Can introverted people be good leaders?

Question

Can introverted people lead? Can they lead extroverted people or just equally introverted people? In which conditions?

Answer 1

A very good question. I think from my own experience neither introverts or extroverts make very effective leaders.
Introverts tend to have communication problems and people Miss-understand their orders. As well as finding them confusing as they lack confidence to make a firm decision.
Extroverts often make mistakes due to not thinking things through properly, Also they have real problems empathising with the needs of others. Because they're to centred on themselves.
The very best leaders are those who are a little of both.
Driven and focused yet thoughtful and understanding. They also make by far the best problem solvers.

Answer 2

I like Coralicio's answer. People will trust an introverted leader in certain situations more perhaps than an extrovert. One example would be during war--you wouldn't want someone who goes off half-crazy issuing orders and then countering them the next minute. You would want thoughtful, concise, decisive, insightful decisions, not impulsive ones.

Being a leader depends more on the ability to size up a situation and give the appropriate response. Sometimes it may mean the extrovert has to step forward and say to a superior that that person is wrong and be able to stand firm for his team. If it were a corporate setting and the introvert disliked controversy, he and his team could be walked all over. They could lose a big contract, fail to get out important information--media withholding political action that adversely affects the nation, a chemist not notifiying the public of a dangerous product or action...

For every leader, there has to be people who are willing to sublimate their own feelings and be led for the greater good.

Answer 3

Yes, but the style in which they might lead would be different from that of an extrovert. I am a slightly introverted person, but I have led before with positive results. My problem is I can not and will not tell someone that my way is the only way of doing something. That would be a lie.
My role when I lead is more to make sure everyone works together towards the goal. I don't force ideas on people. I encourage discussion. I become somewhat of a peacekeeping moderator of sorts.

Answer 4

The best thing for an introverted person to find is an extroverted person that they can lead. Just one person that admires them for their intelligence or power. With the help of this extrovert they'll be able to accomplish all their goals. If not, an introverted person will have a hard time dealing with people that are extroverted because society thinks of that as a quality.

Answer 5

"Yes adrice_ro! Carl Jung came to mind when I read your question. Jung was a confirmed introvert in his youth; however, he became tthe leader in Psychology, besides Freud, in his day.
Many scientists have been introverted. I've read Oppenheimer, the father of the bomb, was introverted. Many present day CEOs are introverted; however, scientists say that 25 to 30% of people, worldwide are introverts.
Many, many introverted people who are very bright do not think they are bright, which is tragic, becausse we really need people who can do complex thinking, and that is what introverted people are good at.
Studies show more introverted people go to college. More introverted go to graduate school, enter professions, have long-term marriages. The extroverts get into more trouble.

Answer 6

Introverted people ,like me,can lead others,naturally,as long as the introverted have the required knowledge.However,extroverted people r good as leaders but most of them don't have the required knowledge,it's the thing they say:"a person who knows does not show off,whereas the ones who say that they know things most times know nothing or they know smth partly which is even worse!!

Answer 7

Yes. Just be because a person is not necessarily outgoing does not mean they can not lead. I have included the link to a profile on one of the Introverted types. Jung was an introvert, as was Ghandi.

Answer 8

I like Maria32s answer. I think they can be good leaders, it is just a different type of leadership. Most leadership is good or bad depending on who you ask, so an introvert will probably be good and bad as well depending on the those being lead.

Answer 9

I wouldn't have thought so........they would be too self-absorbed and self-conscious. I would say definitely they couldn't lead evtroverts.....they would be overwhelmed and overruled all the time.

Answer 10

I really do not think so.