The Strengths Introverts Bring to Work

Lead With Quiet Confidence book jacket.

Source: Jennifer Marcou, used with permission

I’ve been studying, writing about, and coaching introverts for years, yet the more I learn, the more I find to chew on. Many of us introverts prefer fewer words, but there’s no shortage of things to say about us.

Jennifer Marcou brings an especially useful lens: years as a senior corporate executive, paired with her work as a leadership coach and author of Lead With Quiet Confidence: A Practical Guide to Success for Introverts. I asked her what research can tell us about how introverts are wired, what workplaces still get wrong, and how we can make our strengths more visible while staying true to ourselves.

NA: I lose track of time while writing or having meaningful conversations, yet feel drained by cocktail parties. What does research show about how introverts and extroverts experience their surroundings differently?

JM: Introversion and extroversion influence how people gain energy and respond to stimulation. Introverts are often energized by reflection, solitude, and meaningful conversations, while extroverts gain energy through interaction.

Research suggests introverts generally prefer lower levels of stimulation and process information internally before responding. Introverted brains tend to be rewarded by acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter associated with calm, focused thinking and reflection. Extroverts are often more comfortable thinking out loud and refining ideas through discussion. Extroverted brains are often rewarded by dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is linked to engagement, excitement, and social interaction.

This helps explain why introverts may thrive in deep work or reflection yet feel drained by highly stimulating environments. The same characteristics can support strengths such as deep thinking, careful listening, preparation, and thoughtful decision-making. Neither style is better. They are simply different ways of engaging with the world.

NA: As an introvert, I prefer to listen, reflect, and fully form a thought before I share it, but fast-moving meetings can make it difficult to contribute. I’ve learned to navigate that by preparing key points beforehand, connecting with people one-on-one, and following up afterward. From your experience as a senior executive, how can introverts play to their strengths while ensuring their ideas are heard?

JM: Congratulations on finding these strategies of preparation, connecting one-on-one, and following up. Introverts often generate insight through reflection, but organizations frequently reward the fastest contributors before the deepest thinkers. Another effective strategy is asking thoughtful questions such as, “What are we missing?” or “What does success look like?” Strong questions can be just as influential as strong answers.

I also encourage introverts to contribute within the first ten minutes of a meeting. Preparing one or two points in advance helps ensure their perspective becomes part of the discussion. The goal is not to speak more. It is to get your thinking heard. Confidence often follows contribution.

NA: What misconceptions about introverts have you encountered most often in corporate leadership, and how can they affect their careers?

JM: One of the biggest misconceptions is that quiet people have less to contribute. Because introverts tend to listen and reflect before speaking, they can be perceived as lacking confidence or leadership potential when the opposite is often true.

These assumptions can limit visibility and opportunities. Early in my career, a colleague jokingly called me the “Ice Queen” because I rarely smiled or initiated conversations. To change that perception, I made a point of greeting five people each morning. Colleagues noted that I became more approachable.

The lesson was not that I needed to change my personality. I simply changed one behavior. Small visible actions can help others experience the real you without compromising authenticity.

NA: Your LEAD framework—learn, experiment, assess, develop—encourages introverts to try new behaviors while remaining authentic. How have you seen it help people grow?

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JM: One client dreaded leading project meetings because she believed leaders needed all the answers. Through coaching, she realized her strength was asking thoughtful questions rather than providing every solution.

That experience inspired my LEAD framework. First, identify what you want to learn. Next, run a small behavioral experiment. Then assess what worked and what you learned. Finally, continue developing the skill.

The client discovered that her questions improved decision-making and increased her confidence. Confidence rarely comes before action. It develops through action and experience.

NA: Most leaders manage a mix of personalities. How can understanding introversion and extroversion help bring out the best in both?

JM: Understanding introversion and extroversion is not about labeling people. It is about creating conditions in which different thinking styles can contribute.

Leaders can help by sharing meeting agendas in advance, allowing colleagues time to prepare. They can structure brainstorming sessions so individuals generate ideas independently before group discussion. They can also invite input after meetings, since many people produce their best ideas through reflection.

These simple practices help ensure organizations benefit from both immediate and thoughtful contributions.

Colleagues at meetings.

Source: AI-generated

NA: What would you most like readers to know about succeeding as an introvert at work?

JM: The most important thing to know is that success does not require becoming someone else. Introverts do not need to change their personality to lead effectively.

What matters is behavioral flexibility. You can learn to speak up, build visibility, and expand your influence while remaining authentic. Visibility is not self-promotion. It is ensuring your ideas can benefit others.

Introversion is not a limitation. Qualities such as listening, preparation, reflection, empathy, and deep thinking are leadership strengths. The introverts who make the greatest impact are the ones who take small steps outside their comfort zone and allow others to see the strengths they already possess.

NA: I find the distinction between personality and behavior striking. Jennifer and I both advocate for honoring how introverts are wired while expanding how we operate. That might mean preparing a point before a meeting, asking the question no one else has asked, or simply saying hello to five colleagues. Small shifts can make our strengths easier for others to see. Workplaces benefit, too, when they make room for people who think before they speak as well as those who think out loud.

© 2026 Nancy Ancowitz.