The short answer, is yes! While extroverts can offer charismatic leadership that makes the most of their enjoyment in public speaking, motivating their teams, and keeping an upbeat, inclusive corporate culture; introverts often lead with deep connections, a focus on legacy leadership, and a focus on solutions.
Deep connections are crucial in leadership. Introverts excel at mentoring individuals and small groups. Good listeners and thoughtful planners, they tend to encourage development and creative problem-solving, things that can help those around them achieve excellence.
Legacy leadership is about not only mentoring and supporting the teams you lead, but teaching other executives to lead by mentoring and encouraging growth as they rise in their own careers, leaving a lasting legacy of good leadership long after you have moved up and on. This focus on the long game as well as short-term goals is often seen in introverted leaders. They want to be the leaders and mentors they’d seek for themselves.
Solutions are where the efficiency, longevity, and productivity are. Introverted leaders spend less time presenting and discussing the problems and dive quickly into designing and implementing solutions.
Knowing yourself is one step to becoming a great business leader. When you know what your strengths and weaknesses are, you can play to the strengths and work on shoring up your weak spots. Introversion isn’t a reason to give up on leadership. Make the most of the strengths introversion offers, and learn to get comfortable with skills such as networking, public speaking, and promoting yourself as a great candidate. Introverts can lead!
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