BETA
This is a BETA experience. You may opt-out by clicking here

More From Forbes

Edit Story

Introverts No Longer the Quiet Followers of Extroverts

Following
This article is more than 10 years old.

It has long been believed that the natural leaders of our society were the extroverted types, those that were– outspoken, sociable, and decisive. Those that were quiet, a bit more passive and less sociable – the introverts – were thought of as people who were only suited for behind the scenes or back office work. They were certainly not perceived as leaders. Indeed, it seems as though most leaders are extroverts or at least manage to act like an extrovert.  But to be an effective leader we extroverts must learn to work more effectively with introverts.  As an extrovert I have had to struggle with this.  Thankfully research over the last five years has some great answers.  I want to tell you about them.

The terms extrovert and introvert are well known in business.  We have heard about them mainly from the very popular Meyers- Briggs test. It has been around for decades but still very popular, nearly two million of these tests are conducted every year. In a 1996 sample of over 914,219 Americans, slightly over half were introverts, so working with them more effectively is important.

In her great new book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, author Susan Cain takes on the commonly held view that extroverts, not introverts, make the best leaders  and effectively demolishes it. Cain argues that over the past century there has been a  shift in society, from a culture of character to a culture of personality. During the 1920s and 1930s Cain sights the perfect storm of the rise of business, immigration, and urbanization in generating this shift. It is a shift from truth to perception and it is this shift that generated the “Extroverted Ideal,” an idea that still permeates our culture. But the question is - does this conception really hold? Are extroverts truly better leaders than introverts?

The answer of course is complicated, and is certainly not an absolute. There have been many excellent leaders that have been characterized as introverts – Rosa Parks, Abraham Lincoln, and Bill Gates to name a few. Cain is quick to point out that it is important for businesses around the world to differentiate between those who are outspoken and those who are truly leaders. All too often leadership is seen as the ability to speak well in public, to be persuasive, to be loud. Harvard Business School Professor Quinn Mills,  leadership expert, argues that extroverts too often fall prey to a sort of ‘winner’s curse’ in that ego often pushes discussion and decisions in the wrong direction.  He believes that extroverts are often more prone to riskier behaviour, and their “decisive” actions can often be less than fully thought out. One CEO is quoted by Cain as stating “We need leaders who build not their own ego, but the institutions around them.” Introverted leaders offer an alternative.  Certainly our view of introverted leaders is more positive than a decade, or even 5 years ago, as researchers continue to push forward our understanding of this half of the population. In a more practical vein:

Here are a couple thoughts on how to get the most out of your introverted leaders and employees:

1. Don’t dismiss the quiet leaders – Make sure that the quiet leaders are heard and acknowledged. Introverted leaders can add great value to a firm and have important qualities that extroverts lack so make sure they are heard. Introverted leaders are may be more quiet, but the flip side is that they are often more reflective and critical of situations. An excellent way to encourage greater discussion with introverted employees is to make sure they receive all material about what is being discussed beforehand so they have time to process and reflect on the discussion points. This will allow for a richer discussion and more accessible environment. Also try and meet with introverted employees in smaller groups, allowing them to interact in a less stimulating environment. This will help to ensure that they do not feel as overwhelmed and will allow for their greater participation in discussion.

2. Think about the people they are leading – You need different kinds of people to lead different teams and projects. Research done  by a team of faculty from Harvard, Wharton, and UNCT has shown that introverted leaders are more effective than extroverted leaders when dealing with proactive employees. Extroverted leaders are more effective when dealing with employees who are more passive. Introverted leaders are more likely to apply suggestions made by employees, and are less likely to modify these suggestions and make them their own. They are also more likely to let employees try out new strategies and spend more time listening to those that they lead. Extroverted leaders tend to be better at inspiring otherwise uninspired troops but are more likely to try and put their own mark on whatever work employees come up with.

3. Make the office space and work day right for everyone – Allow for a mix of introverted and extroverted spaces when shaping an office space. It is important to have areas where employees can interact and communicate. It is equally important however to have space where employees can be alone and work undisturbed. Current offices have moved towards a more open area concept where all employees work in sight of each other and are able to communicate freely, always. To many this might seem like the ideal work environment especially when compared to the stereotypical cubicle farm that characterized previous office designs. For more introverted workers this type of environment can represent serious problems. Introverts tend to recharge their batteries alone, while extroverts tend to gain energy from participating in group situations.  Firms need to make sure that they are allowing for both sides of the spectrum and everything in between to get the opportunity to  recharge. Creating open office spaces does not allow for areas for introverts to work alone and really center themselves for the day. Work days are now so often characterized by group collaboration and meeting that some employees can often feel overwhelmed with all the interaction. There have also been studies conducted that suggest that these types of open office space can actually prove distracting to many employees and lead to lower productivity. In the end it is important that office space and work schedules offer time for both interaction as well as solitude.

Finally it is critical to acknowledge how important it is for introverts and extroverts to learn from each other. Just because a person has introverted or extroverted tendencies doesn’t mean they can’t learn from and utilize traits from the other end of the spectrum. Cain acknowledges that often introverts will need to become at least pseudo extroverts to help them accomplish certain goals. Extroverts can also take a page out of the introvert book and slow down a little in order to reflect. Reflection is a critical tool to overall learning and it benefits everyone, not simply introverts. By understanding and embracing one’s inner tendencies as well as acknowledging and utilizing those preferences in employees, firms will be able to garner the best results from all their employees, not just the louds ones.

As an extrovert, I very much appreciated the recent research focusing on the value that introverts bring to the table.  I  need to talk less and listen more as a leader, a bit of a stretch for an extrovert, but a necessary discipline.  Love to hear from you about your experiences and thoughts on this topic.

Take the Quiet Quiz - Are You An Introvert or An Extrovert?

This post was written with Emma Bambrick, an oustanding research assistant of mine here at McGill.