By Guest Blogger Eva Wislow
[November 5, 2017] Leading a group of individuals is not a simple task. Every one of us must have had the chance to lead an activity or operation. You must have felt the responsibility which lied on your shoulders. Well, when people count on you, that automatically makes you the “person in charge”, or simply said…the leader.
In case you’re an introvert, you might find this responsibility rather challenging. How could you, the one who’s never in the center of attention, rule over other people? Well, every introvert that negatively judges his capacities to be great at this role is doing a huge mistake.
Being an introvert doesn’t mean being socially disoriented or socially incompetent. In fact, it symbolizes the nature of your personality, displaying the qualities and traits that introverts usually present.
Well, here are 5 things that every introvert should grasp and understand about leadership:
1. Learning Through Listening is Key
Nowadays, listening is a rarely met quality. Most people rush to speak, without actually focusing on what the other person says or does. This is a serious problem that, fortunately for introverts, does not exist. A person who’s used to shut up will rarely rush to think of replies. He’ll finish listening to what the other person has to say, take the time to build a response, and deliver a quality feedback.
2. Empathy Pays Off Big Time
Emotional intelligence is considered to be the most important trait that a leader could have. To be able to control your emotions and use your empathy to connect with your team – great traits of great leaders. Put yourself in your employee’s shoes and figure out what their deepest needs and desires are.
3. Saying More Doesn’t Necessarily Bring More Value
A leader that speaks but doesn’t act will never be as valuable as a leader who acts and speaks less. Introverts usually do that. They have a lot of lonely moments; these moments allow them to reflect upon their problems, find solutions and implement optimizations. You’d better execute more often and speak less frequently.
4. Every Quality Should Be Leveraged
An introvert should be aware that his “born traits” should be consistently exercised. Instead of fixing your disadvantages, focus on improving your talents instead. Each professional excels at something, and when he does, nothing matters anymore. He will become needed and wanted even if he lacks the skills of an extrovert!
5. Introverts Can Be Great Leaders
If you have a limiting belief that says that you “can’t be a great leader” because you’re an introvert, well, you need to get rid of it immediately. This type of beliefs exists only in your mind. They hold you tight, and they wouldn’t allow you to overstep your boundaries for no reason.
Once you become aware of your little limiting “monsters” (beliefs) and commit to replacing them, you should be able to materialize all of your dreams and become a more effective leader.
Conclusion
Being an introvert doesn’t bring disadvantages to your leadership efforts. In fact, if you know how to turn your potential in the right direction, you can accomplish great things. There are many examples of famous leaders who will be always remembered who happened to be introverts. Therefore, you have no excuses for not pursuing your leadership spirit and your higher aspirations like all these great individuals did.
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Biography: Eva Wislow is a career coach and HR expert at CareersBooster.com resume online service. She is focusing on helping people break down their limits, find a dream job and achieve life and career success. Eva finds her inspiration in writing and peace of mind through yoga. Follow Eva on Twitter.