Developing Introvert Leaders

Imagine this: you’re in a concert hall. The lights go down and you draw your attention to the orchestra on stage. The conductor prepares to begin and listens out for a soft ‘ding’ from a triangle, the first note that goes out. Through the piece, the conductor will return his focus to the quiet ‘ding’ that rings in strategic bursts, setting the pace, the tone for the performance – making it the most important instrument in a full orchestra.

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Yet, no one talks about it. We assume that good timing is something that is too basic. When really, it’s something that needs to be continually worked at, something that needs to be achieved for a synchronised performance so that other instruments may shine.

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In a lot of ways, the introverts in your organisation, your team are like that. They do good work, often silently, building foundations and giving space for others to shine. And if you think about it, isn’t this at the heart of what makes a good leader? The acceptance that it’s about the team’s success, not theirs. That the best way forward isn’t just about implementing their good ideas. In this section, I’ll zero in on key skills that introverts often have and hope that, like me, you’ll start to see how the world would be better managed with more introverts in power.