Displaying charismatic leadership is one of the most effective ways to boost everything from motivation and creativity to productivity and plain old satisfaction. Whether it stems from low morale at the office, high anxiety at home, or a lack of clear direction from the top, far too many employees feel like they're stuck in a boat without a paddle. It's the manager's job to get those employees rowing again. But what if you fall somewhere between Ben Stein and Alan Greenspan on the charisma scale?
The good news is that you are not doomed to fail as a leader. A new study shows that the more reserved style of introverted leaders can actually inspire better performance in followers. Researchers Adam Grant of the Wharton School, Francesca Gino of Harvard Business School, and David Hofmann at the University of North Carolina found that if the employees are an extroverted, proactive bunch by nature, the team will perform better under the leadership of an introvert than under an extrovert. Introverted leaders are more likely to take a team approach to problem-solving and to let talented team members spread their wings.
