What do Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk all have in common? Surprisingly, they are or were all introverts. You may think that extroverts make the best leaders, as they are known for being loud, talkative, and highly social, making them incredible at public speaking, making connections and quick decisions. Introverts, on the other hand, are perceived as shy, quiet, not talkative and boring. But these “labels” put on introverts do not reveal the whole picture, as most of them are known to have become some of the most successful people in the business and social world (Bonnie Monych, Performance Specialist Houston et al). The qualities that introvert possess make them some of the planet's greatest leaders.  

There are two key traits that introverts have that are extremely handy when managing others: listening to peers and quiet reflection. As a leader, you quite often work with customers or employees who are frustrated with something. An introvert is more likely to listen in closely before rushing to final judgment, and this makes the frustrated people feel heard (Who Makes Better Leaders: Introverts or Extroverts?). Quick action can be important in the business world, but as complex as our world has become, a thorough and thought-out response is the better option. In one study conducted by Francesca Gino, at Harvard Business Review, the introverted leaders managed a group of proactive employees better than the extroverted leaders. This is mostly because extroverted leaders were more likely to be threatened or unhappy with the suggestions from their coworkers, whereas the introverts, having the two key values (listening to peers and quiet reflection), made the workers feel more heard and more options were made available for the company as a whole. The ability to pay attention is a quality that is undoubtedly needed as a leader (Bonnie Monych, Performance Specialist Houston et al). The introvert will critically observe the team of workers and will listen to their ideas and thoughts. The ability to learn what motivates people and hear them even when they are not speaking allows them to understand individuals' better.   

What is one the first thing you think of when someone tells you they’re an introvert? Most likely you would infer that they are shy. However, this is just a myth. Introverts more of possess the quality of humility, which pushes many successful people up the ranks. This trait allows introverts to be quietly confident, which is useful as they don’t boast about their accomplishments. Leaders must assist their company to achieve the goals set. Humility will help leaders succeed in business and life because they not only acknowledge mistakes but also accept limitations that are set on them (Bonnie Monych Houston et al.) 

Lastly, introverts make some of the world’s greatest problem solvers. One of the traits of an introvert is that they will persist until they get a solution for a certain problem. Extroverts tend to be less persistent when they can't find a solution to a problem, as they don’t have as much patience. Albert Einstein stated that his ability to stay with a problem longer is what made him seem smart. The ability to solve problems is a very important quality of leaders, as if you can solve hard problems in your business, many of your workers will be productive. In addition to this, introverts make decisions with more certainty, as they ask the very important question of “Are you sure this is the right thing to do?” Many extroverts would just do something without thinking of the possible outcome. It not to say that introverts don’t take risks, as taking risks is a very important quality in order to be successful. But introverts think of all the possible negative outcomes, to not let emotions take the better of them and jump into any conclusions too quickly. As said by “About Leaders”, introverts are more likely to “think about an idea thoroughly, weigh every option and angle before they act” (Miller). It is this contemplation that has took introverts into the high levels of the leadership world.  

Introverts possess qualities that are exceptional in the business and leadership world. Some of the best entrepreneurs and historical figures have been introverts. That is not to say that extroverts can’t be leaders, but the qualities that an introvert brings to a workspace can bring the absolute best out of a company or organization. As said by famous American phycologist, Laurie Helgoe, “Introverts are more effective leaders of proactive employees. When you have a creative, energetic work force, an introvert is going to draw out that energy better” (Laurie Helgoe Quotes).