize better, taking the firm to greater heights. Of course, communication could be through memos instead of discussions in meeting rooms.

And when introverts do converse, their innate tendency to be quiet means they are often better listeners, which is simply more fodder for analysis.

Introverts are often, self-starters.

What the world terms as loners are often people who can be considered as self-starters. They do not need or wait for others to join them before embarking on a project. If your organization is looking for a strategist, someone who has a proven track record of analytical thinking, then a self-starter seems like an obvious choice.

Introverts can learn extroverted behaviors.

As the cliché goes, leaders are not born; they are created. If you consider the lives of many famous people, such as Bill Gates or Isaac Newton, you’d be surprised to know that they are quiet people who exhibited traits of brilliance. And when the need to build on that genius arose, they learned skills like public speaking and cultivating interpersonal relationships.

Conclusion

Whether an extrovert or introvert, what matters eventually is the level of one’s belief in their abilities to excel at a given role. An organization has to focus on the qualities of the role that it is looking to fulfill. If someone has to be the face of the Public Relations department it might be prudent to pick someone extroverted. However, if a company is seeking an HR manager, then an extrovert is not crucial to the role; rather, someone who can forge and nurture relationships makes a better fit.

Today there is a surge in open offices and co-working space in Delhi and other major cities in India, giving introverts the opportunity to explore their leadership skills.