When People Mistake Quiet for Incapable: A Guide for Introverted Leaders
Use these 5 strategies to ensure your capability is recognized even when you’re not the most vocal person in the room
When we asked people if they often disagree with the majority opinion in a group setting, there wasn’t much difference between Introverts (53%) and Extraverts (49%).
But when we asked how comfortable they were speaking up and sharing those thoughts, significant variation appeared.
80% of Extraverts say that if they disagreed with everyone else in a 10-person group, they’d speak up. Compare that to just 41% of Introverts.
That’s a massive gap – and it’s certainly not because Introverts don’t have anything valuable to say.
Group settings just don’t play to Introverts’ strengths, and they often don’t enjoy them – according to our “Relying on Others” survey, 77% of Extraverts say they enjoy team projects, compared to only 30% of Introverts.
Group brainstorms, team calls, collaborative workshops – these are often the spaces where visibility and perceived capability get built. And they’re exactly the environments where many Introverted leaders feel least comfortable contributing.
Because of this, it’s all too easy for an Introvert’s capability to be underestimated because they don’t perform the same way others do.
So let’s see what we can do about that, shall we?
What to Do When People Equate Talkativeness with Capability
Today, I want to share some strategies that work with how Introverted personality types naturally operate, not against it.
These are ways to make sure your capability is seen and recognized, even when you’re not the loudest voice in the room.
A couple of the strategies we mentioned last week, like holding one-on-one meetings and setting expectations about your work style, also apply here, so make sure to check out that article if you haven’t already done so.
Before we jump in, I also want to mention our Team Assessments. They’ll help you get to know your team’s unique mix of personalities. And when your team understands each other’s different working styles and communication preferences, it becomes much easier for everyone to contribute in the ways that suit them best – and for those contributions to be valued equally.
Okay, without further ado, here are 5 things you can do when people at work equate talkativeness with capability:
