Introversion - a strength or a weakness when it comes to leadership?
Every personality test I have ever taken reflects a strong tendency toward introversion. Most leadership material that I have read about this trait reflects that extroversion is the dominant characteristic of effective leaders. It makes sense, initially, to agree with this assessment because of the need for leaders to interact with others, to carry on conversations easily with individuals in social settings, and to project an air of confidence among strangers and friends alike. Extroverts (sanguines, otters, people-persons) have the strength of enjoying crowds and meeting new people.
One of my professors at Indiana Wesleyan University made the distinction between extroverts and introverts in terms of personal energy. The prof shared that extroverts gain energy by interacting with others and are able to charge their inner-batteries in social settings. Introverts, on the other hand, have to exert a great deal of energy in order to be engage larger groups of people. Introverts gain energy in solitude and quietness. If you find yourself empowered when you are around others and emotionally energized at the end of the party, you are most likely an extrovert. If, to the contrary, you are emotionally exhausted at the end of a social gathering and your face hurts from smiling and talking so much, you have strong tendencies toward introversion.
So which trait is better for the leader? The cop-out (but probably the accurate) answer is a balance between the two. But, as a loyal introvert, I must advocate for the introvert. It is my hypothesis (which has never been tested and would make a great research topic) that all introverts are extroverts in certain situations. Once the introvert has time to analyze a situation, get his/her bearing, and feel comfortable with the people in a given setting, that introvert can begin to express feelings, share thoughts, crack jokes, and laugh at him/herself. I have seen and even experienced the introvert becoming the center of a social setting and portray a confident, effective leader. The introverted leader must learn how to speed this process up in order to engage people with a friendly smile and initiate meaningful conversations. This may demand that the introvert explode out of his/her comfort zone into the energy-depleting arena of extroversion.
But the strength of the introvert is that once relationships have been established, once discussions have been engaged, once the ice has been broken, so to speak, the introvert has well- constructed ideas to share, analyzed and synthesized concepts to contribute. Idle chit-chat can be changed into meaningful dialogue; superficial conversations can be transformed into a deep exchange of ideas. Because extroverts just enjoy talking, they sometimes have a harder time getting conversations to focus on the serious. Introverts are often not the life of the party, but they can have significant conversations with individuals that can lead to impact and influence.
Don't get me wrong here - I love being around extroverts. They make me feel comfortable and awkward social settings are smoothed by their ability to carry conversations and include others in the group dynamic. Extroverts laugh at my jokes (even when they are not that funny) and desire that everyone in their presence feels positive. They are usually the sunshine in the organization that start the day with a smile. They can make great leaders filled with enthusiasm and zeal. My point with this post is - don't count out the introvert. Allow them some time to think, to process, to contemplate. You may even have to ask them their opinion. But when they speak (if they are effective leaders), listen to their insights carefully. Introverts are often idea people; their ability to generate ideas and problem solve can be keen; their creativity can be outstanding. Don't miss their input because of their silence; don't ignore their insights by failing to probe their minds.
Extroverts and introverts - my how we need each other!
No comments:
Post a Comment