Introverts: How To Transition Into Leadership

How do you rate yourself as a leader?

Many of the clients I work with want to progress their careers but don’t see themselves as leaders. They also don’t think they’re perceived as leaders. When I ask them to share their examples of leadership they often refer to people already in those positions.

They’re not entirely wrong either, but how do you think those people got there?

In the corporate world, many perceive leadership as a destination to reach, often tied to a prestigious job title or a higher rung on the hierarchy. As a result, countless individuals inadvertently discount themselves from embracing leadership positions, believing that they must first ascend the ranks to have a shot at becoming a leader.

It’s the wrong way round.

Because if you wait until you are a leader with a big fancy job title two things are likely to happen:

1. You won’t actually get the dizzy heights you aspire to reach because nobody will perceive you as a leader; and on the off chance that you do
2. You’ll fail. Because you’ll have no concept of how to deliver in your position.

This back-to-front notion of waiting until you get there fails to grasp a fundamental truth. Leadership is not solely about a position or title, it’s a mindset that can be cultivated at any stage of your career journey. True leadership starts long before you transition into a formal leadership role, and?it begins with the willingness to lead from within, regardless of the current job description or organisational position.

So how an you be a leader regardless of your current position?

Why It’s Important To Showcase Your Leadership Skills

You never know who is watching.

That feels super uncomfotable. Navigating self-consciousness as an introvert can be challenging on its own, but it becomes even more difficult when we feel like we’re being closely observed and evaluated. The struggle lies in our innate inclination to be introspective. Having our awareness validated externally adds an extra layer of complexity to the situation. It’s no wonder that this can be quite daunting for us.

But if you want to progress in your career and your organisation you have to demonstrate your capabilities. Don’t confuse that with being the finished article because you don’t have to be. If you’re already fully qualified for the role you want then you’re over qualified. Every role you step into needs to have room for growth and in my career, that’s exactly what I’ve done. I’ve stepped up when I’ve felt I’m not ready. It’s been scary at times, but it’s how I’ve grown as a person and a leader.

Be Proactive

Whatever your role there will be opportunities to demonstrate initiative by taking a proactive approach. Look for areas of improvement within your immediate scope of work and don’t wait for others to see them and act. Instead, take the initiative to highlight your observations and present your suggestions to someone higher up with supporting data. It doesn’t matter if your ideas aren’t implemented straight away or even at all.?What matters is that you’ve seen an opportunity for improvement and acted on it. Keep doing this because you’ll develop a reputation for being committed to the business and for taking the initiative. You’ll show those higher than you that you’re ready to expand into a bigger role.

You can even go one step further and volunteer to lead the implementation of these changes. This will give you the opportunity to showcase your leadership potential, learn on the job and give you more to talk about on your CV.

Respect Boundaries

While it’s essential to show initiative, avoid the temptation to fly solo on your ideas. Make sure the first person you discuss your suggestions with is your manager and suggest your next steps from there. Having a plan to present how you might kick off any improvement project will demonstrate you given thought to how your ideas might unfold and deliver. It doesn’t matter if those plans aren’t quite on the money, what’s important is you’ve thought it through. So seek guidance and approval from your manager before stepping outside the boundaries of your current role.

Another way of approaching this would be to speak to a mentor if you have one. A relationship with a mentor should be completely confidential so it’s a good idea to confide and seek their guidance before presenting your ideas.

Work Behind the Scenes

There are two aspects to leadership. The bits you see and the bits you don’t see. Every mentor and respected leader I’ve had have?invested their own time into expanding their knowledge.?That means reading and learning about leadership. And what introvert doesn’t like a good book?

It’s this hidden layer of work that significantly impacts a leader’s effectiveness. This behind-the-scenes work involves continuous learning, self-improvement and staying informed about industry trends and developments.

Dedicating time each week to reading leadership books, blogs or listening to podcasts will help you expand your knowledge and gain insights from experienced professionals in their field. Staying informed about industry trends means you can anticipate changes, see opportunities that others might not see and use your knowledge to help you shape your ideas into well crafted propositions.

This will also help you embrace a growth mindset. Continuous learning fosters adaptability and resilience which are essential qualities in an ever-evolving business landscape. Leaders who actively seek to broaden their perspectives are more likely to thrive in challenging situations and lead their teams through times of uncertainty.

Promote Yourself

I know, I know. This is where it gets tricky for us introverts. But if you want to advance your career, you have to make it known what your aspirations are and what you’re doing in an effort to achieve them.

While self-promotion feels like it’s showing off, it’s crucial to communicate your achievements to your superiors.

Begin by acknowledging team achievements and then focus on your role in the group’s success. Start with ‘we’ and then move onto ‘I’. Highlight the specific skills and expertise you brought to the table that contributed to the positive outcome.

Verbal self-promotion will feel uncomfortable at first so leverage your talent for written communication to share your accomplishments. Sending well-crafted emails or progress reports to your superiors allows you to express your achievements thoughtfully and provide them with a documented record of your contributions.

Start developing your leadership portfolio. Compile a collection of your projects, initiatives and successes in a visual or written format. This portfolio can serve as a tangible representation of your leadership capabilities and can be shared with superiors during performance evaluations or career discussions.

Lead Up

Even in junior positions, you can demonstrate leadership by “leading up .” Take the initiative to assist your managers or supervisors by anticipating problems, offering solutions and thinking ahead. Identify the skills and knowledge they need and learn how to master them. This approach showcases your leadership potential and positions you as a valuable asset within the organisation.

Be the Leader You Aspire to Be

Remember that leadership is not defined by job titles but by actions and mindset. No matter your position on the company org chart, you can embody the qualities of a leader right now.

One thing that is common in every client I work with is that they wait for others to recognise their potential. But the world of business is so fast and everyone has a million things to do every day, so hiding yourself away and hoping that your work will speak for itself is a high risk strategy that won’t pay off. So take the initiative, showcase your skills and lead with passion and determination. Your ability to be a leader regardless of your role, will undoubtedly set you on a path to great career success and fulfillment.

I work with introverted executives to help them advance their careers and become great leaders.

If you’d like to talk to me about your career advancement you can book a call?here .

Why not join my new?Facebook ?group for the Introverted Executive. A space to unite with fellow introverts… separately of course.