Introverts Can Make Great Leaders, Too—Here’s How

Extroversion, a trait marked by assertiveness and comfort in social situations, is often associated with leadership. However, introverts can be strong leaders, too, often bringing different qualities to the role.

Understanding Introversion and Leadership

There are often misconceptions about introverts—including that they’re simply less effective as leaders than their extroverted counterparts. People sometimes think that introverts are less likable than extroverts, that they aren’t as good at public speaking, and that they’re more likely to avoid meetings and other social events in the workplace. But none of this is necessarily true.

Sure, not every introvert will make a good leader. But not every extrovert will, either. Introverts and extroverts may have different leadership styles, and both can be effective.

Different people respond better to different types of leaders. An introverted leadership style—perhaps a little more hands-off, but also happy to communicate when needed—may work better for some employees.

How To Develop Leadership Skills as an Introvert

If you’re an introvert, you might find that communication doesn’t come as naturally to you as it does to the more extroverted leaders you know. However, it’s important to remember that good communication is more than simply being the loudest or the most assertive. Find the right communication style for you. If you aren’t a fan of speaking in front of large groups, perhaps you’d be better off talking to people one-on-one, or using email.

It’s important to build strong relationships with the people you work with. Whatever your communication style, you may need to adapt it to be able to communicate with your team—even if it might seem daunting. You might not enjoy networking, for example, but it’s something you’ll likely need to do. 

And remember, a large part of leadership is what you do, rather than what you say. So, lead by example! Whatever you expect from your team, set a good example by doing it yourself. If reliability is important to you, for example, ensure that you’re reliable too. In turn, your team’s respect for you is likely to grow. 

What Are the Advantages of Introvert Leadership?

Often, introverts are great listeners and thinkers, good at analyzing information and finding original or out-of-the-box solutions to problems.

Dan Woodruff, an executive coach and the founder of Odin Strategies, describes listening as a “natural superpower” for introverts, explaining, “Doing more listening than talking comes naturally to them. By using this ability to lead with empathy, introverts can engage in active listening, which increases their likability and helps them understand their team’s needs and concerns deeply.”

If you’re an introverted leader, and somebody comes to you with a question or issue, you might be better placed to consider what they have to say and offer sensible, well-thought-out advice.

Introverts often take more time to process information than extroverts, which can mean they explore things in greater depth and often come up with more comprehensive solutions to issues.

Introverts are also good at observing and noticing the finer details—more subtle things that others can miss. This can be really important, particularly for leaders. Introverts are often quite self-aware and introspective, too, which can make for good leadership.

Challenges Faced by Introvert Leaders

One of the main challenges introverts can face in leadership roles is forming workplace relationships. Introverts can sometimes be thought of as standoffish, aloof, or as if they don’t care. The reality is often quite different.

Heather O’Neill, CPRW, a career expert at Resume Now, says, ”Verbal and written communication is crucial for effective leadership, and an introverted leader may need to improve these skills. The best way to improve communication is to practice. Introverts should make time to talk to their teams and push themselves to share thoughts in meetings. Prioritizing conversation can help an introvert get used to the give-and-take required for collaboration.”

However, these challenges aren’t make-or-break, and don’t mean that introverts are inherently poor leaders. It’s true that you might have to communicate more than you might want to at work sometimes, but that doesn’t mean that you have to be the life and soul of the party. It’s fine to ask your team to come in and speak to you one-on-one to help build those relationships if you’d rather not speak to everybody as a group. 

At the same time, says Woodruff, “Silence can be a powerful tool for introverts. Their peers and employees may not fully understand why they don’t immediately offer advice or suggestions. However, introverts will earn respect by empowering others to develop their own solutions to problems. This approach fosters independence and innovation within the team, positioning introverts as empowering leaders.”

And remember, try not to do everything yourself! Introverts can sometimes try to do everything themselves and work solo, but to an extrovert, this can look like arrogance. So, remember to be collaborative and communicative.

How To Create an Introvert-Friendly Work Environment

It’s important to collaborate with everyone on your team—introverts, extroverts, and ambiverts—and to be as inclusive as you can.

Often, extroverted leaders may not consider introverted team members. You may be better placed to take introverts’ needs into account. There are plenty of things that you can do to make your work environment better for introverts.

For example, while some leaders may enjoy large meetings with everyone on the team, you might decide that, actually, you prefer bringing employees in individually or in smaller groups. There might be things extroverts call meetings for that you think would be fine to handle via a round-robin email instead.

Balancing Introversion and Extroversion

It’s often thought that extroverts are better than introverts at forming connections and relationships. However, introverts might actually find it easier to form closer one-on-one bonds with people.

Since forming initial connections can take more effort for introverts, they’ll often focus on strengthening the ones they already have.

If you’re an introvert, you’ll likely have some extroverts on your team. Why not work together and use your differences to your advantage? Look at Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, the co-founders of Apple. One was an extrovert, one was an introvert, and it worked. Other examples include Sheryl Sandberg and Mark Zuckerberg, who worked together at Facebook (now Meta), and Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones.

Sometimes, an introvert might be better suited to managing certain teams. If your team is quite self-sufficient and proactive, you might be a better fit to lead them as an introvert. In contrast, extroverts might be better at leading more passive teams.

Tips for Introverted Leaders in Specific Situations

If you’re doing something that will take you out of your comfort zone, it can make sense to plan. Take public speaking. For many introverts, it sounds like a nightmare. However, if you set out a clear plan beforehand, you’ll have a better idea of what to expect, and you might feel better about doing it. 

O’Neill says, “Whether introverted or extroverted, public speaking can be a fraught experience. While it’s a necessary skill for leaders, for introverts, especially, it can be a panic-inducing experience.”

It’s the same with networking. You may not particularly enjoy it, but a bit of preparation can go a long way. Introverts often think of what they’re going to say before saying it, meaning that the discussion can move on before you’ve had time to contribute. By planning ahead, you can give yourself an idea of what you want to say.

“Networking can be agony for an introvert,” says O’Neill, “But relationship building is a skill that can be honed like any other. A simple way to start is by connecting one-on-one with clients or attending small industry events where communication is on a more personal level. Online networking can also be effective, so introverts could also consider using LinkedIn to keep in touch with contacts and grow their networks.”

The Importance of Self Care

It’s important to look after yourself. There are things in life that we can’t avoid. But we can make them easier. After completing some leadership tasks that have drained your tank, give yourself some time to unwind or decompress.

Remember, when you take care of yourself, you’re better equipped to be the best leader you can be.