How introverts add value through quiet leadership

How introverts add value through quiet leadership

By Jo Faragher on 28 March 2025

Whether it’s about the president of the United States or the new Netflix drama Adolescence, it’s hard to escape discussions about masculine energy right now. Debates abound around how we encourage young people to turn away from influencers such as Andrew Tate, yet all around us business and political leaders continue to be loud, extrovert voices. At work, it’s been historically accepted that ‘he who shouts the loudest gets heard’, but increasingly organisations are pushing against this narrative, embracing a quieter, more introvert style of leadership.

In fact, according to research by The Myers-Briggs Company, more than half of us globally prefer introversion (56.8%), while 43.2% lean towards extraversion. However, introverts are vastly underrepresented at senior levels. “These big personalities such as Trump and Musk make introverts believe they have to change who they are to be seen or heard,” says Richard Etienne, founder of The Introvert Space, which provides toolkits for businesses to nurture their introvert talent. “Some organisations have reframed their style to show that leadership needs to look like that to do well, but it’s not true.”

A more reflective style gives everyone an opportunity to share their ideas and thoughts in a way that is comfortable to them.” Jennifer Kahnweiler, author of The Introvert Leader and speaker on the topic, says introverts take the time to reflect, whereas extrovert leaders can struggle to embrace silence. “Being prepared is a sweet spot for introverts, whether it’s a meeting or giving a talk. It means they can be clear and confident, using their quiet strength to succeed,” she says.

False assumptions

Shola Kaye, who provides leadership training on empathy at work, has experienced first hand how some managers wrongly assume that introvert employees are “too passive or not advocating for themselves enough”. It was her first role at work and a manager made assumptions about her suitability without asking questions or offering support. “If your organisation is geared towards extroverts, people can assume that introverts are non-participative. As a black woman it was intersectional, too. I was even less likely to be given the benefit of the doubt,” she explains.

Kaye argues that organisations that support introvert employees and leaders typically bring in more empathy, and staff have more consideration of the views of their colleagues, clients and customers. She cites research by organisational psychologist Adam Grant with Francesco Gino and David Hoffman suggesting that introvert leaders can be more effective when they work alongside proactive teams. Conversely, extroverted leaders excel in motivating teams that seek direction. “An introvert leader can suggest things and listen, then empower the group to act. An extrovert leader will be more attached to their ideas so this doesn’t work as well,” she adds. “Introvert leaders don’t need to bask in all of the glory, they give other people credit for ideas.”

Nurturing introverts

In her book, Kahnweiler sets out a framework of four ‘P’s that can help introverts thrive at work: prepare, presence, push and practice. On a practical level, organisations can support introvert employees simply by changing how they run meetings. Sending out an agenda beforehand allows employees to prepare and formulate a contribution, for example, or asking participants to write down thoughts and share can encourage more quiet reflection. After a meeting, allowing time for decisions to be made so introverts can add their thoughts means it’s not only those who felt confident to speak whose voice is heard.

“For introverts in this scenario, it helps to have a couple of talking points they can share if they are asked, or to not feel what they see has to be perfect before they bring it up. Asking a colleague to bring you into the conversation can also work well,” she advises. Etienne urges introvert employees not to underestimate their contribution, adding: “That person is at the meeting because they add value, and it’s about how we maximise that value.” Businesses should also extend the ways they include introverts into the attraction and hiring process, as they could inadvertently be putting people off.

“Companies need to identify and attract all types of professionals, so avoid using words such as dynamic and fast-paced,” he suggests. “Once you include personality diversity in your organisational culture, you increase retention and diversity more broadly, which has a positive impact on performance. It can make your culture more attractive to different types of people and levels the playing field, whether you work hybrid or in-person,” he says. Etienne also argues that HR teams should build personality training into their onboarding processes in the same way they include diversity training.

Working together

Rather than ‘othering’ introverts or pitting them against their extrovert colleagues, leaders should be open about how they communicate. Some introverts may prefer to communicate their thoughts in writing, for example, but it’s best to ask how they like to share information. “In an introvert-friendly organisation, you don’t expect them to adapt,” adds Kahnweiler. “Give them notice to prepare if they have to share their progress on a project rather than just expect them to speak up. When extroverts and introverts work together like this it can be powerful – the genius of opposites.”

Ultimately, Kaye believes being inclusive of both introverts and extroverts will become more important as businesses introduce more technology and artificial intelligence into their operations, particularly as tech teams often work in more reflective ways. “This will bring a lot more understanding of the different skills people bring to the table,” she concludes.