November 30, 2009 – Forbes – USA
They draw on important strengths that extroverts may not have.
“Most people don’t know that I’m an introvert.”
I hear this confession from surprisingly many successful executives. Quite a few, in fact, talk at length with me about their introversion, speaking candidly and often cathartically Why Introverts Can Make The Best Leaders
about their experiences. Most also admit that at some point in their leadership journey they’ve had to work to overcome being disregarded or misunderstood because of their quiet temperament.
How do these introverted leaders do it? How do they thrive in the extroverted business world? They seek to understand–and play to–their strengths.
It has been reported that a full 40% of executives describe themselves as introverts, including Microsoft’s ( MSFT – news – people ) Bill Gates, the über-investors Warren Buffett and Charles Schwab, Avon’s chief executive, Andrea Jung, and the late publishing giant Katharine Graham. Odds are President Barack Obama is an innie as well. What does that mean? That introverts, not just extroverts, have the right stuff to lead organizations in a go-go, extroverted business culture. Here are five key characteristics that help introverted leaders build on their quiet strength and succeed. Read Story.
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