THE INTROVERTED LEADER

The inspiration for this article came from reading Susan Cain’s excellent book, “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking.” This book is filled with inspiration, offering a simple read that allows one to understand introverted individuals. It serves as a valuable source of knowledge for refining traditional leadership models, becoming a crucial motivation in my coaching-focused leadership consulting work. It helps address the question: What is the profile of a leader? Can an introverted person be a leader? The goal is to understand that, despite societal pressure for people to be extroverted, this trait doesn’t always confer advantages that make them capable of being successful leaders.

Susan Cain’s research, as presented in the book, reveals that more than a third of the world’s population is introverted, a significantly substantial number that should not be overlooked. You can observe this in friend groups, families, and work environments. Much of the prejudice introverted individuals face arises from those who do not understand what it means to be introverted.

Even in the 19th century, Carl Jung was the first to popularize the terms introverted and extroverted. He believed that no one is purely introverted or purely extroverted, considering it madness if they were. Jung developed and refined the concepts of reflective and active for introverted and extroverted individuals. The general types of attitude distinguish themselves by the direction of their interest and the movement of their libido, while the functional types distinguish themselves by their behavior toward the object. For introverts, the focus is on the object, and introversion directs its focus toward the subject.

Jung also stated that there are two basic personality tendencies: introverted or extroverted. We naturally have two worlds: the inner and the outer, and unconsciously, we choose which one to prefer and develop further.

It is possible to define an introvert as an introspective person who needs to turn inward and explore their inner world. This introspection stems from a psychological characteristic where the person is more emotionally reserved. As a child, introverts tend to play alone, creating their world of creativity and joy. This wouldn’t be an issue if it weren’t for society, which, due to their different behavior compared to the majority (extroverts), often believes there’s something wrong with introverted individuals. This misconception is reinforced by parents who might incorrectly label their introverted children as having some problem hindering their social skills.

Being introverted is very different from being shy. Shy people experience discomfort and inhibition when interacting with others and the world, creating an unconscious barrier that triggers fear and shame. Shyness is characterized by obsessive concern about others’ attitudes, reactions, and thoughts, compromising one’s ability to achieve personal goals and leading to procrastination in life. It’s essential to note that shyness can also function as a defense mechanism, allowing individuals to assess new situations with caution and seek appropriate responses.

The societal pressure for people to be extroverted is believed to have started in the early 20th century when we shifted from valuing individuals for who they are (BEING) to admiring them for their representations and achievements (HAVING), a period known as the culture of personality. Susan describes in her work that the 20th century saw a frantic pursuit of possessions in a lively and intense economic structure, where the art of persuasion prevailed and went beyond relational limits, becoming a survival requirement. Self-help bestsellers became popular as a response to relational problems, such as Dale Carnegie’s 1936 book “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” which quickly became a sensation among executives and salespeople. Its cover promises the recipe for solving the most significant problems: relating well to people and influencing them in everyday life, business, work, and social contacts.

This pattern persists today, evident in everyday life. Examining the models adopted in schools, most companies, and numerous professional development and leadership training programs reveals a set of rules requiring children and adults to always work in groups, teams, etc. Unfortunately, these actions often result in the loss of great talents, inhibiting the abilities of introverted individuals by not placing them in environments that suit their stimulation preferences. The current societal model predominantly favors extroverted individuals, emphasizing the need for stimulation. The belief is that creativity and productivity must exclusively come from group settings, with tables of 4, 5, or more people working together, without divisions or walls, even in critical environments that require intense concentration.

One cannot meet the fundamental characteristics of individuals with one-size-fits-all rules; a systemic analysis is required. It has become common to claim that being introverted is not the right way to be, imposing a misguided expectation that one must be extroverted to achieve results and participate in social settings. This pressure may not only lead to isolation but also immense internal sadness, limiting intellectual capacity to produce extraordinary results due to a lack of understanding and respect for each individual’s unique characteristics. This is an immeasurable social mistake since introverted individuals are often creative, accurate, focused, detail-oriented, attentive, precise, with a more accurate inter-relational cognitive capacity than extroverts, less prone to unforeseen risks, making a significant difference in today’s world.

Being introverted is simply a matter of being reserved, especially in social settings. However, this is not a constant state but rather a series of moments. Extroverts require a lot of stimulation, while introverts feel more alive, active, and capable when, for part of their time, they are in quieter, more reserved, and tranquil environments. This is not always the case, but a significant part of the time, this peace brings an introspective centrality to oneself in the world.

