Fearful. Avoidant. Embarrassed. Antisocial. Quiet. Unadventurous. Wallflower.

Introvert.

In a corporate world of bigger-faster-louder, introverts can get a bad rap, as with the associations above. That’s because introverts aren’t in the limelight, bellowing from a podium or handing out their card to 200 people at a networking event. No, “introvert” makes you think of that quiet guy in IT who always stutters a bit when you ask him a question—but he always has a stellar answer. You would never think to put “introvert” and “leader” in the same sentence. But the truth is, introverts make great leaders!

Introverts make great leaders because they:

• Listen better. There is power in listening and observing, and introverts would rather perceive the world around them than plow through it. Introverts are great listeners, able to focus and block out distractions as they learn through listening. They hear their team and take in their thoughts, feelings, and advice. In this way, introverted leaders gather key information and build trust. This helps them develop strategies that impact the team in exactly the right way.
• Think deeper. It’s easy for introverts to get lost in thought, but that’s a good thing for leadership! Instead of forging ahead with a loosely formed idea, introverts are more likely to think things through and to ask if that idea is the best solution. They’re also more apt to search for solutions that aren’t immediately apparent. They spend their alone time researching, planning, and developing, and then bring a fully formed idea to the table.
• Engage more meaningfully. So they’re not the social butterfly chatting with everyone at the conference. But they are the people having deep conversations with a few contacts. Introverts network by developing strong relationships with a few individuals, versus developing cursory relationships with many; quality, not quantity. And that’s the foundation of successful networking: building meaningful and lasting relationships.
• Leverage their calm. Introverts tend to be quieter and calmer than their extrovert counterparts. Their even-keeled energy has a calming effect on any situation. When that calm is consistent, it fosters peace and trust and safety, which builds a loyal and hard-working team. People outside the organization, such as vendors and customers, will also experience and appreciate this calm environment.
• Express humility. Humility works for introvert leaders twofold: their actions are not self-serving and they can acknowledge their limitations. Introvert leaders find joy in empowering their team to grow. They do not want the spotlight for themselves. A solidly developed team yields better results for the greater purpose, being the company’s success. And as a developing member of that team, an introvert leader is able to accurately gauge their own abilities and to acknowledge and work to fix mistakes and limitations.

Introverts may steer clear of the limelight, but it’s by choice. They toil in their offices, thinking about the needs of their team and planning careful business solutions. And while their leadership style is different from their extrovert counterparts, introverts are using their personality strengths to lead just as, if not more, effectively.

Thoughtful. Engaged. Intuitive. Deliberate. Calm. Humble. Leader.

Introvert.