Introverts, your natural leadership capabilities are calling

Posted 05 July 2023 by
Vanessa Bradford, MBTIonline Contributing Writer

4 min. read

There’s a pretty distinct difference between leaders and managers:

Leaders set the tone. Managers move forward with the tactics.

In a work environment, both roles are important. While not every leader needs to be a manager, every manager can learn to become a leader. Consider how much interpersonal interaction is involved in managing people. If manager-employee relationships become strained (or are non-existent), it could lead to things like decreased productivity or high turnover. Fortunately, a self-aware leader can mitigate some of that risk. Ultimately, the more you connect with the people you lead, the more you’ll be seen as a true leader by your team.

Psychologist Dr. Martin Boult spoke about this in episode four of The Myers-Briggs Company Podcast. As the senior director of professional services and international training at The Myers-Briggs Company, Dr. Boult also discussed how the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator^®(MBTI) can be useful for leaders and managers who want to connect with their team. In fact, MBTIonline Teams was specifically designed with this in mind. It’s a fully virtual, self-guided experience that helps people expand their self-awareness, develop as leaders, and increase the likelihood of team success.

Introverts Can be Leaders Too

With all this talk about leadership, it’s important to acknowledge that the corporate world does seem to favor leaders with a preference for Extraversion. In fact, 61% of senior managers in the US are Extraverts, and only 39% are Introverts. Those stats are similar across all leadership levels, from middle managers to executives. While this presents some challenges for Introverted personality types, it’s still possible – and well within reach – for Introverts to successfully lead a team or organization.

In fact, the more you develop as a leader, the easier it is to recognize that every single person on your team possesses natural leadership characteristics of their own. Knowing which of those characteristics to cultivate will help you build deeper connections with people, boost the overall success of your team, and improve your capabilities as a leader. Here’s a closer look at the natural leadership characteristics of the eight Introverted MBTI personality types – and what you can do to help everyone thrive. (Looking for info on Extraverted personality types? Read part one.)

INFJs lead with integrity

INFJs look out for the people on their team, and tend to be quietly persistent
They naturally cultivate a cooperative environment, rather than demanding one

Leaders and managers, you enhance the natural leadership qualities of an INFJ when you:

Encourage them to speak up rather than bottle things inside
Show them how to consider the current reality alongside long-term goals

INFPs lead with idealism

INFPs have an eye for the overarching vision and values of a team or project
They offer loose structure, which gives others the chance to solve problems on their own

Leaders and managers, you enhance the natural leadership qualities of an INFP when you:

Gently remind them that constructive feedback can be just as helpful as praise
Help them understand that time management is essential for their ideals to become reality

INTJs lead with vision

INTJs take a no-nonsense approach to leading the people around them
They explain expected outcomes clearly so that everyone knows their role

Leaders and managers, you enhance the natural leadership qualities of an INTJ when you:

Remind them that it’s perfectly acceptable to delegate or ask for help
Ensure they understand that other people may need words of affirmation to stay motivated

INTPs lead with logic

INTPs are natural self-starters who also reward the same trait in others
They like to set ground rules for everyone and work toward those goals independently

Leaders and managers, you enhance the natural leadership qualities of an INTP when you:

Demonstrate that it’s OK if some tasks or people need closer supervision
Remind them that roles and hierarchies are useful to determine who is responsible for what

ISFJs lead with commitment

ISFJs have a knack for offering practical help in an encouraging way
They tend to honor their commitments with precision and diligence

Leaders and managers, you enhance the natural leadership qualities of an ISFJ when you:

Show genuine appreciation for their dedication and kindness
Help them understand that there’s often more than one way to successfully meet a goal

ISFPs lead with sensitivity

ISFPs are naturally adaptable, agreeable, and collaborative
They value harmony and want to make sure everyone gets to work in their own way

Leaders and managers, you enhance the natural leadership qualities of an ISFP when you:

Encourage them not to downplay their own talents and contributions
Remind them that sincerity and kindness can come in the form of constructive feedback

ISTJs lead with responsibility

ISTJs value logic, common sense, and tradition
They model the work ethic and dependability they want to see in others

Leaders and managers, you enhance the natural leadership qualities of an ISTJ when you:

Show them how alternative methods can be efficient and useful
Remind them that others may need them to be more inclusive and appreciative

ISTPs lead with ingenuity

ISTPs take a pragmatic, unbiased approach – especially in a crisis
They prefer that everyone has the freedom to use their skills independently

Leaders and managers, you enhance the natural leadership qualities of an ISTP when you:

Urge them to recognize and show appreciation for others
Demonstrate how a traditional chain of command can be helpful in certain situations

Be sure to read part one, where we covered the natural leadership characteristics of all eight Extraverted MBTI types. You can also supercharge your leadership capabilities with the following: