Throughout history and in business, introverts have been exceptional leaders. For instance, as many know, Bill Gates is an introvert, yet he built Microsoft and is one of the wealthiest people in the world.
Gates is the archetypal Introverted genius. Gates reveals in the documentary Inside Bill's Brain: Decoding Bill Gates that when he was young, he would spend days reading, thinking, and pondering in his bedroom. His sisters remark that had it not been for their mother, Mary, Gates would've spent all his time reading.
Not only is Einstein one of the most famous scientists in history, but he was also a known introvert. Leaning into his introverted nature, Einstein believed that his creativity and success came from keeping to himself. He said, "The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.".
Elon Musk. It might be strange to think that a man who's been described as the "next Steve Jobs" was once a reserved, introverted engineer -- but Musk himself is open about that past.
Steve Jobs and Sheryl Sandberg tend to be extraverts. They enjoy addressing an audience, being visible; they seek encounters and action. Steve Wozniak and Mark Zuckerberg are more introverted.
A common misconception in business is that you need to be an extrovert to succeed and to be a leader. Monumental leaders like Abraham Lincoln, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg all found success as self-proclaimed introverts and have all been seen as excellent leaders.
Many of the world's most successful leaders such as Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates are considered introverted. The assumption that outgoing extroverts make better leaders can lead you to give fewer opportunities to introverted employees.
On average, introverts and extroverts are the same in terms of intelligence. But statistics show that around 70% of gifted people are introverts. People are considered “gifted” when they exhibit above-average intelligence or a superior talent for something, such as music, art or math.
In fact, more than 75 percent of people with an IQ above 160 are introverted.
But the unconvinced may be surprised to learn that some of today's most successful business leaders are introverts. Consider this list: Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Mark Zuckerberg, Marissa Mayer and Elon Musk. Yep, all introverts.
Lady Gaga
"People think I'm really confident but I'm actually quite shy and insecure," she told The Daily Star. "I never want to talk to anyone at the big celebrity functions because I don't know anyone and I'm shy and get awkward.
Nelson Mandela. In his autobiography, Mandela referred to himself as an introvert. He mentioned that he preferred observing during African National Congress meetings rather than participating. “I went as an observer, not a participant, for I do not think that I ever spoke,” he stated.
During his childhood and young adulthood, Newton was an introvert; he had few friends and was disinterested in his studies, even though he was intelligent, curious, and imaginative.
He's had major hits in each decade he's performed, and continues to draw huge numbers at the box office in most of his films. Yet despite his electric performances on the screen, Reeves is well-known for his Introverted nature.
They all have been listed as introverts according to their Myers-Briggs personality type or MBTI. Sites like MBTITypes.com list Ellen as an INFP and TypeTango.com lists Oprah as an INFJ. Other sites like PersonalityDesk.com have listed Oprah as an ENFJ.
He'd be positioned pretty firmly on the introversion side of our continuum. John is interesting. While he has strong extroverted tendencies, he also seemed to require and draw a lot of energy from the world of ideas.
Some people who have autism may also be introverts, but the two are not directly linked to go hand in hand. Just like anyone else who has a sort of social anxiety, it may just be the particular or specific person who is the introvert and not necessarily something that they have separated from this.
Are you born introverted or is it something you become over time? Introverts likely develop due to a combination of both nature and nurture. The way that your body's physiology responds to the outside environment plays a critical role in determining your level of extroversion and introversion.
“Most introverts need to think first and talk later.” When it comes to sex, this means that introverts are observing and dissecting everything that's going on, which is just as tiring as the physical act itself.
Because they're quiet by nature, introverts are “natural-born listeners,” writes Kahnweiler. They tend to carefully take in all information and opinions, and only after digesting it, offer a thoughtful answer.
Introverts often deal with unique mental health challenges. They may struggle with feelings of isolation or depression, and can be perfectionists to a fault. However, introverts also have many strengths that should be celebrated and can help protect your mental health.
Introverts enjoy spending time in nature as it makes them feel more grounded and at peace. Being surrounded by the smell of rain feels like a piece of nature is with them inside the comfort of their own home. This sense of being grounded is important, as many superficial conversations can remove this feeling for them.
In a report on career achievement and personality type, Truity Psychometrics found that extroverts dominate the high-earning end of the spectrum. The two top-earning personality types are ESTJ (which stands for Extroverted Sensing Thinking Judging) and ENTJ (Extroverted Intuitive Thinking Judging).
Introverts tend to draw energy from going inwards and being on our own whereas as extroverts tend to draw energy from things that are external to their mind. That is why overly stimulating environments can be energy draining for introverts, leaving us feeling tired, lacking in energy and even stressed.
If you look at some of the world's preeminent inventors, writers, and entrepreneurs, most of them are introverts.