talent tips Why Introverts Also Make Great Leaders Draw upon the strengths of introverted leaders in your midst — they can add a powerful voice to your leadership roster. BY ROY SAUNDERSON T Roy Saunderson is author of “GIVING the Real Recognition Way” and Chief Learning Officer at Rideau Recognition Solutions. His consulting and learning skills focus on helping companies “give real recognition the right way wherever they are.” For recognition insights, visit: http:// AuthenticRecognition. com. For more information, e-mail him at RoySaunderson@ Rideau.com or visit www.Rideau.com. here is a tendency in our busy, workaholic North American culture to think all of our leaders must be extroverts. But I would like to build the case for considering the introverts who are all around us for the leadership roles you need filled. Introversion and extroversion are simply person-ality traits, which make each of us extra special. Take into account what Susan Cain, author of “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking,” reported in her book: A third to maybe half of us are likely introverts by nature. You must not cut off that rich supply of talented people from being considered on your leadership team. Where would our world be without leaders such as Gandhi, Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, or business leaders such as Douglas Conant of Campbell Soup, Steve Wozniak at Apple, or Larry Page from Google? All are regarded as introverts. A FEW WORDS ABOUT EXTROVERTS If you are an extrovert—or know any—you know they have a tendency to talk out loud when they think. Their overt display of behaviors causes us to think extroverts are more charismatic, friendly, and sociable in nature. Extroverts are much more action oriented and are observed getting others moving on complet-ing tasks and assignments. They tap into people’s energy from being with them and become ener-getic themselves. However, as with all things in life, there is a downside to extroversion. Sometimes extroverts can come across as seeking attention and are eas-ily distracted by outside stimulation. In fact, they often have a hard time being on their own. They can drown out ideas and the potential of people by highlighting their own thoughts and strengths. It is done with no wrong intent, but the quiet ones in the room tend to shut down. NOW FOR THE INTROVERTS IN THE ROOM introversion continuum. But let’s get a quick grasp of introversion. To be an introvert, you are someone who tends to turn mentally inside of yourself. If you are one, you know you are more likely to avoid large groups and you can be happy and even ener-gized by being alone. You don’t need external sources of stimulation to be fulfilled. You are at peace in your own skin, and you focus on your feelings. Leaders who are introverts will formulate their thoughts first in their own mind before ever voic-ing them to others. They take time to think and process information before generating ideas or expressing them. Only then will they make the effort to share them out loud, and even then, they may do so through others. So don’t question introverts as not being smart simply because they don’t say much or speak up right away. When they do speak, just make sure you’re paying attention to what they say and write it down because it likely will be powerful. DRAWING UPON YOUR INTROVERTED LEADERS Naturally, most people are not a pure extrovert or introvert. There is usually an extroversion-62 Today’s biggest asset is new ideas and the demand for innovative ways of doing things. Our intro-verted geniuses need solitude to generate their creative ideas. This may mean you have to re-consider the open office set-up and the constant demand for working in teams. Researcher and Wharton School of Business professor Adam Grant discovered that introvert leaders have a tendency to deliver better results than extroverts because they give employees greater freedom to explore their own ideas with-out dominating or railroading the thoughts of others with their own ideas. In our increasingly digital age, you will need leaders who can humanize technology and con-nect well with your global customers. Introverts are the best listeners and can engage in thought-ful discussion by asking great questions of people and not talking over them. www.trainingmag.com | MAY/JUNE 2017  training