For many people, they think of a great leader as someone who is, confident, colourful and full of life. They stand out in the crowd, can talk from a stage and lead with enthusiasm.
But here is a well-known secret – introverts can be great leaders. Why do I say a well-known secret? Well, if you really give it some thought, I bet you could name 10 leaders that are or could be introverts. For example, Abraham Lincoln and Barack Obama (Presidents) Mark Zuckerberg and Marissa Myer (Social Media entrepreneurs), Rosa Parks and Mahatma Gandhi (Civil Rights champions), Meryl Streep and Emma Watson (actors), Albert Einstein (scientist) and Dr Seuss (author) have all been categorised or self-identified as introverts.
And of course, there is me as well. And I have worked consistently in leadership roles. But sometimes, it is a struggle and it is a conscious decision and effort to lead. And that can be tiring.
The Introvert Leader Project is a collaborative project with participating clients helping to build a Tool Kit and Guide (I would like to call it I2Lead) to support introverts to find their voice, either on their leadership career journey or in their daily life.
Clients will need to specifically sign on to this Project.
As part of the project, clients will still receive one on one coaching, but at a discounted rate. Learnings from the coaching sessions will be de-identified and shared with the Project Group.
There will also be 2 short online workshops – sounds a little scary, but it will be okay. The workshops will enable us all to share ideas, listen to others and create and test a high-level I2Lead. I will also share my story – why leadership was important and what I learned and gained along the way.
The sought outcomes are fourfold:
(1) identify and adopt the strengths of the Group to build the leadership muscle
(2) develop chill mechanisms to calm, balance, and progress
(3) build the leadership story so that others can easily see beyond the introvert
(4) embed sustainability – being an introvert and being a leader.
Please note the Project is not about converting introverts to extroverts. I do not even think that is possible and nor should it be.
But what is possible is to help people to develop a leadership style that works for them.
