Introverts as Outstanding Managers

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People typically picture stereotypes when thinking of certain groups. Professional athletes, computer geeks, fashion models, and accountants come first to mind. Another group that conjures up a stereotype is CEOs, or managers and other business leaders.

Charismatic, Outgoing and Swashbuckling Leaders

Most people assume all top business leaders are effusive, charismatic, and outgoing. There are numerous examples of this type of leader. For every reserved Bill Gates, there are many Donald Trump, Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, Warren Buffet, and Mark Cuban personalities.

You’ll seldom read about extroverted leaders who are detrimental to their organizations, but they exist. Sometimes, effusive leaders are so focused and ego-driven they create distance and estrangement from employees. They can miss valuable feedback and creative suggestions from those below them on the organization chart.

However, the best known titans of business are those that have achieved very public success and they often make headlines that confirm their persona. For example, Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin brand of diverse companies, has lived the life of a dashing, charismatic entrepreneur. Founding Virgin at 20 years old, he first started a modest mail order record business.

Fast forward a few years to 1972, when he opened a recording studio for Virgin Music Group. His very first artist was Mike Oldfield. If his name sounds familiar, it should be. Oldfield wrote and recorded “Tubular Bells,” which became the wildly popular theme from the enormously successful movie The Exorcist. Building the Virgin Music Group empire, Branson subsequently signed music superstars Steve Winwood, Phil Collins and The Rolling Stones.

Before selling the Virgin Music Group for $1 billion in 1992, Branson established Virgin Atlantic Airways, another business success. He wasn’t finished capturing headlines, however. After crossing the Atlantic in record time in his boat, he began traversing the globe in his amazing hot air balloon, the Virgin Atlantic Flyer. Piloting the first hot air balloon to cross the Atlantic was not sufficient. Branson then crossed the Pacific Ocean, reaching speeds up to 245 miles per hour.

However, what about people who are not as effusive and charismatic as Richard Branson? Can they achieve success as managers, entrepreneurs, and respected leaders?

Conditions for Introverted Leader Success

If you’re more like the conservative and quiet Bill Gates than mercurial Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, of America’s Cup sailing fame, you too can be a successful senior executive. Studies indicate that much depends on the types of employees you manage.

Harvard Business School (HBS) associate professor Francesca Gino studied various leaders and discovered that introverted personality types can enjoy success equal to the better-known extroverts. To accomplish this objective, the right conditions should exist for introverted leaders.

There is one overriding factor that usually influences this success: A group of proactive, can-do employees. A more passive, conservative employee group tends to respond better to an outgoing, charismatic manager. However, when managing an entourage of employees who focus on project and company goals and commit to excel, an introverted executive can be equally—or even more—effective than the classic effusive stereotypical leader.

Gino, with professors Adam Grant (Wharton School) and David Hoffman (UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School), studied this issue, focusing on a national pizza delivery restaurant chain. Surveying 57 store managers and 374 employees, using a five-point scale, they discovered interesting relationships. Comparing study results with store profitability, they found a direct correlation between leader and employee personality types.

The combination of extroverted managers and relatively passive employee groups achieved high profits. However, those stores with proactive employees, when managed by introverted people, earned equally impressive bottom lines. They also discovered lower profits when extroverted managers were supervising proactive employee groups.

These results indicate the need for accomplished introverted managers when employee teams are active and focused. These executives tend to employ better listening skills and seriously consider ideas and suggestions from staff. Results support the effectiveness of these less outspoken, more introspective managers.

Should you lean more to an introverted personality and have concerns about your management future, fear not. Unlike Richard Branson, if your idea of an exciting balloon ride is bringing home a Mylar Star Wars balloon for your three-year old’s birthday party, you may still reach the pinnacle of management success.

Use your introverted personality, listening skills, and thoughtfulness to inspire and lead proactive teams. Understand that you may need to adjust your style somewhat to match the needs of your team. For example, if you are naturally introverted and the group you manage is relatively passive, you’ll need to adjust your workplace persona to a more effusive style. Otherwise, your team meetings and the workplace will resemble an collection of mimes.

In all cases, use your natural personality to maximize your management and team success. Understand your team’s personality and use—or adapt—your own character propensity to better relate, motivate and lead your group.

Source:
http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/6494.html