Why Introverts Make Great Leaders

Everyone wants to work for or become a great leader, but so few have the talents and temperament to succeed. In a survey conducted by Gallup, researchers discovered several talents that all great leaders should have, including the ability to motivate people, build trust, and create relationships marked by open dialogue and full transparency.

Although many people tend to underestimate introverts and their ability to become great leaders, they often surpass expectations and become phenomenal leaders.

Famous introverted leaders include people like Abraham Lincoln, Steven Spielberg, and many others. The following list are seven reasons why introverts make great leaders.

1. Introverts never stop learning.

When leaders depend on their previous knowledge to carry them into their leadership roles, they often end up becoming stagnant in their roles. One study found that when leaders go through leadership training, their performance increases by 20% on average.

Introverts are wired for learning. Most training programs require long hours of reading and reflection. Not only are introverts capable of spending the alone time to complete their work, but they’re often more likely to use their observations to apply the learning to their workplace situations.

Even when they don’t go through extra leadership training, they’re constantly staying up to date on the newest information. Many introverts thrive in careers that require them to continue learning.

Many fields require continuing education for their employees, much to the dismay of some employees. However, taking time to learn something new is rarely a point of frustration for introverts.

2. Introverts are great listeners.

People often think of leaders as people who do the talking, but truly great leaders know how to listen. One of the most common traits of an introvert is their ability to listen. Introverts are constantly listening to conversation and paying attention to details others might miss while they’re busy talking.

Their great listening skills often make them gifted leaders, as they remember important things about the people who work under them. This trait also makes them gifted at mediating disagreements, since they’re listening to understand instead of listening to respond.

We talked to one introvert who said he always notices when people are talking without a shared understanding of the topic they’re discussing. This has allowed him to bridge gaps in communication between people on his team.

3. When introverts speak, they add value to the conversation.

Introverts are often best-known for their silence. They aren’t often the first ones to add comments in a conversation. When they do speak, though, they often add significant value to the conversation.

We talked to one extrovert who had this to say about her introverted husband: “When he does talk, it’s either brilliant or hilarious.”

When soft-spoken take the leap and speak up, people often listen. Introverts often use the things they’ve observed while listening to bring the most to their portion of the conversation. They’re often the last to speak at meetings, but often find the solutions to problems others are having.

These are traits that make them perfect for leadership positions. Instead of loudly imposing their views on a group of people, they carefully weigh their words to make the most impact. Their contributions are often carefully considered and phrased, providing significant value.

4. Introverts form close connections with others.

Introverts often build close connections with the people that mean the most to them. While this ordinarily happens with people in their family and social circles, they also build deep connections with people they work with.

It takes longer for introverts to develop bonds. When they do, though, these bonds are high-quality connections that benefit both parties. On the surface, this doesn’t necessarily look like an important leadership skill. However, most people want to work for leaders that build a close connection with them.

When introverts are personally invested in a working relationship, their loyalty will always benefit others. While there are obviously some exceptions to the rule, introverts tend to be more altruistic and others-focused than extroverts. This makes them gifted leaders.

5. Introverts are trustworthy.

Trustworthiness is a very important trait for leaders to have. When people work for a leader, they want to know that their leader is someone who won’t burn them down the road.

When introverts listen to the concerns of others, their subordinates can trust that they won’t turn around and gossip about what’s been shared.

Their intentional words, loyalty, and kindness make them trustworthy leaders. When a leader is trustworthy, subordinates are motivated. This helps the organization and the individuals who support it to thrive.

6. Introverts are humble.

Humility isn’t often a trait we think about when we think of good leaders. However, most people have an experience where they’ve been turned out by a person’s egotistic demeanor. Introverts tend to carry themselves differently. Their humility is a quality that makes them gifted leaders.

Unfortunately, their humility often causes them to pass up opportunities for leadership. They often undervalue their gifts and leadership qualities, causing many introverts to be underutilized in the organizations where they work.

When they’re prepared for leadership, they often carry themselves with a quiet confidence that draws other people in. Since they’re less likely to boast about the things they’ve accomplished, few people are ever turned off by their speech.

Best of all, their humility makes them an advocate for the people who work under them. Instead of seeing their team’s success as taking away from their own achievements, they know that helping others succeed only adds to the value of the organization. They often welcome new ideas and consider suggestions, even at the expense of their own.

7. Introverts are gifted problem solvers.

Introverts are great at solving problems. When they’re faced with a problem, they often continue looking for a solution until they’ve found one. This gift for problem-solving is an important one, especially for leaders.

In some ways, leadership is just a series of problems that need creative solutions.

When faced with difficult decisions or seemingly unsolvable problems, introverted leaders will consider all facets of a problem to come up with a creative solution.