When studying Goldberg’s (1990) “Big 5” personality traits, researchers Judge, Bono, Ilies, and Gerhardt (2002), found that extraversion was the trait most closely associated with leadership. They concluded that extraversion was the most important trait for effective leaders to possess (as cited in Northouse, p.27). In fact, even when not explicitly stated in a given study on leadership, traits commonly related to extraversion are typically ranked as most desirable for leaders. These are traits such as dominance, self-confidence, sociability and even intelligence. But does all of this research mean that an introverts leadership goals are hopeless?
Until recently, introverts labored under the stereotypes that their introversion meant they disliked being around people, were shy, and incapable of speaking in public. The description most commonly attributed to, and accepted by introverts is the idea that they are drained by too much interaction and must reenergize by retreating to solitude. In a poll of business executives, 65% said that introversion was a liability in the business world, while 96% reported being extroverts. Regardless, it does not follow that extroverts must be better leaders.
In 2014, author Susan Cain delivered a wildly popular TED talk based on her bestselling book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. After her talk became one the fastest TED videos ever to reach one million views, she has been widely credited with changing the perception of introverts. In the years since her book and TED talk, the numbers of people willing to identify as introverts has continued to grow, as the stigma has largely been removed. Today, a quick online search of “introversion and leadership” yields a trove of literature on why introverts actually make better leaders. In one such article in Forbes magazine, author Jennifer Kahnweiler argues that introverts think before speaking, seek depth over breadth in conversations, project calm in times of crisis, articulate their positions better in writing, and, of course, are energized by solitude. All of these characterstics, she claims, make introverts better leaders.
In fact, both extroverts and introverts can be suited to leadership roles. In keeping with the situational approach to leadership, “different situations demand different kinds of leadership” (Northouse, p. 93). In a study of Wharton students, Adam Grant found that both personality types excelled with different types of people. Extroverts were more effective when employees were passive and required a more directive approach. However, when employees are proactive and vocal in their ideas of how to improve work processes, an introvert’s skills were more effective. Grant suggests that while the extrovert’s assertiveness serves him well with passive workers, it tends to stifle proactive employees (Elliott, 2016). According to the situational approach, leaders, regardless of personality type, would be best served by determining the nature of a given task and developmental level of employees before adapting her or her leadership style to the situation. For Grants study, passive employees would benefit from a directive leadership which provides directions, goals, timelines, and shows how goals will be achieved. Proactive employees would then benefit from supportive leadership which involves seeking employee input, and providing social and emotional support (Northouse, p. 94).
As an introvert, it is heartening to see the change in attitudes toward introverted personality types. The fact is, I am more than capable of behaving like an extrovert. As a matter of fact, that is what I am required to do most days when I leave the house. The only difference between myself and a true extrovert is that at the end of the day, I need my quiet time to reenergize. In 1947, psychologist Hans Eysenck coined the term “ambivert”, which lies in the middle of the extrovert and introvert spectrum. Ambiverts are able to more easily adapt their approach to people since they do not lean too heavily in either direction. So, in the quest to discover who makes the better leader – extroverts or introverts – perhaps the answer is neither. Perhaps we all should be channeling our inner ambiverts.
References
Elliott, E. (2015). The Reason Introverts Make Better Leaders. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bryan-elliott/the-reason-introverts-mak_1_b_8365272.html
Kahnweiler, J. B. (2009). Why Introverts Can Make The Best Leaders. Forbes Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/30/introverts-good-leaders-leadership-managing-personality.html
Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
reg22 says
This was a very interesting piece that you wrote about a fascinating topic. I agree that we all should be thinking about our ambivert personality. I even think that many people that are coined ambiverts may just be introverts, but to a varying degree. Many introverts socialize easily; they just prefer not to. It has been written that “no person is totally introverted or extraverted. These are two extreme poles on a continuum which we all occupy. A majority of us lean toward the extraverted orientation, placing true introverted types in the statistical minority in most westernized cultures.” (Diamond, 2012)
Introverts and extroverts in my opinion can be capable leaders. This I believe to be true because of the fact that humans display both types of behaviors, they just favor one or the other. I agree that extraversion is the factor that is most strongly associated with leadership (Northouse, 2016), and the fact that all humans have some sort of extraversion means that we are all capable of being leaders. The question then is how effective are introverted leaders, or shall we say low extraverted leaders? A look at the Big Five Personality Traits shows us that there are four traits other than extraversion that are associated with effective leadership. With that being said, if the leader is known to be introverted, but displays strong aptitude in conscientiousness, openness, agreeableness, and has low neuroticism, I think that they can be effective.
Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Warren Buffet, and Gandhi are proclaimed introverts who have been successful and effective leaders. Extraversion certainly has its place at the table in the conversation of effective leadership, but just because some leaders appear quiet and reserved, doesn’t mean that they are not effective. The introvert may also display other traits that are central to being perceived as a leader. Traits such as intelligence, self-confidence, determination, and integrity are all traits that individuals may hope to have or learn in order to be noticed by others as leaders. (Northouse, 2016) The leaders that I mentioned certainly display many, if not all of these traits which makes them successful, effective, introverted leaders.
In extreme cases of introversion, those who prefer not to socialize, but also have a very difficult time with the act of socialization may struggle to become effective leaders for the very reason that there needs to be at least some degree of communication to be a leader. Those introverts that are extreme and struggle to even speak to followers will most likely be ineffective.
Those who display introversion, but can function in social settings, even though not entirely comfortable, can thrive as leaders by using other traits. It is important that traits that leaders possess have to be relevant to their particular situation, just because certain traits work in one situation, doesn’t mean that they work in all situations. (Northouse, 2016) This is proof that a high degree of extraversion doesn’t necessarily need to be found in all types of leaders or leadership situations. Introverts- there is hope.
Diamond, S.A. (2012). Essential Secrets of Psychotherapy: Jung’s Typology, Eudaemonology, and the Elusive Art of Happiness. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evil-deeds/201205/essential-secrets-psychotherapy-jungs-typology-eudaemonology-and-the-elusive
Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.