They say that youth is wasted on the young, and in some respects, I agree. When I was in my twenties, I dreamed of launching a business. I had the technical skills, the energy, and the time—this was before getting married and having three kids—but I doubted whether I had the personality to lead a company. I’m a classic introvert; I prefer small groups to big crowds, I tend to write my thoughts down before speaking them, and I gain energy by spending downtime at home, alone or with family.
Eventually, the disappointment of not trying outweighed the fear of trying, so I launched Jotform. Nearly two decades, multiple offices, and 660 employees later, I’ve realized that extroversion has little to do with effective leadership. Being an introvert ultimately helped me grow my company. People may gravitate towards extroverts and view them as more charismatic, but true leadership depends on qualities like empathy and strong communication skills—traits that are more valuable than ever in the age of AI.
The old dictator style of leadership is obsolete. Here’s a closer look at the qualities today’s leaders need.
Not speaking louder, but choosing the right words
Early in my career, I assumed that outgoing extroverts were best suited for leadership roles. Who better to communicate an organization’s mission than the person who’s energized by other people and doesn’t sweat speaking in front of a crowd?
Age and experience have shown me the wisdom of the Socratic maxim: know thyself. Eventually, I realized I was a strong communicator, I just preferred to do so in smaller settings or when I could prepare my thoughts ahead of time. Knowing this about myself has helped me to lead and grow my company.
As it turns out, people wrongly assume that extroversion is the driver of leadership ability, but communication skills are even more important. A study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology asked over 400 undergraduate students to consider initiatives proposed by a fictitious company. They discussed the initiatives with other group members and then rated each other on leadership potential. They also completed a test measuring extroversion and were rated on their communication skills. The latter, communication skills, was the most important indicator of leadership potential—and introverts were on par with extroverts when it came to communicating.
The good news is you can strengthen your communication skills with techniques like active listening and asking friends, colleagues, and mentors for feedback. It’s a leadership quality that anyone can develop regardless of personality type.
Putting others first
Sometimes, the same qualities that could make you a great leader are the ones that prevent your leadership potential from being recognized. Empathy, for example, tends to be sorely underappreciated. Recent research shows that organizations often favor overconfidence and narcissism in candidates for leadership roles. It makes sense—those people are usually the loudest in the room and the ones who are willing to do anything to get ahead.
But the most effective leaders are the ones who help others shine. I’ve never been the loudest in the room, but making a concerted effort to be empathetic has helped my career. For me, that means putting myself in the shoes of other stakeholders, from employees to partners to users. Empathizing with our users, for instance, helped me to understand how they engage with our products—not just as an online form tool, but as a broader productivity tool to make their lives easier. As a result, we released new features and continued to scale the company. Empathizing with employees enabled me to grasp where they were thriving—and where they were struggling. This has led to people-centered initiatives within our company, from demo days to mentorship programs, that have kept our employees happy and advancing.
When issues arise within your company, putting yourself in others’ shoes is a surefire strategy for figuring out how to correct course.
Combining adaptability and well-reasoned decision-making
Heraclitus once said, “The only constant in life is change.” This has never been more true. For leaders, the business landscape is constantly changing on so many fronts, from AI advances to economic shifts to global crises and more. Being able to roll with the punches and adapt to small and seismic changes has never been more crucial.
Introverts are uniquely skilled at adapting to new circumstances while making fully reasoned decisions. Introverts tend to be good listeners. They observe their surroundings, do their research, process information, and weigh their options. Then they decide.
I think there’s something to be said for being able to tap into the data and your intuition during times of rapid change. To offer a Jotform example, last year, when news headlines were filled with stories about remote or hybrid work being the new normal, I was hesitant to jump on the bandwagon. While recognizing the perks of working from home, I noticed that something was tearing at the fabric of our company. New hires were floundering. Team members were losing sight of the greater mission and losing touch with each other. I weighed all of the nuances and ultimately decided to initiate a full RTO—and our company has fully rebounded as a result. New hires are staying with the company. Meaningful productivity is back to pre-pandemic levels. The team grows, slowly and steadily, week after week.
I might not have quite the same energy as I did when I launched Jotform, pulling 9-5s at my day job and then working on my fledgling startup past midnight. I didn’t have the same family obligations either. But what I’ve paid for with youth, I’ve gained in confidence—in myself as an introverted and effective leader.
The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune.
