Dear sister,
 

 How is it going? I heard that you are hesitating about whether to run for the leader of your team to participate campus’s competition recently. I know that you always have brilliant ideas, but you also afraid that you cannot be elected because of your introverted character. If I were you, I will have a try to run for the leader. Because once you were elected, not only your ideas can be heard and accepted by more people, but also you can exercise your courage, your speaking skills in public, and your ability in leading a team, which are all essential factors after you go to work. Even if you failed in the election, you can still train your speech ability during the campaign, finding your weaknesses and correcting them. Therefore, do not be afraid, it is time to change the thought of yourself and start to believe that introverted people like you should and also could have a try in leading a team for both the team will gain new ideas and the person will improve himself in this process. 
   

I know you may still be worried about other people's prejudice against introverts. To assuage such worries, we can first look at the reasons of this bias. One of the main reasons people think introverts can't become good leaders is that introverted people don't show the quality of good leaders in public’s traditional cognition. Matthew Kuofie, a professor in Central Michigan University, summarizes psychiatrist Carl Jung’s opinion, “Those who are introverted have been characterized as those who prefer solace, are analytical, thinkers, prefer working alone than working in large groups, reflective, reserved, gain energy from ideas and are often exhausted by social situations” (95). which means the introverted people are more tended to think and plan before doing something while extraverted people will take actions first. However, the qualities that leaders needed in most people’s minds are daring to speak and organize, which is totally different from the qualities that introverts show in public.  Therefore, when introverted people are in public place, they seem to be the people who need to be led in other people’s eyes.
   

But why those who are more considerable will be regarded as the people who fear the social communication? I think it is because most people mix up the concepts of introversion and shyness. Susan Cain, graduated from Princeton and Harvard Law School, also agreed this opinion. She claimed in her book “The power of introverts in a world that cannot stop talking”, “Shyness is the fear of social disapproval or humiliation, while introversion is a preference for environments that are not over stimulating.” This points out the real difference of introverted and shy people, which means the purpose of choosing quiet place. That is, introverted people actively select the quiet environment, because they think this kind of environment is more conducive to thinking, while shy people choose it to avoid social communication, because quiet place can release their anxiety to communication.
   

The qualities that introverts show in public not only let them be regarded as shy people, but also overshadow many of their advantages that extroverted leaders may not have. The most obvious one is that introverted leaders are good at listening to others. And there are lots of scientists and researchers do relevant studies to proof this idea. Professor Adam Grant at Wharton conducted a study on a U.S. pizza company with some other college professors. Their sent questionnaires to managers and employees in pizza stores to let them evaluate their colleagues. Then Grant connected it with the sales performance of the store. And the result of the study was that the performances became higher when only one people between manager and employee are extrovert. We can make a conclusion from this result that extroverted leader might feel threatened when employees are positive, while introverts are more receptive. Therefore, the introverted leader might be more possible to think about employee’s thought, while extroverted leaders tend to impose their willing to their employees and ignore some of their employee’s brilliant thoughts.
   

Despite being more willing to listen to others, introverted leaders are more likely to form deep relationship with others, which enable the leader to lead the team better. Michael E. Kitces, an American commentator, speaker, and educator, claimed that compared with extroverts, introverted people tend to choose gentle people when have a conversation. Meanwhile, the place and form for communication is more suitable for further dialogue. As a result, introverts will be easier to form deeper contact.  Just like what I mentioned before, when introverts talk with others, they prefer quiet place, which helps them to be more focused than extroverts in a communication. Therefore, people who communicate with introverts will feel that they are valued and are more willing to engage in deep communication, which can lead to deeper relationships
   

However, you may argue that forming such deep relationship makes the leader more like a friend than a superior. And employees will feel that their superiors are too weak to build the authority of a leader. It is normal to think in that way. But in fact, this weakness can also be an advantage if you recognize it. Shawn Casemore, an employee empowerment expert and also a writer in Industry Week once argues that, “As leaders, introverts often recognize that part of their personality must be extroverted if they are to be effective, whereas extroverts are less aware of this need.” Because the social common understanding is that leaders should be outgoing, so introverts will pay more attention to the cultivation of this ability, while extroverts will not focus on good character the introverts have such as carefulness and deliberation.
   

I think now you must recognize some of your strengths as a leader and have a stronger desire to attend the election. The next step is about how to show your strengths. Jennifer B. Kahnweiler, PhD, Certified Speaking Professional, is an author and global speaker hailed as a “champion for introverts.” She argues in her book “The Introverted Leader: Building on Your Quiet Strength” that introverts can communicate with their teams through social media to get rid of the embarrassment of talking in public. And I think you can also use this kind of strategy to organize the team activity if you are not willing to speak in public. But it will be better if you can challenge yourself to speak in public, which can enhance your speaking skills in public.
   

Above all, not like the traditional thought that leaders must be extroverts, introverted people also have great potential and quality to be good leaders. What introverts lack is just some courage of expressing their desires to be leaders. Therefore, I do hope you can grasp the opportunity and show your carefulness and thoughtfulness to others. I believe your classmates will make a different opinion on you, or even introverts, and you will find your own unique role in either team work or daily communication.

Yours,
Coco

Works Cited
Kuofie, Matthew, et al. “An Overview Perception of Introverted Leaders” International Journal of Global Business, Beverly Hills Vol. 8, Iss. 1, Jun. 2015, pp. 93-103.
Casemore, Shawn. “Why Introverts Are Better Leaders” Industry Week; Cleveland, Apr 4. 2017, Accessed 19 April. 2018.
Grant, Adam M, et al. “The Hidden Advantages of Quiet Bosses” Harvard Business Review, Boston Vol. 88, Iss. 12, Dec. 2010, pp. n/a. Accessed 19 April. 2018.
Saunderson, Roy. “Why Introverts Also Make Great Leaders” Training, Minneapolis Vol. 54, Iss. 3, May/Jun. 2017, pp. 62-63.
Kitces, Michael E. “How to Succeed as an Introverted Financial Planner” ThinkAdvisor, New York, Jul 8. 2014. Accessed 19 April. 2018.
Jung, Carl. Psychological Types. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University, 1971.
Cain, Susan.  Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. Broadway Books, 2013
Kahnweiler, Jennifer B. The Introverted Leader: Building on Your Quiet Strength. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2018