Best Leader: Introvert or Extrovert - Literature review Example

Best Leader: Introvert or Extrovert? Grade (Feb. 3rd, Best Leader: Introvert or Extrovert? The issue of whether introverts are better leaders than extroverts, or whether it is the extroverts who are better leaders than introverts is highly complex. This is because; classifying people into either pure introverts or pure extroverts is by all means farfetched, owing to the fact that either of the extremes would border on certain human anomalies. While the layman definition of an introvert is a shy person and that of an extrovert is an outgoing person, the actual meaning of these terms go beyond the shyness and the outgoing human traits, into defining the source of energy and motivation for the different types of personalities. While there are some category of people who will feel exhausted and bothered by spending long periods of time with other people, most especially large crowds, others find it more fascinating and energizing to hang around people and socialize for as long as it can take (Cain, 2012). Introverts are the category of people who feel energized when they spend more time alone doing things their own way, while extroverts are the category of people who draw motivation and energy from spending time while socializing. Thus, having cleared the air around the definition of the two terms, it can now be easily concluded that the two different category of people have their different ways of gaining motivation and energy, and either way the energy enables them to achieve their targets. Therefore, whether an introvert or an extrovert, it can be argued that an individual can still be an effective leader, simply because it all depends on the nature of the people that the person is leading. For example, an introvert person will be a highly effective leader while leading a group comprising of extrovert employees. This is owing to the fact that the introvert leader will have the humility and patience to accept and evaluate the feedbacks of the extrovert employees, who are much eager to have their ideas considered and socialized. On the other hand, an extrovert leader will come out as very effective while leading a group of employees who are more introvert types, since the extrovert leader will be effective in activating and catalyzing the more passive and less interactive employees into social and group action. Therefore, it can also be seen that the effectiveness of a leader does not necessarily depend on the inward character of the leader alone, but also on the character of the people that the leader is heading (Eysenck, 1971). It is this principle that explains most of the mistakes that many business organizations make when selecting leaders, for example a highly rated salesman being given a management position in the sales department, only to prove ineffective. Such a mistake is done due to the failure to understand that the extrovert nature of the highly rated salesman will only create more tension and friction with the salespersons working in the department, since all of the successful marketers and salespeople mostly possess the extrovert trait that makes it possible for them to easily socialize with the clients (Laney, 2002). Thus, such extroverts would be well managed by an introvert, whose function will be to create an individualized environment for each salesperson within the office, and leave their extrovert nature to be manifested in their field interaction with the clients. In this respect, it is only beneficial that an introvert leader will have a group of extrovert followers that complement his/her style, while the extrovert leader is dedicated to a group of introverts who will complement that personality type. Nevertheless, it is naturally considered that extroverts will form better leaders any day, since they have the tendency to have their ideas heard and considered. Thus, they might end up becoming more productive in contributing towards the achievement of the targeted goals through their natural tendency to feel responsible to contribute (Grant, Gino & Hofmann, 2011). This fact can be easily interpreted to mean that the extroverts will automatically make better leaders, since they take responsibility to make contributions in all circumstances. In addition, an extrovert person is suitably placed for a leadership position, due to the fact that the person is well suited to interact with others and gain diverse ideas, making it possible to create different alternatives to solve a situation (Cain, 2012). Further, an extrovert is best placed in a leadership position, since the extrovert can easily adapt diversity due to the natural tendency to interact and socialize more. This is essential for a leadership position, considering the fact that diversity is a key success factor for successful human resource planning and administration within any organization. However, this argument can be countered by the fact that introverts are more listeners than speakers, meaning that they listen more and talk less, thus capable of refining their ideas through the contribution of others, and coming out with a more plausible solution (Eysenck, 1971). This characteristic is useful in developing insights that are more applicable to complex scenarios, owing to the fact that the contribution of an introvert is mostly thoughtful and insightful. Additionally, the introvert characteristic becomes advantageous in a leadership position, owing to the fact that the introvert leader will not throw in his/her ideas when the rest of the contributors are doing it, but will only contribute when the rest have already made their contribution, thus preventing his/her ideas from drowning other peoples’ ideas. The introvert characteristic also comes