Leadership acumen is intricately linked to emotional intelligence. Emotional cognitive abilities form the foundation for understanding the whole rather than the parts. One of the virtues that encompasses emotional capability is the ability to observe and perceive others and the environment they are in, understanding and comprehending details. Susan Cain presents in her book various research findings related to introverted leaders, providing numerous examples of admirable executives such as Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg, Larry Page (Google founder), Marissa Mayer (Yahoo CEO), Gandhi, Steve Wozniak (inventor of the first Apple computer), Charles Schwab (Charles Schwab Corporation), Bill Gates, Brenda Barnes (executive chairman of Sara Lee), James Copeland (former CEO of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu), Lou Gerstner (legendary IBM executive), Charles Darwin, Theodor Geidsel (Dr. Seuss), among others.

In his book, the concept of leadership is presented in which management guru Peter Drucker says, “Among the most effective leaders I’ve encountered and worked with in half a century,… Some locked themselves in their offices, and others were ultra-social. Some were quick and impulsive, while others studied the situation and took a long time to make a decision… The only personality trait I found in common among all of them was something they either lacked or had little of: ‘charisma,’ and the need for that term or what it signifies.” Upholding Drucker’s statement, management professor at Brigham Young University, Bradley Agle, studied the CEOs of 128 large companies and found that those considered charismatic by top executives had higher salaries but not better corporate performance.

Among other examples cited in the book is the description of the study by the renowned management theorist Jim Collins, who states that many of the best-performing companies at the end of the 20th century were led by what he calls “Level 5 Leaders.” These exceptional CEOs are known not for brilliance or charisma but for extreme humility combined with intense professional will. In his influential book “Good to Great,” he tells the story of Darwin Smith, who, like the eleven standout companies he thoroughly researched, realized that high-performance companies had something in common: the nature of their CEOs. All were led by modest individuals like Darwin Smith, cited as an undisputed example. Those who worked with these leaders tended to describe them with words like: quiet, humble, modest, reserved, shy, kind, gentle, and reluctant. The lesson, according to Collins, is clear. We don’t need giant personalities to transform our companies. We need leaders who build not their own ego but the institution they manage.

So, what do introverted leaders do differently? A possible answer can also come from another work cited in the book, the study by management professor Adam Grant of the Wharton School, who spent considerable time consulting the top 500 executives from Fortune magazine and military leaders—from Google to the U.S. Army and Navy, where he became convinced that existing research showing a correlation between extroversion and leadership did not tell the whole story. He concluded that, first, when he examined existing studies on personality and leadership in detail, he found that the correlation between extroversion and leadership was low. Second, these studies were often based on researchers’ perceptions of what constituted a good leader, as opposed to actual results. Personal opinion often reflects only cultural bias. However, what intrigued Grant the most was that existing research did not differentiate the various types of situations a leader may face. It may be that certain organizations and contexts are more suitable for introverted leadership styles, he thought, and others for extroverted approaches, but the studies did not make this distinction.

Grant had a theory about what types of circumstances would call for introverted leadership. His hypothesis was that extroverted leaders enhance group performance when employees are passive, but introverted leaders are more effective with proactive employees. To test this idea, he and two colleagues, Francesca Gino, a Priming expert and author of the excellent book “Sidetracked,” from the Harvard Business School, and researcher David Hofman from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina, conducted their own studies. Grant argues that it makes sense that introverts are only good at leading those who take initiative. Due to their inclination to listen to others and their lack of interest in dominating social situations, introverts tend to listen more and implement suggestions. Having benefited from their followers’ talents, they then tend to motivate them to be even more proactive. In other words, introverted leaders create virtuous circles of proactivity. In the studies, team members reported perceiving introverted leaders as more open and receptive to their ideas, which motivated them to work. On the other hand, extroverts may be so eager to make their mark that they risk missing out on good ideas from others and allowing workers to fall back into passivity. “Often, leaders end up talking too much,” says Francesca Gino, “and don’t listen to any of the ideas their subordinates try to give.” But with their natural ability to inspire, extroverted leaders are better at achieving results with passive workers.

Francesca Gino’s statement makes sense when you understand that groups follow the opinions of dominant and charismatic individuals present; recent research shows that 85% of people allow themselves to be followed, not to follow, even though there is no correlation, although it is true that not always the best speaker has the best ideas. This number is extremely significant in understanding Gino’s assertion that when extroverted leaders are in a group, they often monopolize conversations, opinions, and suggestions, which can overshadow others and diminish the ability to generate new ideas and perspectives, hindering possibilities beyond the vision and experience of some individuals.

