Tapping into talent and potential of 'quiet performers'

FOR years, leadership has been synonymous with charisma, confidence and a strong commanding presence.

- ADVAITA NAIDOO

The loudest voice in the room or the most gregarious personality tends to dominate; leaving introverts those quieter, more reserved individuals overlooked for leadership positions.

However, this bias towards extroversion risks sidelining highly competent, even exceptional candidates who could excel in senior roles.

Over the past decades, hiring managers have come to understand the considerable impact often negative that unconscious bias related to immutable characteristics can have on hiring decisions. As a result, much action has been taken from putting company policies in place to providing training to ensure that these biases have as little impact as possible.

Introvert bias

However, one bias that remains to be recognised and accounted for is that of the introvert bias. We have seen in practice how this negative perception can block top talent from progressing in a company, and believe that greater consideration should be given to the potential and unique strengths that introverts can bring to leadership. At the same time, the tendency to automatically favour extroverted characteristics should be guarded against.

Introverts face significant hurdles when advancing to middle and senior management where visibility, networking and assertive communication are often prioritised. Often perceived as contained, aloof or shy, they are frequently underestimated despite having equal or greater substance.