You Don’t Have To Be Outgoing To Be a Great Leader

  • Share
  • Read Later

Not all entrepreneurs are born leaders. Some may just be people with great ideas who were thrust into leadership positions when they launched their own company.

But people who aren’t extroverts can still be strong leaders. In fact, introverts may have some leadership characteristics that can make them very successful, like the ability to see projects through to completion, let others shine and let results speak for themselves.

Regardless of what type of leader you are, consider taking a personality test like the Myers-Briggs. Your type may include classifications like intuition, thinking and judging that could make for great leadership traits.

Surround yourself with people who complement your strengths (a must for any leader). Author Les McKeown says the best introverted leaders focus on accomplishing one important goal at a time. That kind of “serial success” may not be a great fit for organizations that are easily distracted, but you can always delegate the latest request to someone you trust so you don’t get distracted. It’s exactly that kind of focus, like long-term brand-building, that delivers results.

It may be the brash CEOs who grab all the media attention, but there’s plenty of room for quiet leaders who deliver real results.

Adapted from Leadership for Introverts by Joe Taylor at Small Business Computing.