Leadership is one of the skills no one is born with but developed through their life experiences. However, some people might seem to have a natural leadership tendency. They are outgoing, charismatic, talkative, and able to catch the attention of a large audience. They can motivate their staff and inspire them to be more efficient and productive. Even though some people might think that this is the perfect description of an extrovert, introverts can turn out to be great leaders too.
It’s this common misconception people have that extroverts have the necessary traits for being leaders. And that introverts need to follow them. But this is wrong, as both of these two types of personalities have the skills necessary for being successful leaders. It would be good to have a nice mix between the two, but this doesn’t mean that introverts and extroverts cannot learn new skills.
Many people think that introverts are boring because they do not speak much, are shy and reserved. But according to essay writers on personality topics, more than 60% of the world’s leaders and CEOs describe themselves as being introverted. Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, or Steven Spielberg are just some of the names you know and who are introverts.
So, it seems that introverts can be leaders. If you find yourself in this position, you should know that you already have some well-developed skills you can use to ensure your success as a leader. And here is the ultimate guide you need.
Use Your Ability to Flourish in Small Groups
Introverts are usually people who like interacting with smaller groups. This is because they soak in the experiences and emotions of other people. They focus on people and smaller groups are usually the moments where they can thrive.
So, how could you use this to your advantage? Leaders are often engaged in meetings with their teams or collaborators. And if your best ability is to focus on a small group of people at a time, then you should organize your meetings this way. Meetings held with fewer people are more efficient, so introverted leaders can take advantage of this. The same goes for team meetings: you could have regular one-on-ones with every team member, ask them for feedback, and discuss things that bother them.
However, it is important to acknowledge that you will need to go out of your comfort zone from time to time. Interacting with larger groups of people might drain you from energy, but these constant going out of your comfort zone moments will enrich you. Over time, you will become more comfortable with these necessary large meetings where you can meet new people and benefit from more opportunities.
If you have ever been in a course that imparts leadership training, you might have experienced this already. For introverts, they create small batches of individuals and then encourage public speaking. They also make it a point to create a confident environment where introverts can slowly start applying themselves. This might be a slow process, but it delivers great results. Experts keep increasing the size of the group and including newer members until you get comfortable engaging with everyone. If you wish to explore leadership training courses, read more.
Empathy and Active Listening
Empathy and active listening are some of the most important skills a leader should have. As long as you lead a team, you need to be able to understand their position, what bothers them, and how to motivate them. And most importantly, you need to get to know them better. Because the more things you know about them, the easier will be to understand their behaviors and know how to adapt to each of them.
This may sound challenging for some people, but introverted leaders are the best equipped for this. As they are usually more thoughtful and silent, they are very introspective. At the same time, they pay a lot of attention to the cues of the environment and what others are saying. Introverted leaders empathize with the people around them and listen attentively to what they are saying.
These are essential skills leaders should have. At the same time, it’s important for introverted leaders to not let these skills lead them to passivity. Only listening and empathizing and not taking any action can lead to conflicts and tension within the team.
Find a Balance
Finding a balance is something introverted leaders are looking after. They restore their energy by spending time with themselves and practicing their hobbies. Conferences that last all day drain introverted leaders of energy, so they need to take time to rest. Spending some time alone might be the activity you need to incorporate into your work schedule.
How can you do this? Find the time of the day where you need the most a break and that helps you gain more energy. If there are busy days where longer breaks are not possible, you can have shorter ones, of 10 minutes long. At the same time, proposing to have a quiet room at your office can be life-saving for your introverted colleagues. Every introvert needs a quiet time and that room could be the oasis of tranquility many employees are yearning for.
Finding a balance is not only about your working hours, but your personal life too. Many leaders feel that they have to sacrifice their personal life to be successful, but this is not true. Introverted leaders who do this might lose motivation along the way, as they need time to restore their energy. So, do not answer your business phone outside of working hours unless it is something important. Take time to take care of your mental health and body and have a clear border between your personal life and your professional one.
Conclusion
Some of the most successful leaders on the planet are introverted. As an introverted leader, you have some of the skills necessary to earn the trust of your team and lead it to success. You listen attentively, empathize with other people, and come up with well-thought strategies.
You flourish in small groups and this can help you come closer to people. Finding a balance is important as some time spent alone is always necessary to restore your energy level. Do not be afraid to go out of your comfort zone, as these experiences will be the ones that will teach and shape you the most.
Author Bio: Leon Collier is a blogger from the UK, offering Australian assignment help at Australian Writings. He leads the best essay writing service reviews and loves to write about everything. Psychology, leadership, traveling, self-development, education, marketing. When not writing, you can find him behind a book or playing tabletop games with his friends. Follow him on Twitter @LeonCollier12
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