Forbes: 3 Reasons Introverts Make Awesome Business Leaders
- taylorruby18
- Sep 19, 2014
- 3 min read
When I initially began brainstorming for the topic of this blog, I wanted to discuss something other than an article from Forbes because I had done that last week. When I came upon this article yesterday, I could not resist the temptation. It is far too relevant to my life to ignore! Below is the Link for the article.
3 Reason Introverts Make Awesome Business Leaders
I have actually done multiple school projects on the topic of introversion. A common misconception about introverts is that they are quiet and shy. Although many introverts possess these attributes, that is not what the word introvert means. My research has shown me that introversion is a personality type, not just an adjective. Introverts are fueled by time alone, although this does not mean that they dread being with other people. Some of the introverts I know are also some of the most social people I know! I, myself, am an introvert and have always been captivated by this topic.
The purpose of this post, though, is not to define the word introvert. Instead, I would like to examine the valid points that this article makes. Society often implies that introverts cannot be leaders. This article proves that introverts can actually be the most effective leaders in the world! The Huffington Post published a list of wildly successful leaders. Among this list is Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and George Stephanopoulos. The link to that article is below:
In regards to the Forbes article, I would like to briefly touch on each reason why Introverts can be great leaders. First, Forbes says that introverts "keep the balance." I could not agree more. Introverts have an outstanding ability to listen, which allows them to hear the arguments of the opposing sides and reflect upon those differing opinions.
Also, it is mentioned that companies mostly hire extroverts because they interview well. I had NEVER thought of the topic in this light but it is so true! Introverts may not be the most bubbly person to interview, but what if that bubbly person does not know how to create a pivot table and analyze the data given? What if the introverted person does? Unfortunately, this is probably one of the biggest flaws in the interview process.
To return to the article, Forbes also says that introverts "offer a different side." Introverts tend to think from a different perspective than extroverts, due to the nature of the different personalities. I actually think the difference in thought processes is a great thing! Because of our differences, we can learn from each other and use each other to make wiser decisions. How wonderful! While extroverts may pay attention to the big picture, introverts often notice the small details. Introverts can function as the magnifying glass that can be used to examine your yearly reports.
Lastly, forbes says that introverts "keep the work environment from getting stagnant." As I said before, introverts and extroverts think in different ways. The only way that we can harness the power of these differences is by challenging ourselves! If an office were to be filled with 10 Taylor's, there probably would not be a whole lot of growth. The differences are necessary in order to create new products, fix existing problems and prevent from having new ones! Having introverts in an office can help facilitate the creation and evolvement of ideas.
The next time you meet someone new, consider who they are. Are they an extrovert? An introvert? Are they different from you or a lot of the people you know? If so, how can those differences help you?
Acknowledgement: All of the above statements are relative. Each person is made up of many different qualities and aspects of their personality that influence their behaviors. These are just noticable trends.
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