Can introverts be good leaders?

Research suggests that the “perfect worker” is extraverted.

By Carol Stewart, coach, author, and founder of Quietly Visible: The Introverted Leaders Conference 2024

There are many misconceptions about what introversion means. Some people think that it indicates someone is quiet or shy, lacking confidence, aloof, socially awkward or even slow thinking or anti-social.

Whilst these terms may apply to some introverted people, there are many to whom they do not. In fact, they could also be used to describe some extraverted people too.

In reality, introversion and extraversion (extraversion is the original spelling, which over time has become popularly spelt as extroversion) are traits that exist along a continuum. Different situations and environments will determine whether we display more introverted or extraverted behaviours.

I have studied introversion in the workplace and coached many introverted leaders, particularly women. But someone once commented on one of my articles that an “introverted leader” was an oxymoron. There’s a widely-held, but false, belief that leaders need to be extraverted.

Research on the topic suggests that the “perfect worker” is high in extraversion, and studies tend to focus on the negative aspects of introversion but the positive aspects of extraversion. I believe that this contributes to a bias against introversion in the workplace.

Many work environments and workplace practices don’t help introverts be at their best. 

Activities associated with self-promotion don't come naturally to introverts. Extraverts are often more talkative and expressive, which can be mistaken for confidence. Research shows that extraverted employees get more opportunities at work because their performance is more visible. So introverted leaders should look to raise their visibility and to self-promote.

When we went into lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, extraverted friends found it challenging not being able to interact with other people, whereas many introverts that I know thrived on being able to work from home and not having to go into an energy-draining open plan office. 

Meetings, interviews, networking, and other workplace practices favour extraversion. The way that many are conducted is not inclusive as it doesn’t allow for the thinking and processing of information that introverts have a preference for. Lots of social interaction can be draining and stressful, as can setups where on-the-spot responses are required.

All of this significantly impacts introverted women leaders, and even more so those with intersecting identities. It can impact hiring decisions and opportunities for introverts, particularly in roles that require higher degrees of sociability.

In a world that often celebrates the loudest voices, the strengths of introverted leaders are frequently overlooked. They excel at deep listening skills, thoughtful reflection, and one-on-one interactions. They are often good listeners and empathetic.

Knowing and understanding introversion will help you to better understand yourself, and your introverted team members and colleagues. Introversion is not something that needs to be “gotten over”: if we can see its strengths we can recognise it for the superpower that it is.

Quietly Visible: The Introverted Leaders Conference 2024 will take place on 13 September in ISH Venues in London.