Picture a business person.
Think about the way they talk, their daily schedule, and how they interact with others.
Chances are, you’ve pictured a highly charismatic mover and shaker. Someone out there every day talking to people, building networks and high powered relationships with an unlimited social battery. Combined, it’s easy to imagine that these traits make them immensely successful.
For such a long time, extroversion has been equated with leadership and business success. Whether it’s thanks to the influence of television or our own assumptions, we’ve grown to believe that achieving our goals is all down to how well you can persuade others, build a community, and hustle.
But things are changing.
Over the past decade, there’s been an increasing array of literature debunking this myth. For your business, it might just be time we gave the inner introvert a chance.
Introverts and Their Superpowers
The main difference between introverts and extroverts comes down to energy. If you find you need alone time to recharge your batteries, chances are you’re more of an introvert. Equally if social engagement fuels you up, then you might fall more strongly in the extrovert camp.
Historically, introverts might have been dismissed for not contributing much to meetings, seeming awkward at social events, or not seeming to have many of their own ideas.
The reality is, of course, different. Being an introvert can be a superpower, making people especially well suited to:
- Deep, focused work
- Thinking through problems clearly before rushing to a decision
- Generating truly creative ideas that require greater consideration, not a flash of intuition
- Strategic planning that requires a look at the big picture as well as the fine detail
It’s easy to see how all of these abilities might lead to much better results for your business – especially if you run it alone.
Harnessing the Power of Focus
Whether or not you associate with being primarily an introvert (these things are usually something of a spectrum), we can all learn from these special abilities.
Thanks to the care introverts tend to take before speaking, their ideas are usually well thought through and methodical. When it’s harder to speak up, you expend more effort making sure what you have to say is of worth.
For business owners, this means finding a process that gives yourself the time and space to consider challenges more carefully might just help you build better plans. When you rely less on reactive instincts, you might find you can unlock a greater strategic depth to your ideas.
An introverted way of thinking and working can be the path to true mastery.
Even the Best Solo Workers Need a Bounceboard
All that being said, there’s only so much effective consideration that can be done alone. Discussion time – in a space where your voice will be heard and amplified – is a powerful tool for boosting confidence and clarifying thoughts.
Many of my clients find that a sounding board helps them to articulate their well-considered plans, and to test them out in the open before moving to implementation.
With feedback and guidance from an experienced business coach, it becomes easier to see the wood for the trees, and to be sure that your ideas and plans are as grounded in clear thinking as possible.
Because after all, when ideas are shared, they grow more powerful.
Agreed (say it quietly)?
Kind Regards,
Chris