Introverts: Are You Sabotaging Your Career?

Are you conflicted?

Many introverts find themselves debating their career choices and sadly this can go on for years. I see so much talent lying dormant and what happens is that many opportunties can pass us by.

How do I know this?

I’ve been there.

I always thought my career would start and end in the corporate world and for 33 years that’s where I operated.

But for so many of those years I was conflicted.

On the one hand I knew I was smart and had what it took to be very successful. On the other, I doubted every positive thought I had about myself and for a while this held me back. I felt restrained. Locked away beneath an exterior that oozed confidence and professionalism. Underneath it was like a furnace of ideas, desires, and strategies all bubbling away like lava beneath a volcanic exterior.

Have you found yourself observing and thinking ‘I could do that…only better’ or ‘I can fix that, I know exactly how to solve that issue’ and the one that really used to stir up a tornado of emotions was ‘if only I could get my hands on that , I could make a name for myself’. I know, it sounds a bit arrogant but it illustrates the passion I had for making my mark, inspiring people, utilising my skill set and natural talents to drive and deliver remarkable results.

It’s a common trait in introverts to be great theorists when it comes to career advancement but the execution of that theory is whole different ball game.

So what holds you back?

Fear

Let’s face it the fear you feel is real. Yes, in times of challenge and opportunity everyone feels the pressure and wonders if they can cut it. But you? For you this is magnified immensely. For every positive and motiving thought you have about yourself you have three negative thoughts poised to beat them down.

Overwhelm

It’s easy for you to feel overwhelmed at the mere prospect of stepping into bigger shoes. What if you can’t maintain the energy required to deliver on expectations? What if you’re suddenly thrown into the spotlight and you wither into a fraction of who you are? What if it all gets too stressful and something has to break? You worry that you won’t cope and you’ll let people down.

Rejection

You want to be wholeheartedly accepted but you know there’ll be a need to prove yourself in the early days. What if you can’t handle the doubters and the sceptics? What if their challenge isn’t something you can rise to and this stifles your ability to shine? Rejection no matter who you are is unwelcome but as an introvert, it cuts you deep and takes longer to heal.

Solitude

What if your need to balance solitude with required amount of social interaction is compromised and this impacts your ability to contribute? Not getting your down time feels like you’re suffocating. It impacts your mental agility, your physical energy and your emotional tollerance.

As an introvert, the prospect of getting promoted to a management or senior leadership role can be both exciting and daunting. On one hand, you know you can do this and you’ve worked hard to earn this recognition, but on the other you feel like you are out way out of your depth.

Mindset Is The Answer

The truth is, being a manager or senior leader requires a mindset shift. There’s a step change between being an individual contributor to a leader, and while making the shift can be challenging it is necessary for you to succeed.

The most significant mindset shift that you need to make when you get promoted to a management or senior leadership role is letting go of being the person who responds and becoming the person who sets the direction.

That means letting go.

You may be used to working independently and finding solutions on your own. But, in a management or senior leadership role, you need to rely on your team and trust that they can deliver results. This means that you need to let go of that innate sense of desire to control everything and be open to other perspectives and ideas. So lean in to that super-strength you have of listening, not only will you build stronger relationships, but you’ll create a more collaborative and inclusive work environment.

When you let go of the thought process that you need to do everything yourself you create space for yourself. Creating this space will minimise the overwhelm and help you carve out your path to success.

Another thought process that you need to let go of is the idea that success is only about your individual achievements. You don’t have to do it all alone. Yes as the leader you’re accountable but your success is tied to the success of your team and the organisation as a whole. This means that by focusing on building a strong team, setting clear expectations, and creating a culture where everyone is respected and honoured for their value, everyone will thrive and the results will speak for themselves.

Another challenge you’ll face is owning your own time and saying no. The higher you go the more important this is. As an introvert you know what you need so you can thrive and by honouring this you’re unlikely to experience that mental, physical and emotional deficit that you’re afraid of. And don’t feel guilty for doing this, don’t feel bad. As a manager or senior leader, you need to be able to see the big picture and create strategies to address challenges and opportunities. This requires you to carve out time for reflection, analysis, and planning.

The more you do this the more energy you will have to collaborate and communicate when it’s needed. With your vision and goals clearly imprinted in your mind through your time in solitude, you’re more likely to communicate these effectively. You’ll build relationships with your team, stakeholders and across the wider organisation. Soon enough the volume will fade on those concerns of rejection.

One of the biggest mistakes I made in my first management role was thinking I could and needed to do everything myself. I didn’t listen to the advice of my team and my peers. I didn’t trust my team to support me and I pushed through without honouring my own personal needs. Needless to say I didn’t earn the respect I needed and I burned out in the process. It was a hard lesson to learn and one I never repeated.

As Winston Churchill said “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts”.

Still conflicted or just a little bit inspired?

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