out as a powerful attribute of an effective leader, since introverts are not as impulsive as the extroverts; therefore they are able to absorb the heat amid conflicting circumstances, making it possible to cool the tempers of others during a heated discussion (Grant, Gino & Hofmann, 2011). The introvert trait is mostly calm and thus capable of sustaining a reassuring and confident attitude when situations seem to go bad, since the introverts will not be absorbed in the heat of the moment, but will rather take time to evaluate all possible alternatives. In this respect, the introverts come out as good leaders, owing to the fact that the most important function of a leader is to sustain a high level of morale among the group being led, even under circumstances where things do not seem to be heading for the better. Extroverts are also associated with the social characteristics of being very friendly, such that they know no stranger (Laney, 2002). Consequently, they are better placed for leadership positions, owing to the fact that they can easily convert a total stranger into a potential client, for as long as the stranger will allow them time to speak about their business. While this may sound like a great advantage, extroverts can be overpowering to people who are strictly committed to business, since they are very sociable such that they will easily enter into discussing even non-business matters when they are strictly required to be discuss business. On the contrary, introverts are better placed for discussing business, owing to the fact that they are not highly sociable, such that they will mostly handle business only when they are required to do so. This places the introverts at a better position for leadership, since they can be effective for discussing business, especially with the clients who are always busy and thus have little time for committing to matters outside of the business (Cain, 2012). Better still, the introverts will not get burnt out easily, and thus are resilient in duty performance, since they will be involved in doing things that are related to their job responsibilities and very little social involvement. This is contrary to the extroverts who can get burnt-out easily as they get involved in their business as well as engage in the business of others through social interactions that can easily divert their concentration on the core duties (Laney, 2002). Therefore, having an introvert in a leadership position might be advantageous than having an extrovert, owing to the fact that most of the leadership duties entail control and guidance, which the introverts can address well, as opposed to the extroverts who might lose control by going socially overboard. This means that introverts can make to be good leaders not in spite of, but because of the fact that they do not push themselves forward so hard as to get exhausted and burnt-out, thus they will have time to apply their abilities realistically (Grant, Gino & Hofmann, 2011). The fact that introverts work in solitude means that an introvert manager will present a well thought-out plan of action, due to the fact that he/she has taken adequate time and consideration in arriving at the plan, since there is little outside interruption. The introverts are also suitably positioned for the leadership position, owing to the fact that most introverts do not get emotionally involved. This means that introverts are better placed to act as mediators and diplomats under situations where the employees have a misunderstanding or a conflict (Eysenck, 1971). The introvert leader will easily mediate between the parties without any chance of crossing the personal boundaries, which is easily possible for an extrovert, due to the highly sociable orientation that may not be sensitive to boundaries. It is also the character of most introverts to stand firm with their decisions, since they are not easily socialized into changing their decisions in favor of what the other people hold as the right decision. This also means that introverts can make to be good leaders, since a good leader must be able to remain firm in certain decisions that he/she makes, especially when such decisions do not appear to favor the group being led. However, this advantage can be countered by the fact that extroverts are more flexible, and thus better placed to accommodate diverse opinions. This would then mean that extroverts can make to be better leaders, since flexibility and ability to accommodate ideas from other people is an essential requirement for successful leadership. In conclusion, leadership is not only a function of the personality of an individual but also a function of the type of personality of the followers. Therefore, both introverts and extroverts can still make to be good leaders, for as long as they operate in an environment where the group being led compliments them, while also working in an environment that will allow them to exploit their full potential. The effectiveness of a leader is highly pegged on the situation in which the leadership capability is being called to action. Nevertheless, the most important thing about the leadership for the introverts and the extroverts is that; there is surely something each type of personality can learn from the other. References Cain, S. (2012). Quiet: The power of introverts in a world that cant stop talking. New York: Crown Publishers. Eysenck, H. J. (1971). Readings in Extraversion-Introversion. New York: Wiley. Grant, A. M., Gino, F., & Hofmann, D. A. (2011). Reversing the extraverted leadership advantage: The role of employee proactivity. Academy Of Management Journal, 54(3), 528-550. Laney, M. (2002). The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World. Workman Publishing. Read More