Susan makes an interesting observation when she says that it is not surprising when observing the ideas of contemporary psychology. It seems that one cannot be in a group of people without instinctively mirroring them, imitating their opinions. Things that seem unique to each individual, as if attracted; one begins to imitate the beliefs of the people around, without even realizing what one is doing. Neuroscience today understands this fact, and it is worth noting that often thoughts, emotions, and feelings are modified and influenced to feel what the environment feels, depriving people of realizing what truly is.

As most people have the characteristic of following and being led, it is important to reflect that leaders play a fundamental role in shaping the organizational climate and results, be it of their team, projects, or companies. Neuroscience today explains that the seven senses are the gateway to our brain, namely: touch, vision, hearing, smell, taste, movement, and balance. With these senses combined with lived experiences, the brain analyzes information before cognition; its reports are precise and condensed, shaping emotion, feeling, and thought. Emotion is an affective experience that appears suddenly and is triggered by an exciting object or situation, provoking many motor and glandular reactions, as well as altering the affective state. Conscious and unconscious aspects are contextualized in the world and, as such, live surrounded by objects, situations, and other people with whom there is interaction. Feeling is the awareness of emotions interpreted by the mind in a sum of experiences with the context of the environment in which it is inserted, stimulated through internal processes, among others, mirror neurons.

To understand this process, it is necessary to understand that mirror neurons are found in the areas of the pre-motor cortex and inferior parietal associated with movement and perception, as well as in the posterior parietal lobe, superior temporal sulcus, and insula, regions that correspond to our ability to understand the feelings of another person, resulting in emotional intelligence. The brain associates the actions and reactions of people, conducts an analysis of the context and environment, precedes its planning, adapting behavior. It appears that the perception of the senses initiates a kind of internal simulation or duplication of the actions of others, mentally imitating everything observed. Understanding the intentions of others is fundamental for social behavior, and human mirror neurons seem to confer this ability in an experiment designed to test their recognition of intentions. In communication, this discovery has brought a new direction to behavioral studies and the understanding of the capacity to influence and be influenced by the environment. This is extremely relevant when one realizes that this ability can influence a more harmonious or aggressive work environment, heated discussions that can lead to disaster, and public manifestations that reach chaos. Humans act according to the environment, and this is how the human brain makes neural comparisons with what is being observed so that unconsciously it finds balance in behavior with the environment and thus be accepted. It is through mirror neurons that it is increasingly certain that humans practically live on “autopilot” and have very little capacity to take control of social attitudes and actions.

Another relevant factor to be considered is the theory created by Shizad Chamine, described in his book “Positive Intelligence,” which identifies the 10 biggest saboteurs that people develop throughout their lives. Many of these saboteurs are more common in extroverted individuals, especially in leadership positions. Since they are mainly linked to excessive exposure and the need to talk too much and attract attention. According to Chamine, every individual has saboteurs, which are true internal enemies that create behavior patterns in response to everyday life situations. Understanding them reveals that they are more evident in extroverted behaviors. In a summary presented by the Electronic Magazine Well-Being (GNT), here are the main saboteurs presented in the book:

– The Critic: Often mistaken as the voice of reason, it is considered the main saboteur due to the destructive potential it carries. This enemy of the mind makes the individual find excessive flaws in oneself, others, and situations, generating anxiety, stress, and guilt.

– The Hyper-Achiever: This sabotaging profile tells the individual that they are only worthy of validation and respect if they have excellent performance and constant achievements. It often fuels the work addiction, as if emotional needs and relationships were less important.

– The Victim: To gain attention and affection, this enemy of the mind encourages temperamental and emotional reactions in any adverse situation. Opposite to the hyper-achiever, it values feelings to the extreme and creates a sense of martyrdom that undermines mental and emotional energies.

– The Controller: The greatest need of this sabotaging profile is to be in charge, direct actions, and control situations. It may even achieve short-term results from a group of people, but in the long run, it generates resentment in others that hinders relationships and prevents the group from exercising its full capacity.

– The Avoider: Focusing only on the positive and pleasant aspects of a situation causes this saboteur to encourage the mind to postpone solutions and avoid conflicts, even if they are necessary. The problem is that, commonly, the result of behavior based on this is the explosion of suppressed conflicts that have been set aside.

Understanding that everyone has saboteurs and that they can become an enemy when one does not have emotional control over the environment, it is observed that they end up becoming villains to themselves and the people who are part of the context, project, company, or even socially, especially when they have extroverted aptitudes to dominate conversations, meetings, or various social situations.

