As a consultant on-site for a few days, I could feel the tension. The "suits" were making a visit to the plant, and people seemed on edge. I watched the vice president of manufacturing walk into the break room. He earnestly approached each individual. I could hear him asking questions, and his attentive body language showed me he was tuned into the answers they were giving. I heard him ask one young worker, "How’s your mama?" The young man told him about the progress his mother had made since her illness the previous year. These kinds of conversations continued as he made his way around the room.
People who are considered introverted often report that they are more comfortable talking to others in a one-on-one situation than in a group. They are also considered to be excellent listeners who go for depth rather than breadth in their conversations. The following discussion is about being a successful leader in an organization. It is drawn from the lessons I have learned from both introverted and extroverted leaders.
PREPARE
Stepping into a management role is a scary and exciting proposition for most of us.
Although no rule book exists for this move, training, coaching and mentoring will
increase your chances of success. Here are the four touch points to consider in
preparation: (1) know yourself; (2) know your team; (3) build in motivation; and (4) see
the big picture.
1. Know Yourself
It has been said that the most difficult person you will ever manage is yourself,
and we have to learn to manage ourselves in order to manage others. When you know
your strengths and weaknesses, you can be more objective, detach when you have to,
and show appropriate concern for others.
2. Know Your Team
You should plan for how you approach people in the preparation stage. Prepare
in advance by getting a handle on the styles, skill sets and other preferences
of those you will be supervising.
Chuck, an extroverted manager, finds that when he "creates the right environment, there is no difference in performance between extrovert and introvert managers/executives.
3. Build in Motivation
Is it possible to prepare to motivate your employees? Yes. Part of the process
involves understanding what motivates your people. Each person is different. Meeting
with people one-on-one in the first 90 days of your job is a great strategy to understand
more about who they are. You can then adapt your approach to match their needs.
4. See the Big Picture
Daniel Pink believes that leaders need to move away from the notion of focus. [Though]
a composer and conductor know that parts of orchestras need to play together, it is the
entire orchestra that sounds magnificent. Symphony is the ability to grasp the relationship
between relationships. Pink shared how he thought his notion of symphony might connect
with the introvert. "Symphony is important to all leaders–but quiet leaders might have an
edge because they do more listening–and therefore might get more and better information"
(A Whole New World, Riverhead Books, 2006).
PRESENCE
Making a profound impression on people is one aspect of presence. The next sections will
explore three elements of presence that I have observed in successful leaders: (1) learn
to delegate; (2) listen with attunement; and (3) observe facial expressions.
1. Learn to Delegate
In management classes I have led over the years, delegation seems the hardest skill for
new managers to master. Learning how to delegate is not the hard part. It is a matter of
matching the right person to the right task, knowing his or her capabilities, and coaching
him or her. If you can guide the person more in the beginning and then slack off as he
or she gains mastery, delegation can be successful.
2. Listen with Attunement
The vice president of manufacturing introduced at the beginning of the article
showed adeptness in listening. It takes more focus than time to really listen. For the
busy manager, this means looking up from your laptop or Blackberry. It may even mean
scheduling some time with your employees when you can totally focus. It is your behavior,
not your intention, that people will remember when it comes to listening.
3. Observe Facial Expressions
Consider the story of Nelson Mandela, the great South African leader. Apparently, he
was a pretty dull speaker. What he did consistently in every setting was break out his
huge smile. This symbolized his lack of bitterness toward white South Africans and
communicated hope and triumph to black voters. Mandela's smile was his message ("His
Eight Lessons of Leadership," Time Magazine, June 21, 2008).
Push
These push techniques also incorporate preparation and presence approaches. As a newly
emerging leader, don’t try to change everything overnight. This section lists some
push strategies to incorporate into your plan: (1) assert yourself; (2) have conversations;
(3) face conflict; (4) learn about the organization; and (5) keep learning. Let's look
at each one of them.
1. Assert Yourself
Assertiveness is often confused with aggressiveness. It is not bullying. It is direct,
open and honest communication. Many new managers fall victim to their own lack of
assertiveness in an effort to please others or avoid conflict. Learn to be assertive by
watching those leaders who communicate assertively. It is a process that can be practiced
in venues outside of work. The benefits will be great for everyone in your life.
2. Have Conversations
There was a theory back in the 1980s called MBWA, which stands for management by walking
around. The idea was to encourage managers to get out of their offices and talk to people.
Revolutionary for the time, it is commonly accepted today. But with so many more complex
distractions, it is not always followed even though it is important. Make time, even if
you have to schedule it, to talk to the people who work with you.
3. Face Conflict
Conflict is any disagreement between people. Though the definition by itself is
not negative, many of us experience discomfort when team members disagree, employees
push back or bosses question us. It helps to remember that conflict is natural,
necessary and normal. Managing conflict constructively is a challenge. Not only will
you be managing people from many different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, but you
may already be working across the globe with customers, vendors and partners. As a
leader, the more educated you can become in learning ways to move through these issues,
the more ahead of the game you will be.
4. Get Organizational Knowledge
Branch out of your specialty area and learn to connect the work of your group to the
vision of the organization. Be up on trends so you can suggest directions for upper
management to explore. In this knowledge economy, you add value by the ideas you bring.
PRACTICE
Surround yourself with a support system. Even though you value your time alone,
you can schedule one-on-ones and communicate in writing with these members of your
informal advisory board. No one succeeds by themselves. You can hire a coach,
enlist a mentor, and rely on experienced team members. Becoming a manager is not for
everyone. You need to decide whether you want to take that step. But keep in mind that
being an introvert is no reason to avoid becoming a manager.
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