“Leadership is for the extroverted.”
This belief, deeply ingrained in my mindset, presented a profound conundrum early in my leadership career.
The archetypical leader, in my eyes, was always dynamic, outspoken, someone who could command a room with their sheer presence and eloquence.
Yet, this image conflicted with my own quieter, more introspective nature.
I found myself at a crossroads, torn between the necessity to be authentic and the perceived need to be an effective leader.
This narrow view not only limits the scope of what leadership can look like but also devalues the unique strengths inherent in quiet individuals.
Many, like me, begin to doubt their potential, mistakenly believing that a quieter nature is a disqualification for effective leadership.
It wasn’t until I came across Susan Cain’s work on introversion that I experienced a seismic shift in perspective on the concept of quiet leadership.
To further explore this topic, I reached out to my friend Angela Lin, a Quiet Leader and Finance Executive, on a mission to support Quiet Leaders to achieve their full potential.
She shared with me the following 8 Hidden Strengths of Quiet Leaders:
1/ Win-Win: Resolves conflict with goal of win-win
2/ Strategic: Managing risks & scenarios for decisions
3/Reliable: Self-motivated, productive and gets results
4/Problem Solver: Critical thinkers with creative solutions
5/Deep Thinker: Analytical & detailed for valuable insights
6/ Humility: Asks questions & hire people smarter than them
7/ Calm in Crisis: Maintains stability during challenging times
8/ Empathetic: Listens, understand and responds to others’ needs
In leadership, the quiet is not just heard, but felt, making a lasting impact. Quiet is strong. Quiet is powerful.
