Introversion is also a superpower
I have multiple clients who are introverts and at various points in conversations during coaching, I've noticed the way that they feel bad about being introverts because it doesn't fit the ‘traditional’ profile of what a leader should look like. Let's get into what introversion is, what it means, and how you can view it as a superpower as opposed to something that's a hindrance to your leadership.
What is an introvert?
Introverts are folks who engage with people and the world differently. So a lot of times, introverted folks are very deep thinkers, they tend to process internally, so they don't need to talk it out all the time with other people. They just need space, to be able to think deeply, and to process before speaking out loud and engaging with others - so they are also great listeners.
Also when they are in groups of people, that tends to drain them. If they are among a large group, they may need some time afterward to just chill out. Or if there's been a day of lots of interaction with people, maybe lots of one-on-one meetings (or meetings in general), that's going to be something that slowly depletes their energy throughout the day. Whereas an extrovert could be spending time with people all day, and they're gaining energy every time they interact with a person.
It doesn't mean you can't be an effective leader if you're an introvert, it just means you need to be aware of how you're losing energy throughout the day, so that you can find opportunities to regain it and utilize the aspects of introversion as a way that you can lead differently and authentically for you.
I have multiple clients who identify as introverts and what I've noticed over time is that the way they talk about themselves is negative when it comes to this context. I have one client who was getting ready to go to a three-day conference, and as they were telling me about it, it was kind of like they were already feeling the energy drain before they had even stepped on the plane. They said, “Well, you know, I'm an introvert,” and the tone of the way they said it, and their body language, told me that they didn't think this was a good thing.
And so I asked them, “If you actually saw your introversion as a superpower, how would that impact how you show up at this conference and into the rooms that you're going to be stepping into?”
They paused, they thought about it, and they started to smile. Then they said, “I like thinking of my introversion as a superpower, and not something I have to change.” And that's the key.
How can you get clear about what you can get curious about yourself that's a strength, as opposed to constantly thinking what you need to change about yourself to fit some traditional profile of who a leader is?
So they have this click in their mind of ‘I don't need to change myself, I need to think about how to actually use this in the spaces I'm in.’ As we started to talk about it, they said, “Well, I like to observe, so maybe I want to engage in some of the parts of the conference where I can just be in the space absorbing and listening and learning.”
They also said, “I want to make sure that I am creating deep relationships that are very intentional, as opposed to meeting a lot of people.” So we started to think about what parts of the conference would allow them to engage deeply and learn more about people one-on-one, rather than going to a massive happy hour with 500 people at the end of the day that leaves them overwhelmed.
Ultimately, we started brainstorming all the ways that they could use their introversion as a way to show up as a leader who is still bringing the mission of their organization forward, showing up in the space authentically, but not feeling the need to make sure that they have five meetings on their calendar and 20 people have gotten a business card.
Instead, this client was able to think about what their strengths are, how they will let them come to the forefront, and what intentionality they want to have in how they interact with people in the space.
Introversion can be a superpower if you actually think it is.
My client could have gone into that continuing to just feel bad about herself and trying to force herself to be something that she's not. But instead, it turned into, “I actually want to allow myself to be at peace with being an introvert, and allow that to just help me identify what I want to do coming into the space.”
For a lot of us Latina leaders, we are coming into spaces with a very different profile than what people are thinking about as a traditional leader or successful leader. So let's stop trying to fit into these boxes of “I have to behave this way, I have to have these personality traits, and I have to do these things just like everybody else does.”
Instead, how can we think about: “What will energize me? What will allow me to be authentic in the spaces I'm in? What if instead of handing out 20 business cards, I come away with two relationships that are so deep and intentional, that they bring more back for the mission of my organization?”
You can still be successful as a leader if you see your introversion as an opportunity to give yourself space to process and build intentional relationships.
And to just know that you need space to get your energy back after lots of interactions with people does not make you an ineffective leader—it makes you an authentic leader who's leaning into your strengths.
My client was also taking a team of folks from their organization with them to the conference. And what a blessing that these team members get to see this leader being their authentic self, being very intentional in the ways that they engage and build with people, as opposed to seeing their leader forcing themselves to be uncomfortable in something they are not.
Let's see this as an opportunity to model for the other people around you what it looks like to be authentically yourself, comfortable in that, confident in that, and still being able to be effective.
If you are a Latina leader who is constantly thinking about how to change yourself to fit into various spaces… Mujer, you are wasting energy that doesn't need to go there. Let's instead put the energy into curiosity about what your strengths are, and how you will intentionally use them.
That's where you're gonna get to be more effective as a leader, where you're going to get to show up in spaces, mission-driven and intentional, as opposed to constantly shrinking yourself and then being exhausted at the end of the day.
If you are looking for a space where you can be supported to figure out what your strengths are and find value in them to grow your confidence, and letting your strengths lead your leadership, then coaching is a great place to be able to invest in yourself.
I offer one-on-one coaching and work with a lot of Latina leaders who have space to come into our coaching time to really think about who they are as a leader and how they want to show up in a variety of spaces. I am here to help you stay grounded in what is great and authentic about your leadership, I am not going to ask you to change yourself, I'm going to ask you to constantly be curious about how you can just elevate what already exists within you.
If you are interested in this space like that, sign up for a discovery call. We can hop on a call together, and you can share where you're wanting to grow in your leadership. Maybe you want to grow in your authenticity and are ready to define leadership for yourself. I am here to support you on that journey and to be alongside you. If you have any questions about what coaching is, or just want to engage more about what it would look like for you, we can discuss that on the call too.
