The term “introverted” is often used interchangeably with “shy.” This is misleading. Introversion itself is not shyness. Shyness brings with it feelings of nervousness and anxiety. Although an introvert may be shy, it actually means that person is energized by being alone, and is drained by being around other people.

I’m an introvert; my husband is an extrovert. He literally can’t go long without being around a lot of people. It is exactly like a battery charge for him. I, on the other hand, literally get uneasy if I don’t have a period of solitude in every day.

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I get frustrated by the faulty definition of introvert. I think it subconsciously makes introverts feel like they could never be leaders because they don’t have the people skills needed. So it was with great glee that I ran across a piece on Forbes.com that put this topic in proper perspective and actually made a case for why introverts make the best leaders. (Little known fact: Introverts make up about 60% of the gifted population but only about 25-40% of the general population.)

My hat’s off to the author of the piece, Jennifer B. Kahnweiler, for outlining the characteristics of introverts that make them great leaders:
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