Introverts Make Great Leaders Too

As a result of a number of conversations I have had recently about my TEDx talk Introverts Make Great Leaders Too (which I did earlier this year), I have decided to do this week's newsletter a bit different.

I am showing my TEDx talk and invite you to have a Q&A with me.

The video is 12 minutes long and if you don't have time to watch it all now, bookmark it and watch it when you can. I have highlighted key points and their timings below that you can go straight to if you want to.

00:42 - 01:35 Misconceptions about introversion

01:36 - 04:06 - 73% of introverted women who are senior leaders surveyed said they experienced self-doubt. This often arises from childhood experiences that led them to believe they were not good enough because they were introverted. Something we still see happening with children today.

04:07 - 06:27 - Historically in many parts of the West, extroverted traits have been associated with good leadership, and the corporate environment is very much geared towards extroversion. Whereas Nordic countries and certain Asian countries such as China and Japan embrace introversion as a leadership quality.

06:28 - 10:41 - Understanding what introversion is, the differences between introversion and extroversion, and some of the strengths introverted leaders are well known for.

10:42 - 11:03 - Embracing difference makes organisations dynamic and when organisations are looking at diversity and inclusion, they need to consider diversity of thought and personality as well.

11:04 - 12:03 - Final thoughts for you to think about if you are an introverted leader; an extrovert who appoints leaders; or the parent, carer or teacher of an introverted child.

If you have questions about how to be your best self as a leader who is introverted, please ask in the comments. Or if you want to share your experience as an introverted leader and how you have overcome challenges and obstacles, and thrived, please share in the comments too. Let's have a discussion and I will respond to as many comments as possible.

About Me

I am an Executive, Career and Leadership Coach, known as The Coach for High Achieving Introverted Women, and 3 x LinkedIn Top Voice UK. I coach women who are senior leaders to be visible, to confidently exude presence, to influence, and make an impact. I also provide workshops, webinars and talks on personal development, career development and leadership development.

If you are an introverted woman and a senior leader and want to increase your confidence, influence and impact, take my free assessment and get a report identifying areas to develop. You can take the assessment here. 

My book Quietly Visible: Leading with Influence and Impact as an Introverted Woman addresses many of the challenges that introverted women face as leaders and shows how these challenges can be overcome. It was listed as one of the 10 best self-development books written by women to read during lockdown by BeYourOwn. You can get your copy here along with a FREE recording of my How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome workshop.