I used to be proud of the study system I’d created to achieve mostly A’s in school. But later, I realized that this same thorough approach did not ensure success at work. This came to bear one day when my boss stopped by my desk about 15 minutes before a meeting. We’d been discussing one of my ideas earlier and he asked if I could mention it to our CEO when the meeting was over. With only a few minutes available, I quickly typed up a concise outline of my thought process so I could be clear, printed it – and ran to the meeting.
At Nahid Coaching & Mentoring, one key lesson we keep coming back to is around negative behavior patterns and how they are often driven by a deeper negative belief system. For example, procrastination might be the result of a set of beliefs ranging from, “I do my best work under deadline pressure” to “I don’t have what it takes to do a good job right now” or “other people are not allowing me the time I need to get this done”. On the surface these might sound like lame excuses, but a pattern of procrastination can be very hard to escape, creating a feeling of being trapped in the habit. Regardless of how lame the “excuses” may sound, they are often real enough to control one’s behavior.
By understanding the introverted personality style and employing certain routines, systems and best practices that embrace their traits, introverts will find themselves well positioned to thrive in leadership roles. Here are seven of our top tips and best practices for introverted leaders:
As I approach my twentieth year working with people to clear away the internal obstacles and conflicts that get in the way of success, I’ve spent some time sitting back and reflecting on what this company is about, where we excel, and what is most important to focus on in the next twenty years. I have loved surrounding myself with clients and friends who are committed to ongoing growth and development, and it’s been a personal journey for me, just as much as a business journey.