Bar-On says in his book that a fundamental principle of emotional intelligence is its introspective ability to recognize it, and what differs in introverts is their ability to perceive their state, which enhances their ability to achieve adaptive processes, expanding their potential to overcome challenges. Understanding how to maximize the contributions of these characteristics becomes an important tool for all leaders. It’s crucial that schools and companies cultivate both good listeners and good speakers for leadership roles. Grant says that popular press is full of suggestions that introverted leaders should practice their public speaking skills and smile more. However, Grant’s research shows that, at least in one important aspect—encouraging employees to take initiatives—introverted leaders would do well to continue doing what they naturally do. Extroverted leaders, on the other hand, “might want to adopt a more reserved and quiet style,” writes Grant. They might need to learn to sit so that others can stand.

As Susan points out in her work, let it be clear that at no point is the importance of social skills being criticized or undermined, nor is group work being abolished. Rather, it’s about understanding that the problems faced today in fields that require precision, such as science and economics, among others, are so vast and complex that armies and people need to come together to solve them, working together. However, the more freedom introverts are given to be themselves, the greater the likelihood that they will come up with original and often innovative, creative solutions to these problems. Moreover, it’s necessary to break the societal paradigm that there’s only one profile to be a leader and that people should, as a rule, be extroverted. In some way, encouraging this ambivert perspective is needed, especially when considering creativity and productivity. In a recent study, psychologists observed the lives of a group of creative individuals, concluding that they are very good at exchanging and developing ideas but also have strong introverted traits. This is because solitude is often a crucial ingredient for reflection and, consequently, creativity.

That’s why it’s very important, at times, to stop and take a breath to realize what one’s own ideas, perspectives, and emotions truly are, freeing oneself from distortions of social and group dynamics. Knowing how to bring something to oneself, developing one’s own introspection, and then creating a suitable environment for a true brainstorming session with one’s team and group are essential. It’s about creating truly idea-exchanging environments rather than spaces for discussions dominated by a few.

For this, here’s Susan Cain’s suggestion:

1. Stop the madness of working only in groups. Let it be clear: offices should encourage casual interactions, coffee conversations, where people gather and suddenly exchange ideas. This is great, great for introverts and extroverts. But much more privacy, freedom, and autonomy are needed at work. The same goes for school! It’s essential to teach children to work together, but it’s also necessary to teach them to work alone. This is particularly important for extroverted children. They need to work alone because that’s where deeper thoughts come from.

2. Go to nature. Be a “buddha” and have your own revelations. This doesn’t mean everyone should go into the woods, build cabins, and isolate themselves to never talk to each other again. But everyone should disconnect and listen to their inner selves much more often. Let go of the automatic that life drives.

3. Take a good look at what’s inside your own story, the experiences you’ve already lived, and why they exist. Whether introverted or extroverted, everyone has countless experiences and knowledge to offer. And those things, whenever possible, should be shared with people with energy and joy. But introverts, be yourselves, probably with the inclination to carefully guard what’s inside you, occasionally, only occasionally, open your minds for others to see because the world needs you and the things you carry.

In conclusion, recognizing and embracing the diverse strengths of both introverted and extroverted leaders is essential for fostering innovation and creativity in various fields. Susan Cain’s insights shed light on the need for a balance between individual and collaborative work environments, emphasizing the importance of solitude for deeper introspection and creativity.

Leaders, whether introverted or extroverted, should be encouraged to leverage their unique qualities. For introverts, this involves creating environments that allow for thoughtful reflection and idea generation. On the other hand, extroverted leaders may benefit from adopting more reserved styles, giving space for others to contribute actively.

In the ever-evolving landscape of leadership, understanding and appreciating the introvert’s inclination towards introspection and the extrovert’s proficiency in collaboration can lead to more effective and harmonious work environments.

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Hello, I’m Marcello de Souza! I started my career in 1997 as a leader and manager of a large company in the IT and Telecom market. Since then, I have been involved in major projects structuring, implementing, and optimizing telecommunications networks in Brazil. Restless and passionate about behavioral and social psychology. In 2008, I decided to delve into the universe of the human mind. Since then, I have become a professional passionate about unraveling the secrets of human behavior and catalyzing positive changes in individuals and organizations. A Ph.D. in Social Psychology, with over 25 years of experience in Cognitive Behavioral Development & Human Organization. With a broad career, I highlight my roles as:

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