The Power of Leadership: Bringing Out the
Best From Introverted Employees
As a business
leader, one of the core requirements of your job is to make sure that
you're bringing out the absolute best in your team at all times. Every
employee working under you not only needs to excel on their own terms but
must also be contributing towards the larger whole at the same time. Having
quiet, introverted employees can certainly make this difficult, but therein
lies the challenge. If you want to use your leadership skills to bring out
the best from your introverted employees, you'll certainly want to keep a
few key things in mind.
Work on Your Pace
One of the biggest mistakes you can make in terms of dealing with
introverted employees is trying to force them to adapt to the way you like
to work. Introverted employees typically don't like fast-paced, high-stress
situations. They need time to think, to plan, and to ultimately prepare for
the task ahead. Part of the way you can help bring out the best in these
employees involves embracing this idea wherever possible.
Say you've got a big meeting coming up and you know that an introverted
employee will need to contribute as much as possible. Instead of springing
this on them at the last minute, let them know as soon as possible. Give
them time to get their thoughts straight and make sure you give them a
clear, actionable agenda to work from. If you allow them to build up to the
meeting, you'll find that they'll be much more engaged than you probably
thought they would.
Acknowledge Accomplishments
One of the most important things to keep in mind about introverted
employees is that they will rarely, if ever, take outward pride in their
own accomplishments. They typically don't like attention, even if it's
positive, which means that a lot of the hard work they've been doing will
likely go unnoticed. As a result, it becomes your job to take pride in those
accomplishments for them. If an introverted employee absolutely nails a
project, make sure everyone on the team knows it. Make the announcement on
their behalf, allowing them to feel great while embracing their personality
at the same time. Just make sure you spread the love - all team member
accomplishments should be acknowledged equally, both for introverts,
extroverts, and everyone in between.
Use Technology to Your Advantage
Another factor to consider about introverted employees ultimately comes
down to communication. An introvert doesn't necessarily like to keep in
constant contact either in person or by phone, but luckily, technology has
made it easier than ever to adapt to this idea. Utilize virtual
communication for projects when possible, either via text messages to your
team or instant messaging conversations, e-mail threads and more. This will
allow your introverted employees to not only contribute to a larger project
but to do so in an environment they feel the most comfortable in.
These are just a few of the ways you can bring out the best from your
introverted employees all day, every day. Remember that just because
someone is quiet and prefers to work in a solitary environment does NOT
mean that they aren't contributing. In the same way, a loud, boisterous
attitude doesn't make someone a good employee either. Your primary goal is
to strike a balance. You need to provide ALL employees, regardless of their
personality type, exactly what they need to thrive.
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