Why Introverts Can Make the Best Leaders
The business world may seem a bit crowded: meetings, customers, employees, businesses, many people in general, theoretically the nightmare of any introverted person. But what if I told you that introverts are the best leaders a company can have?
Apparently the work culture tends to reward more often those who are not afraid to put themselves under the spotlight, which undoubtedly puts introverts at a disadvantage. However, they also possess a number of innate characteristics that allow them to advance in their careers and not lose advantage over their extroverted peers.
The Power to Listen
It doesn’t matter if it’s a client or a co-worker, if you have something to say it’s because you want to be heard. Introverts do not tend to dominate the conversation, giving their interlocutors the opportunity to express themselves in such a way that they can have a better understanding of other people’s needs and problems. This is definitely important when it comes to making assertive and empathetic decisions at work that contribute to better performance.
Better-Thought-Out Decisions
They may not be as expressive as the extroverts but this doesn’t mean that they lack rich inner lives or that they do not experience everything with great intensity, their attention simply tends to be more on their thoughts and feelings than on the agents of the outer world. It is precisely for this reason that introverts tend to be reflective, which allows them to strategically plan each step. They also distinguish themselves by being careful or even perfectionists.
Introverts Have the Advantage
According to a recent study of Harvard, Stanford and Chicago Universities, published by the U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research, companies led by introverted CEOs outperform those of their peers. In the study conducted with 4,591 CEOs, it was observed that companies run by extroverts have a 2% lower return on their investments. It seems like a small number, but it reflects something important: introverts generate more profits than extroverts when they are at the head of a company.
Successful Introverted Entrepreneurs
In countless articles, magazines and interviews, one can see that there is more than one example of leaders who are characterized by their reserved personality, some of them behind internationally successful companies.
- Bill Gates: One of the most successful men on the planet, and also one of the richest. Bill Gates is known for being an introvert in every aspect.
- Mark Zuckerberg: Who hasn’t heard of Facebook? Mark created one of today’s biggest companies from his Harvard room. He’s introverted and shy.
- Elon Musk: If we’re talking about modern entrepreneurs, we can’t leave Elon out. Introverted from head to toe.
- Steve Wozniak: Steve Jobs’ right-hand man calls himself a full-fledged introvert. A few years ago he published in his book: “I have to give you some advice that I think will be difficult for you. The advice is: Work alone. Not in society. Least of all with a team”.
Final Thoughts
Being introverted and shy are not synonymous, although many people think otherwise. There are different skills and “powers” that introverted people can use to their advantage to lead, move forward and succeed in a company, without the need to express themselves in the way an extrovert would.
Consulted sources:
