by Stephanie Haywood

Image via Freepik

​Introversion, often misunderstood as a limitation in the business world, can in fact be an influential asset in leadership. Those with introverted tendencies bring unique skills to the table, from deep reflection to thoughtful communication.

By embracing and developing these innate qualities, introverts like yourself can become impactful and respected leaders
Williams Education Consulting shares some tips for getting started:

Harnessing Self-Awareness for Effective Leadership
Self-awareness serves as a foundation for successful leadership. Understanding your introverted nature is not about focusing on limitations, but rather on recognizing and capitalizing on inherent strengths.

Introverted leaders often excel in thoughtful decision-making and deep problem-solving, qualities invaluable in the complex landscape of business leadership. A keen sense of self-awareness allows you to navigate your roles with confidence and clarity.

Advancing Leadership Skills through Education
It’s prudent to consider an online MBA program for introverted professionals seeking to bolster their leadership skills. These programs offer a blend of convenience and comprehensive education so you can learn in a setting that aligns with your introverted nature.

The curriculum in these programs delves into various facets of business and leadership to provide a well-rounded foundation. Engaging in such academic endeavors equips you with critical knowledge and boosts your confidence, preparing you to navigate the complexities of the business landscape with enhanced leadership capabilities.

Embracing Continuous Learning for Leadership Growth
Leadership is an evolving journey, particularly for introverts who thrive on introspection and knowledge. Engaging in ongoing learning — whether through reading, seminars, or workshops — keeps you at the forefront of industry trends and leadership strategies. This continuous pursuit of knowledge fuels personal growth and enables you to bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to your organization.

Building Connections through Strategic Networking
Many introverts often prefer meaningful, one-on-one interactions over large social gatherings. By focusing on more intimate networking events, you can build strong, authentic connections that are more likely to lead to fruitful collaborations. This approach to networking, based on depth rather than breadth, can be incredibly practical in building a solid professional network that supports and enhances your leadership potential.

Mastering Communication with Thoughtfulness and Empathy
One of the greatest strengths of introverted leaders is their ability to listen and engage in deep, meaningful conversations. By mastering the art of thoughtful communication, you can effectively convey your vision and connect with your team on a deeper level. This empathetic approach to communication fosters trust and cooperation — essential components of a strong, cohesive team.

Empathy is a natural trait of many introverts and a critical element in effective leadership. Understanding and relating to the emotions and experiences of team members allows introverted leaders like yourself to create a supportive and motivating environment. This empathetic leadership style nurtures a positive workplace culture and inspires team members' loyalty and dedication.

Empowering Others through Delegation
Leadership is not about bearing all responsibilities alone but empowering others to contribute and excel. By delegating tasks effectively, introverted leaders can foster a sense of ownership and responsibility in their team members.
Just remember not to micromanage when it’s unnecessary. This approach lightens the leader's load and encourages a collaborative and dynamic team environment where every member feels valued and capable.

Conclusion
As an introvert, you have a unique set of qualities that can make you an outstanding leader. By embracing your natural tendencies and continuously developing your skills, you can lead with authenticity and effectiveness.
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Whether through thoughtful communication, empathetic understanding, or continuous learning, you have much to offer in business and beyond. Your journey to leadership excellence is marked by introspection, connection, and a deep commitment to the growth of both yourself and your team.

Leadership is a complex job description.  There are varying definitions for leadership in research, yet every so often, leaders come along that defy the current definitions and add more dynamics to the accepted notions of leadership.  Leaders find themselves defined by their success or failures.  Success can bring life-long accolades while failures can end careers.  There are many perspectives about what makes a good leader and a general idea about what makes a bad leader. Fortunately for bad leaders, there are strategies that they can use to become better leaders.

Characteristics of a Good Leader

In order to know what makes a good leader, it is helpful to understand what the leadership job description is.   While many job descriptions refer to leadership abilities or leadership qualities, those are rarely defined.  Mike Myatt defines leadership as:

The professed desire and commitment to serve others by subordinating personal interests to the needs of those being led through effectively demonstrating the character, experience, humility, wisdom and discernment necessary to create the trust [&] influence to cause the right things, to happen for the right reasons, at the right times (2012).

In light of that definition, Myatt also goes on to state, “there is no perfect leader; only the right leader for a given situation (2012).  However, most researchers and writers agree on similar qualities that good leaders possess. 

