内向的人当不好领导？错！

我们很少看到“性格内向者”和“领导者”同时出现在一句话当中。毕竟，人们通常的观点是，外向者能够成为优秀的公共演说家和社交能手——这是CEO和组织领导者必备的两种技能，但内向者并不具备这些能力。事实上，《今日美国报》进行的一项调查发现，65%的高管认为内向是一种领导力障碍。

有趣的是，这篇文章同时强调，约40%的领导者实际上属于内向型性格——他们只是更擅长让自己适应情境要求。比尔•盖茨、沃伦•巴菲特和查尔斯•施瓦布都是“性格内向者”。

如果你正在考虑创业，但认为自己并不擅长交际，你应该知道下面六个关于内向者的事实：

1. 性格内向者更慎重。

性格外向者往往对回报更加敏感，因此他们更倾向于冒险。与之相反，性格内向者则会选择更加慎重的方式。所以我们经常听到外向者说：“我们行动吧！”而内向者却会问：“我们确定这样做是正确的吗？”

知道这一点为什么会成为创业的优势？因为对于任何创始人而言，承担风险就像一个“成人仪式”，但性格内向者却经常会感到左右为难。你可能要权衡不同的选择，在是与否、做与不做之间摇摆不定。现在，你知道了背后的原因。

了解自己在进行决策时具有怎样的倾向，实际上是一种自我提升的方式，而创业者每天都要做出有影响力的决策。其次，尽管每家初创公司都需要承担一定的风险才能向前发展，但它同样需要慎重地处理资本和资源。

2. 性格内向者在倾听中学习。

在社交场合，性格内向者不会进行华而不实的闲聊。他们在开口之前，会专心致志地倾听和吸收他人的话。在别人说话的时候，他们不会考虑自己要说什么，而是通过用心倾听来学习自己应该说些什么。

此外，畅销书作家、Quiet Revolution网站的创始人苏珊•凯恩认为，内向者都热爱学习。性格内向者属于内在驱动型，因此他们更倾向于寻求内心的满足，并不考虑是否达到外部的标准。试想一下，这会对绩效标准产生怎样的影响？

3. 性格内向者会利用他们的含蓄个性。

是否还记得这样的情境：在学校里，总是有几个学生滔滔不绝地发言，突然一向沉默寡言、性格腼腆的小约翰尼打断了谈话？接下来发生了什么？所有人都转过头来，敬畏地看着小约翰尼说话。这便是典型的性格内向者利用其“在场”力量的例子：这一刻他们是全场的焦点，他们沉着冷静地发言，这将在其他人心目中树立一种积极的形象。

4. 性格内向者为人谦逊。

我并不是说性格外向者便不懂谦逊，但性格内向者对自身的能力和成就有更准确的认识（不要将谦逊与低估自己混为一谈）。谦逊需要人们具备承认错误、缺点、知识差距和局限性的能力——这些是推动生活和事业获得成功的主要因素。

谦逊也意味着以开放的心态倾听新的观点，或接受对立的信息。

5. 性格内向者能够应对不确定性。

相比性格外向者，性格内向者对外部激励的敏感性更低，因此，他们更擅长在信息有限的情况下工作，并能抵御自暴自弃的冲动。性格内向者更有可能坚持找到最初并不明显的解决方案。

不相信吗？或许你会相信阿尔伯特•爱因斯坦的话：“我成功并不是因为我聪明，而是我花了更多的时间来考虑问题。”

你或许说我是疯子（你绝不是第一个），但在不确定性普遍存在的情况下，找到确定性将为任何一位创业者增加成功的砝码。

6. 性格内向者能适应独自工作。

即便你通过合伙或合资的方式创建一家公司，你在职业生涯当中也一定会遇到独自工作的时候。内向者更愿意独自工作，因为在这种状态下，他们才能最专注于工作。

对此，苹果公司联合创始人史蒂夫•沃兹尼亚克这样解释：“我见过的多数发明家和工程师就像我一样——他们性格腼腆，生活在自己的世界里。当他们独处的时候，工作最有成效，可以控制一项发明的设计。我要给你的一条建议是：独自工作，尽管这可能有些难以接受。独自工作的时候，你能够设计出革命性的产品和功能。”

