Discuss whether

Topic question:

introverts can be effective

leaders.
 Leaders are generally expected to be socially oriented, charismatic people with strong
interpersonal skills and this expectation has caused extroverted individuals to hold most
leadership positions on the management and executive level1. A survey in 2006 demonstrated
that “65% of senior corporate executives viewed introversion as a barrier to leadership and only
6% believed that introverts make more effective leaders”2 Such an anticipation has been formed
because extroverts tend to thrive in environments that have large amounts of social interaction
which is a characteristic often associated with strong leadership capabilities. Introverts on the
other hand, prosper in solitary environments and feel that a lot of social interaction is a drain on
their mental well-being. This characteristic trait of introverts has reduced expectations for them
to prosper in leadership roles that call for such social interaction in the modern world. Although
this is the general trend in expectancy, research has shown that introverted individuals hold
unique capabilities that allow them to advance as leaders in many situations and sometimes
outperform extroverts in leadership roles.
Introverts are described as individuals who are more focused on their “inner subjective
experiences”3 and prefer “quiet, minimally stimulating environments and generally [possess] a
contemplative, independent
temperament”4. These defining characteristics lead to a host of sub-features that make introverts
distinct from extroverts.
One characteristic of introverts is their heightened ability to process information internally 5.
This results in them being intent listeners, carefully processing what they hear before formulating
a response as opposed to extroverts who are more likely to prefer speaking and being the centre
of attention to listening carefully. This capability of introverts makes them seem like shy
individuals who do not talk much and creates a perception of invisibility, that is, others do not
see introverts as capable individuals; however, it allows for them to structure their thoughts and
bring good quality ideas and arguments to group discussions which is an important trait for a
group leader to have. Lebin et al. demonstrate how introverts can overcome the perception of
invisibility by using various strategies such as consulting a trusted person before sharing their
views before a group and organizing smaller group discussions before meeting in larger groups.
In this way they can first test their ideas and articulate their thoughts inside their comfort zone
and then move towards more unpredictable platforms to implement them. Such strategies are an
example of how introverts have the potential to overcome obstacles that their personality brings
with them along with harnessing their strengths to be able to perform well in leadership roles.
Another related characteristic of introverts is that they are described as individuals that prefer
solitude to large social interactions and which helps them to think undisturbed by external
influences. This “fosters creative thought”6 and helps bring innovative ideas to teams that might
not be able to do so in other situations. Hence it is desirable for introverts to spend some time
thinking about, reflecting on, and analysing problems before discussing them with others so that
they can produce concrete arguments and well-developed ideas. If introverts can recognize their
1
Adam M Grant, Francesca Gino, and David A Hofmann, ‘The Hidden Advantages of Quiet Bosses’, n.d., 1.
2
Del Jones, ‘USA TODAY’, 7 June 2006, https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/2006-
06-06-shy-ceo-usat_x.htm.
3
Lindsay G. Lebin et al., ‘Continuing the Quiet Revolution: Developing Introverted Leaders in Academic
Psychiatry’, Academic Psychiatry 43, no. 5 (October 2019): 1, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-019-01052-8.
4
Lebin et al., 1.
5
Lebin et al., ‘Continuing the Quiet Revolution’.
6
Lebin et al., 2.
preference for solitude as a strength and as a tool to form creative and insightful thoughts, they
can use this to effectively lead group projects.
Grant et al. discuss that there are some contexts where introverted leaders can thrive and
produce better results than their extroverted counterparts7. They conducted a study to determine
which situations are related to greater outputs with the two different types of leaders and came to
the conclusion that when group participants are more proactive, an introverted leader will
encourage their assertiveness by allowing them to share their ideas and attempting to implement
their suggestions whereas extroverted leaders in such a condition would find it harder to respond
in a similar way and might try to impose their own ideas on the participants rather than accepting
their advice, sometimes even feeling threatened by the teams suggestions and feeling that they
doubt his or her ability to lead effectively; a scenario that is undesirable and may even be
damaging to the team’s morale and performance. The study also found out that in a different
circumstance, such as when group participants were less active, extroverted leaders would be at
an advantage as they would be able to dominate over the team and stimulate them to work
whereas the introverted leader might find it harder to do so. This study puts the question of who
the better leader is into perspective by is demonstrating how there are many variables, both
internal and external, that decide whether a person will be able to lead well or not. But it also
proves that extroverts are not the only personality type to be able to perform well in leadership
roles as is the general view.
Introverts are said to have stronger emotional intelligence due to their reflective nature 8; a
trait that allows for them to be more empathetic towards others. This characteristic is important
when they are in a position of leadership because they then have a more neutral and thoughtful
approach towards team members. Such a way of interacting with them can have positive
implications such as having a better understanding of what teammates are feeling and an
appreciation for their strengths and weakness, also recognizing how teammates relate to each
other and if there are conflicts between them that must be resolved. This approach towards team
also means that a strong bond between the leader and team members can be formed which can
boost team morale.
Another attribute that is specific to introverts is that they are less motivated by external
rewards and can perform well without the need for immediate gratification 9. Such an outlook
towards leadership roles can be transformative for introverts as they do not prefer to be the centre
of attention, rather, they assume leadership roles because it is what their conscience compels
them to do. This internal motivation means that they are committed to their leadership roles for
long periods of time and can show persistence before they reach their goals. Such a quality is
important especially in long projects that do not yield instant results, therefore an introverted
leader as the head of such a project could prove to be effective in recognizing the nature of the
endeavour and setting expectations accordingly.
It is evident from the research done on this subject and the arguments discussed that
introverts have the capability and potential to be effective leaders and they can use their unique
characteristics that may be perceived as flaws to benefits their teams if used strategically. They
tend to think carefully before articulating their thoughts and prefer solitude to large gatherings,
both of which can be used as ways to bring creative ideas to meetings. They are attentive
7
Adam M. Grant, Francesca Gino, and David A. Hofmann, ‘Reversing the Extraverted Leadership Advantage: The
Role of Employee Proactivity’, Academy of Management Journal 54, no. 3 (June 2011): 543,
https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2011.61968043.
8
Lebin et al., ‘Continuing the Quiet Revolution’, 2.
9
Lebin et al., 2.
listeners and have heightened emotional intelligence which allow them to work effectively with
proactive teammates and form strong bonds with group members. Their low motivation by
external rewards means they can show persistence in long projects without expecting short-term
yields. Thus, even though extroverts are perceived to be better leaders, it is important for
businesses and corporations to recognize the strengths of introverts and give them opportunities
to acquire leadership roles and harness their potential.
References

Grant, Adam M., Francesca Gino, and David A. Hofmann. ‘Reversing the Extraverted
Leadership Advantage: The Role of Employee Proactivity’. Academy of Management
Journal 54, no. 3 (June 2011): 528–50. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2011.61968043.
Grant, Adam M, Francesca Gino, and David A Hofmann. ‘The Hidden Advantages of Quiet
Bosses’, n.d., 2.
Jones, Del. ‘USA TODAY’, 7 June 2006.
https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/2006-06-06-shy-ceo-
usat_x.htm.
Lebin, Lindsay G., Megan Riddle, Stephanie Chang, and Thomas Soeprono. ‘Continuing the
Quiet Revolution: Developing Introverted Leaders in Academic Psychiatry’. Academic
Psychiatry 43, no. 5 (October 2019): 516–20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-019-01052-
8.