• Good leaders are courageous.  They confront reality, actively seek feedback, and have the difficult conversations.  They encourage push back, take action, and lead change. 
• Good leaders communicate openly and frequently, do not hesitate to make decisions, freely give credit to others and hold people accountable. 
• Good leaders understand the importance of organization culture, building and maintaining relationships, and effective communication. Effective communication includes communicating expectations and asking questions. 
• Good leaders mold an organizational culture to make people feel safe to speak up and generate positive energy.  Relationships are solidified by continuous feedback and recognition for performance.  
• Good leaders know the difference between managing and leading.  Managers have employees, react to change, have all the good ideas, direct groups, try to be heroes, take credit, and exercise power over people.  Leaders win followers, create change, implement good ideas, persuade others, create teams, make heroes of everyone around them, take responsibility, and develop power within people.

Characteristics of a Bad Leader
       
Just as there are good leaders, conversely, there are bad ones.  Bad leaders are leaders who have failed or leaders who have succeeded but their methods were questionable.  Failure is viewed in a variety of ways depending on the various industries, organizations, and results; however, there have been many prominent leadership failures over time.  Most failed leaders have characteristics in common.  These characteristics include feeling invincible, being paralyzed by fear, failing to grow, not being passionate, failing to dream, feeling entitled, and having a sense of victimization.  On the other hand, other leaders have failed by gaining success at the expense of others.  These leaders may have done things that are illegal, made decisions that were unethical, utilized unsound methodology, or settled for strategies that were not innovative.

How to Become a Better Leader
           
There is hope for leaders who do not start off great.  Fortunately, there are strategies that they can implement to improve their performance as leaders.  This includes:

• improving communication effectiveness
• sharing expertise 
• encouraging others to do more and to be better
• developing a broader perspective for their organization
• setting an example for employees or followers
• championing their team’s new ideas
• recognizing when change is needed
• improving their ability to inspire and motivate others
• encouraging cooperation among team members 
• demonstrating humility and willingness to change or adapt

Leaders should build on the success of one change to propel into the next one and allow space and opportunity for good things to happen.  Leaders who are growing must understanding that good leadership is often about the intangibles in the leader’s personality which can diminish the effects of a perceived failure.  For example, Ernest Shackleton, an explorer, had an apparent failure when his ship sank during an expedition to the Antarctic.  However, his failure turned to success because he was able to get each of his men home safely after surviving in the Antarctic for two years.  Crewmembers cite Shackleton’s leadership as the reason they were able to survive.  Despite failure, leaders have the ability to get better and to experience success.      

Would you like to improve your leadership skills?  Schedule a free consultation today!

This article by Sarah Pritzker first appeared on Youtubetomp3shark.com.

A leader is a dealer in hope – Napoleon BonaparteWhat does it mean to be a leader? How does one become a great leader? What does it really take? These are questions that the best leaders of all time ask themselves constantly, and that’s probably part of what makes them great.

But, the recipe doesn’t end there. So much that goes into being a good leader, including constantly striving, working to improve, and most of all, always learning. There has never been a better time to be a leader than today because we’ve got thousands of resources at our fingertips, hours upon hours of inspiring talks from the best of the best, right in front of us, ready be to utilized if we dare.

If you’re ready to be the best leader you can be, check out 10 of the most inspiring and motivational TED talks on leadership today.

Leadership TED Talk Lesson #1 Listen and learn from everyone around youLeadership and learning are indispensable to each other. – John F. Kennedy

General Stanley McChrystal is a decorated four-star general in the United States armed forces, and in my book, those are pretty good credentials for leadership training. He gave an incredible TED talk (Stanley McChrystal: Listen, Learn Then Lead) that’s just around 15 minutes long. Yet in the video McChrystal gives over an essential value of leadership: don’t be too proud or full of yourself to learn from others because, at the end of the day, we all need one another to get through life. Short, poignant, and incredibly relevant to anyone in a leadership position. Salute.

Leadership TED Talk Lesson #2 Self-leadership comes firstOne of the most important things that a leader can do is to lead by example. If you want everyone else to be passionate, committed, dedicated, and motivated, you go first! – Marshall Goldsmith

Lars Sudmann gives a quick TED talk about the number one rule in leadership: self-leadership. He quickly goes through some important exercises you need to be doing constantly as a leader to ensure that you are being the best leader and that includes periodic self-character trait checks, asking self-reflecting questions, and continuous self-regulation. In short, Sudmann shows that if you really want to lead others, you have to start by leading yourself.

Leadership TED Talk Lesson #3 Value each employee for what they have to contributeThe role of a creative leader is not to have all the ideas; it’s to create a culture where everyone can have ideas and feel that they’re valued. – Ken Robinson

The good leader is the one that appreciates and understands the value of each employee. The obvious truth is that no great empire was built single-handedly. Instead, it’s the combined efforts of several individuals. And the great leader understands this principle, cultivates a culture in which each individual knows they have what to contribute, is given the tools and the space to make those contributions, and is appreciated for their contributions towards the finished product.

In her talk, Forgetting the Pecking Order, Margaret Heffernan contests the usual business model of competition, dog eat dog, you’ve got to step on each other to climb to the top ideology, and suggests a different type of mentality. My favorite line from the talk is this: “If the only way the most productive can be successful is by suppressing the productivity of the rest, then we badly need to find a better way to work.”. So well put, Margaret.

Leadership TED Talk Lesson #4 The definition of leadership is making someone’s life betterA leader is someone who helps improve the lives of other people or improve the system they live under. – Sam Houston

This is one of the best TED talks about leadership out there because it totally turns the entire definition we’re accustomed to on its head. Drew Dudley shows us in just six minutes how each one of us can be and is a leader without even knowing it. By doing the smallest thing, we can change someone’s life, thereby becoming a leader of people.

Dudley contests the superhero image of a leader who changes the world through massive feats of strength and superhuman powers. Instead, Dudley says we change the world, we lead the world, by the small things that make an impact on a single person at a time. Watch it, you’ll be amazed.

Leadership TED Talk Lesson #5 Motivate properlyEverything is hard before it is easy. – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Part of the job of a leader is to motivate their people to succeed. One of the most common methods society generally uses to get people moving is incentive, whether it’s positive or negative, internal or external. But motivational speaker Dan Pink is teaching us some fascinating findings about motivation. Turns out most of the time when we use rewards to motivate people, they actually end up doing more damage than good! Listen to Dan Pink’s The Puzzle of Motivation, and learn that at the end of the day the greatest motivation is feeling like we’re doing something that matters.

There are lots of other studies and speeches on the subject including two of the best from Dan Ariely and Tony Robbins. These two really go deep explaining the motivation of people and how to work with our internal mechanisms for greater productivity and greater workplace happiness.

Leadership TED Talk Lesson #6 A little encouragement goes a long wayIf you are a leader, you should never forget that everyone needs encouragement. And everyone who receives it – young or old, successful or less-than-successful, unknown or famous – is changed by it. John C. Maxwell

Simon Sinek has got a ton of great inspiration and advice for anyone who wants to be a great leader (and I highly recommend you check them all out). One of my favorite TED talks Sinek gives is the one about how leaders inspire action. In this talk, Sinek shows that your mission statement motivates, and that your “why” is more important than your “what” or “how.” Learn from the master.

Leadership TED Talk Lesson #7 Lead fearlessly, love hardA true leader not only cares about their success, but the success and empowerment of others. – Warren G. Bennis

Linda Cliatt-Wayman might be the most motivational speaker on this entire list. She is a powerful, driven, and successful leader, and she is a school principal. That’s right, she is a school principal, but not just any school principal. Cliatt-Wayman goes into seriously troubled school districts and turns their situations around in incredible ways.

In her TED talk, Linda tells people that if you want to be a leader, you have to do three things: really lead, i.e., get up off your butt and do things. That includes, of course, the big jobs that nobody else can do, but even the little, menial jobs that nobody else is interested in doing. Second, don’t focus on excuses or problems, focus on solutions. And thirdly, do it with love. No matter what kind of organization you’re leading, a little concern and respect go a long way.

Also a shout out to Angela Lee Duckworth’s Key to Success? Grit speech. Check it out if you want to hear more like this.

Leadership TED Talk Lesson #8 Female empowermentAnd one day she discovered that she was fierce and strong, and full of fire and that not even she could hold herself back because her passion burned brighter than her fears. – Mark Anthony

In her incredibly inspiring TED talk, Sheryl Sandberg explains why there are too few women taking leadership roles. I think this is an invaluable talk that every girl needs to hear. Sandberg talks about the right self-messaging, that the workforce isn’t the right place for every woman, and that if it is, make sure to always “be at the table.” Look at and treat yourself as an equal, and others will too. Try it!

Leadership TED Talk Lesson #9 Learn how to make wavesThis is a three-minute video that shows some key points about being a good leader.

In How to Start a Movement, Derek Sivers shows the importance of nurturing your supporters and also of not being afraid to be a follower sometimes too. Seth Godin goes further into this concept with his talk about How to Get Your Ideas to Spread. In a word, it’s about being remarkable. Check it out.

Leadership TED Talk Lesson #10 Difference between success and winningWinning is fun…sure. But winning is not the point. Wanting to win is the point. Not giving up is the point. Never letting up is the point.  – Pat Summitt

I’ll end off this inspirational roundup with one of the most important lessons anyone (but especially a leader) needs to understand. In a terrific talk, John Wooden explains that there is a world of difference between success and winning. Almost every time, the biggest success is putting in your effort and doing the best you can. Whether or not you win, i.e., accomplish the goal that you set out to do, is less important than what effort you put forth.

