With over 25 years coaching and leadership experience, I have spent the past 6 years intensively researching introversion and coaching introverted leaders (particularly women leaders) and discovered the main challenges that they face.
My work has enabled 1000s of introverted leaders worldwide to lead with confidence, influence, and impact, and something I see repeatedly is that progressing to the c-suite when you don’t fit the mould can be challenging but is a great achievement. For some introverted women leaders who achieve this, they don’t get to relax, enjoy their accomplishment, and become the best version of themselves in their roles.
They find it challenging to speak up and assert themselves in board meetings; they lack executive presence and don’t come across as having the gravitas or confidence to engage with the c-suite, and are not effective when seeking to influence and get ‘buy in’ to their ideas and concepts. They often get in their own way, with imposter syndrome and self-doubt chipping away at them.
The effects of this are stress, anxiety, and a lack of confidence. They don't sleep well at night because they worry. They become short fused with their family and loved ones. And they don't have the influence and impact they should have, often receiving comments that they are too quiet and reserved, so their names don’t pop into the heads of those they need to be noticed by. This also negatively affects their earning potential.
However, it doesn’t have to be like this because these are all issues that can be addressed and thankfully overcome. To do so requires being deliberate, and consistent in taking the actions that are needed to make the change.
Speak up and assert yourself, and utilise your introverted strengths of listening, thinking, and reflecting. Adopt the techniques that enable you to speak up and assert yourself.
Develop executive presence, command the room, and grab the attention of those you wish to influence, doing so in your own introverted way.
Develop self-belief, conquer imposter syndrome, and overcome self-doubt. Remember, you got there because you are the best person for the role.
As an introvert and having been a senior leader myself, I am fully aware of the unfavourable bias towards introversion in the workplace, and the negative impact this can have on affected individuals. As senior leaders and executives, introverted women leaders are often hit with a double whammy, being a woman and being introverted.
Organisations are missing out on tapping into the full potential of your talent. That is why I have made it my mission to change the narrative around introversion in the workplace, so that introversion is viewed as favourably as extroversion. I think that the more conversations we have in public forums about the topic, the more it increases awareness and helps to bring about change.
At the heart of what I do is social justice, and gender and racial equality. I believe that if ALL women had the confidence and the opportunity to achieve their full potential, they would become influencers for positive change in their respective fields regarding this.
If any of what I have written describes you, I want you to increase your confidence, influence, and impact, and there are many articles in this newsletter that can guide you in the right direction. If you have not read them, you can access them here.
Do you resonate with any of the challenges I have described, or do you have different ones? I would love to hear, so please let me know and comment below.
First published on LinkedIn.
If you are an introverted woman and a senior leader and want to increase your confidence, influence and impact, take my free assessment and get a report identifying areas to develop. You can take the assessment here.