Introverts Can Be Great Leaders

Do you consider yourself an introvert? If you are on the quieter side, you may have been led to think that you wouldn’t be a good leader. On the contrary, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Introverts have many qualities that make them a great fit for the right leadership positions in a wide variety of fields, including IT. If you have the following qualities and the drive to work toward it, then you may want to consider an IT career path that takes you into management. Here are three reasons introverts make great leaders:

You Know How to Listen

Are you a good listener? Introverts are known for being quiet and reserved. They take time to consider what they have heard before responding. This is a valuable asset because introverts have really thought things through before bringing their ideas to the table. This is an important leadership quality because a leader should not be rash, but rather weigh all options and outcomes before moving forward.

In addition to this thoughtful nature, introverts tend to be particularly suited to understanding how to draw out quieter team members by encouraging them to participate in discussion and help refine their ideas. This could also be achieved through one-to-one interaction, which is another strong point for introverts since they frequently do well in smaller groups. The ability to listen is crucial in both scenarios, because an active listener is able to let the audience know that they are being heard and understood.

You Take Time to Reflect

Introverts are not afraid of silence or solitude, and frequently enjoy taking time to come up with new ideas, think deeply, and make plans on their own. This inclination toward strategic thinking is an asset on a team, particularly in a leader who can remain true to project goals and company visions.

The ability to step back and reflect on a situation is a great leadership skill when it comes to handling employees as well. Sometimes it’s important to be able to recognize the right time to step away from a situation, cool off, or come at the problem from a different perspective after thinking on it for a time.

You Are Observant

It is well known that introverted people have a tendency to quietly observe situations while the more charismatic members of a group may take the initial lead. This can actually be a great quality in a leader because your ability to observe interactions gives you a unique perspective from which to work on the problem at hand.

Introverted leaders may give a group time to brainstorm before reining everyone back in and helping them focus on the best ideas. This gentle guidance can be exactly what a team needs because it allows for creativity and all team members can feel encouraged to participate.

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