所以，内向型领导者比外向型领导者表现更差，只是一种误解而已。不论你是内向型还是外向型，都应该充分利用自己的个性优势，领导公司向前进。（财富中文网）

译者：刘进龙/汪皓

审校：任文科

It’s rare that you see the words “introvert” and “leader” in the same sentence. After all, the common perception is that extroverts make great public speakers and are excellent networkers — two things CEOs and organizational leaders must be — and that introverts are not. In fact, a poll conducted by USA Today cited 65 percent of executives who believed introversion to be a barrier to leadership.

Interestingly, the same article highlights that roughly 40 percent of leaders actually are introverted — they’re just better at adapting themselves to situational demands. Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and Charles Schwab are just a few “innies.”

If you are considering starting a business but don’t consider yourself a social butterfly, here are six truths about introverts that you should know about:

1. Introverts are prudent.

Unlike their extroverted counterparts who are more sensitive to rewards, which explains why extroverts are more pre-disposed to risk-taking, introverts take a circumspect approach to chance. This is why you hear extroverts say things such as, “Let’s just do it!” whereas introverts prefer to ask, “are we sure this is the right thing to do?”

Why is knowing this an entrepreneurial advantage? Risk-taking is a rite of passage for any founder yet can often feel awkward. You may vacillate between yes and no, go and no-go while you weigh different options. Now you know why.

Recognizing how you’re predisposed to decision-making is how you improve, and entrepreneurs make impactful decisions every day. Second, while every startup necessitates some risk to propel it forward, it also requires prudence in capital and resources.

2. Introverts learn by listening.

Rather than the flashy chit-chat that defines social gatherings, introverts listen intently to what others say and internalize it before they speak. They’re not thinking about what to say while the other person is still talking, but rather listening so they can learn what to say.

Along the same lines, introverts share a common love of learning, according to bestselling author and founder of Quiet Revolution, Susan Cain. They are intrinsically motivated and therefore seek content regardless of achieving an external standard. How’s that for a performance standard?

3. Introverts leverage their quiet nature.

Remember being in school and hearing the same kids contribute, until shy little Johnny — who never said a peep — chimed in? Then what happened? Everyone turned around to look in awe at little Johnny actually talking. This is how introverts leverage their power of presence: they “own” the moment by speaking calmly and deliberately, which translates to a positive perception.

4. Introverts demonstrate humility.

Not to say that extroverts aren’t humble, but introverts tend to have an accurate sense of their abilities and achievements (not to be confused with underestimated). Humility entails the ability to acknowledge mistakes, imperfections, knowledge gaps and limitations — all key ingredients for getting ahead in business and life.

Being humble also indicates an openness to hear new ideas or receive contradictory information.

5. Introverts manage uncertainty.

Since introverts have a lower sensitivity to external rewards than extroverts, they’re more comfortable working with little information and resisting self-defeating impulses. Introverts are also more likely to persist in finding solutions that aren’t initially apparent.

Don’t believe me? Maybe you’ll believe Albert Einstein, who said, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s that I stay with problems longer.”

Call me crazy (you wouldn’t be the first), but finding certainty where uncertainty typically prevails is a huge plus for any entrepreneur.

6. Introverts are comfortable working alone.

Even if you start a company through a partnership or joint venture, you will likely find yourself working alone at some point in your career. Introverts prefer working in isolation because it affords the greatest opportunity to focus.

Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, put it this way, “Most inventors and engineers I have met are like me — they’re shy and they live in their heads. They work best when they are alone, and can control an invention’s design. I’m going to give you some advice that might be hard to take: work alone. You’re going to be able to design revolutionary products and features.”

The myth that introverts are less effective leaders than their extroverted brethren is just that. Leverage your personality strengths to lead your business no matter what side of the spectrum you fall on.