Introverts, your natural leadership capabilities are calling
Vanessa Bradford, MBTIonline Contributing Writer
4 min. read
There’s a pretty distinct difference between leaders and managers:
Leaders set the tone. Managers move forward with the tactics.
In a work environment, both roles are important. While not every leader needs to be a manager, every manager can learn to become a leader. Consider how much interpersonal interaction is involved in managing people. If manager-employee relationships become strained (or are non-existent), it could lead to things like decreased productivity or high turnover. Fortunately, a self-aware leader can mitigate some of that risk. Ultimately, the more you connect with the people you lead, the more you’ll be seen as a true leader by your team.
Psychologist Dr. Martin Boult spoke about this in episode four of The Myers-Briggs Company Podcast. As the senior director of professional services and international training at The Myers-Briggs Company, Dr. Boult also discussed how the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator®(MBTI) can be useful for leaders and managers who want to connect with their team. In fact, MBTIonline Teams was specifically designed with this in mind. It’s a fully virtual, self-guided experience that helps people expand their self-awareness, develop as leaders, and increase the likelihood of team success.
Introverts Can be Leaders Too
With all this talk about leadership, it’s important to acknowledge that the corporate world does seem to favor leaders with a preference for Extraversion. In fact, 61% of senior managers in the US are Extraverts, and only 39% are Introverts. Those stats are similar across all leadership levels, from middle managers to executives. While this presents some challenges for Introverted personality types, it’s still possible – and well within reach – for Introverts to successfully lead a team or organization.
In fact, the more you develop as a leader, the easier it is to recognize that every single person on your team possesses natural leadership characteristics of their own. Knowing which of those characteristics to cultivate will help you build deeper connections with people, boost the overall success of your team, and improve your capabilities as a leader. Here’s a closer look at the natural leadership characteristics of the eight Introverted MBTI personality types – and what you can do to help everyone thrive. (Looking for info on Extraverted personality types? Read part one.)
INFJs lead with integrity
- INFJs look out for the people on their team, and tend to be quietly persistent
- They naturally cultivate a cooperative environment, rather than demanding one
Leaders and managers, you enhance the natural leadership qualities of an INFJ when you:
- Encourage them to speak up rather than bottle things inside
- Show them how to consider the current reality alongside long-term goals
INFPs lead with idealism
- INFPs have an eye for the overarching vision and values of a team or project
- They offer loose structure, which gives others the chance to solve problems on their own
Leaders and managers, you enhance the natural leadership qualities of an INFP when you:
- Gently remind them that constructive feedback can be just as helpful as praise
- Help them understand that time management is essential for their ideals to become reality
INTJs lead with vision
- INTJs take a no-nonsense approach to leading the people around them
- They explain expected outcomes clearly so that everyone knows their role
Leaders and managers, you enhance the natural leadership qualities of an INTJ when you:
- Remind them that it’s perfectly acceptable to delegate or ask for help
- Ensure they understand that other people may need words of affirmation to stay motivated
INTPs lead with logic
- INTPs are natural self-starters who also reward the same trait in others
- They like to set ground rules for everyone and work toward those goals independently
Leaders and managers, you enhance the natural leadership qualities of an INTP when you:
- Demonstrate that it’s OK if some tasks or people need closer supervision
- Remind them that roles and hierarchies are useful to determine who is responsible for what
ISFJs lead with commitment
- ISFJs have a knack for offering practical help in an encouraging way
- They tend to honor their commitments with precision and diligence
Leaders and managers, you enhance the natural leadership qualities of an ISFJ when you:
- Show genuine appreciation for their dedication and kindness
- Help them understand that there’s often more than one way to successfully meet a goal
ISFPs lead with sensitivity
- ISFPs are naturally adaptable, agreeable, and collaborative
- They value harmony and want to make sure everyone gets to work in their own way
Leaders and managers, you enhance the natural leadership qualities of an ISFP when you:
- Encourage them not to downplay their own talents and contributions
- Remind them that sincerity and kindness can come in the form of constructive feedback
ISTJs lead with responsibility
- ISTJs value logic, common sense, and tradition
- They model the work ethic and dependability they want to see in others
Leaders and managers, you enhance the natural leadership qualities of an ISTJ when you:
- Show them how alternative methods can be efficient and useful
- Remind them that others may need them to be more inclusive and appreciative
ISTPs lead with ingenuity
- ISTPs take a pragmatic, unbiased approach – especially in a crisis
- They prefer that everyone has the freedom to use their skills independently
Leaders and managers, you enhance the natural leadership qualities of an ISTP when you:
- Urge them to recognize and show appreciation for others
- Demonstrate how a traditional chain of command can be helpful in certain situations
Be sure to read part one, where we covered the natural leadership characteristics of all eight Extraverted MBTI types. You can also supercharge your leadership capabilities with the following: