Influence Of Extroverts

An Introvert’s Influence and Their Inherent Leadership Qualities

Teni Shamirian

Writing 1020F

Professor B. McQuaid

November 5, 2014 Why is it a common belief that all leaders, whether they are entrepreneurs, presidents, or civil rights activists, are extroverts? According to Carl G. Jung, extroversion is defined as the “concentration of interest on the external object” (Helgoe, 2008, p. 5). Furthermore, Jung states that introversion is described as the “orientation in life through subjective psychic contents” (Helgoe, 2008, p. 5). Given these terms, it is expected that one would assume leaders to possess qualities of an extrovert rather than an introvert to sufficiently carry out their responsibilities and expand their power. However, introverts

However, more than half of the world’s population consists of introverts (Helgoe, 2008). It is known that individuals who are introverted prefer a calm environment and regular solitude. An introvert’s preference to be alone reading a book on a Friday night rather than socializing with a group of friends for instance gives them an inner peace. In this case, introverts possess the quality of being calm and collected which is advantageous in a leadership role. There are various introverted leaders which benefited from these particular assets: Barack Obama, Mahatma Gandhi, and Charles Darwin (Cain, 2012). With a composed personality, leaders such as Obama and Gandhi can lead countries with a positive outlook and when conflicts arise, remain untroubled. Similarly, Darwin’s calm nature may have assisted him in appropriately responding to harsh criticisms of his work “On the Origin of Species”, as opposed to becoming distressed. As Cain (2012) claims, “introverted leaders possess an inherent caution that may be more valuable than we realize” (para. 12). President Barack Obama is a prime example of influential introverts in roles of leadership. Being a composed individual means exuding calm. During periods of crisis, introverts will present a comforting and calm confidence as opposed to the overbearing confidence of an extrovert. It is Obama’s responsibility to keep crowds under control when

Since introverts favor meaningful conversations over small talk, they are likely to delve into issues and develop concepts methodically. A study conducted by Nussbaum (2002, p. 188) concluded that introverts argue with a coconstructive style while extroverts are more conflictual in their communication. Nussbaum’s (2002, p. 188) statistics showed that approximately 5.53% of extroverts and approximately 33.95% of introverts made design claims. Design claims are defined as outlines of how resolutions must be planned. These statistics are evidence that introverts do not only seek solutions to issues, but also go into depth and outline every detail in order to be fully prepared. For instance, when a business meeting is conducted, the leader of the group has a few responsibilities: he or she would have to be prepared prior to the meeting, be impartial for all employees and colleagues, and focus on detail. It is significant to include that unlike extroverted individuals, introverts will not comply with one side of an argument and aim for convincing people to take their side. Instead, introverts and particularly introverted leaders will concentrate on in-depth analysis and attempt to evaluate solutions (Nussbaum, 2002, p. 189). During a meeting, the introverted leader will ask detailed questions and expect detailed answers. With these answers, they contribute by developing distinct conclusions of their