Liked what you saw? You can also check out Fields Wicker Miurin’s speech for some quick and uplifting inspiring leaders stories or Itay Talgam’s talk about using harmony to create a beautiful symphony.

The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been. – Henry Kissinger
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Leaders have untold potential to make significant changes, touch people, and really shape the world, but they have to be good leaders to accomplish those goals. Luckily, we have some of the most successful, powerful, and influential leaders in the world as our teachers. With technology today, we have nothing stopping us from learning these priceless leadership lessons. As Muhammad Ali said, “the only limitations we have are the ones we place on ourselves.”

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Some people may object to the statement, "How you start is how you finish."  What about fourth quarter comebacks?  What about those who start strong and end up failing?  Those are great questions, but they also represent exceptions to the rule.  In most cases, how a leader starts is how they finish.

The presidency is seen as the pinnacle of leadership roles.  A measure of the presidency is the 100-day marker.  Analysts and the public measure presidents by what they are able to accomplish in the first 100 days of their presidency and use that measure to compare them to past presidents and to predict the outcome of the remainder of their time in office.  Some presidents object to the measure because they do not believe that their ultimate success or failure can be predicted by a little over three months in office.

A good leader knows that when they take on a new leadership role, it is important to start off strong.  The first days in the role are filled with meeting new people and making first impressions, making staffing and policy decisions that will impact the remainder of their tenure, and developing the plans that will shape their future as a leader.  Whether your start is measured by a week, a month, or 100 days, know that it is still a measure.

So what about the exceptions to the rule?  As much as we love a good comeback story, no one really wants to be in the position of the underdog having to defeat the odds to get the win.  We are much more comfortable getting to the top and keeping the lead.  That exception to the rule should encourage leaders who do not get off to a great start that all is not lost--there is still a chance to come out a winner.  On the other hand, those who start out on top and end up losing usually made some grave error along the way.  Hopefully no one ends up in that situation!

Finishing how you start should encourage you to start strong.  Begin with confidence and a solid plan in order to give yourself a great start with a promise for a successful finish.

Most of us know what we need to do to become successful.  We don't have to be experts in a field to make progress towards a goal.  For example, if we want to become healthier, we don't have to be a fitness guru to know we need to eat healthier and work out more.  If we want to be in a better financial position, we don't have to work on Wall Street to know we should save money and invest it wisely.  In any given situation, most of us know SOMETHING we can do to work toward success.  So why aren't there more successful people?

The key is self-discipline.  Self-discipline is the difference between knowing what to do and actually doing it.  We often set goals in a moment of passion, but we find that after that passion is gone, we are no longer motivated to do what it takes to reach that goal.  That's where self-discipline comes in.  Self-discipine is what drives a person to wake up at 5am to workout or to stay late in the office to complete paperwork.  Self-discipline motivates a person to make follow-up calls when they don't feel like it, or to turn down dessert after dinner.  Self-discipline moves a person to put 15% of their paycheck into a savings account every pay period.  

Self-discipline is the difference between winners and losers.  When you look at professional athletes, their sheer talent is amazing!  But when you really pay attention, you realize that it takes self-discipline combined with their talent to make them successful.  They workout religiously, practice constantly, watch their diet, and devote time to learning plays and strategy.  The result of their self-discipline is what you see on the court and on the field!

So how do you achieve self-discipline?

1. Watch your self-talk.  Encourage yourself to do the things that you don't necessarily want to do, but need to do.  Remind yourself of the goal you are pursuing and how the action you need to take is going to get you there.  When you talk to yourself negatively when you have failed to do something or have done something you shouldn't have, all you are doing is feeding your desire to give up.   Be your own cheerleader.
2. Develop affirmations.  Affirmations are short sentences or phrases that affirm your ability to accomplish your goal.  Begin your affirmations with "I can", "I will", and "I am".  Write them down and say them in the mirror.  When you feel yourself lacking self-discipline, recite your affirmations.
   
3. Celebrate small accomplishments.  Don't wait until you've accomplished the big goal to celebrate.  Celebrate honoring your commitment to wake up an hour earlier.  Celebrate eating healthy for lunch.  Celebrate returning phone calls within 24 hours.  Brag on yourself to yourself!
4. Get an accountability partner until you can do it on your own.  Maintaining self-discipline is hard work so it makes sense to get help.  Find a friend, peer, mentor, or coach that will check in on your progress or even work towards the goal with you.  The key is that they hold you accountable.

Self-discipline can sometimes be difficult to acquire, but the payoff is great!  If you ask any successsful person, the reward makes the difficult journey well worth it.  If you are looking for an accountability partner or would like help in developing your self-discipline, let me help!  I'm here for you!