81 of 82 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Introversion is not the same as fear of public speaking, March 20, 2010
This review is from: The Introverted Leader: Building on Your Quiet Strength (Paperback)
From the title, one would think that the author would focus on the strengths of an introvert and how to enhance those in the arena of leadership. One would be wrong. The author seems to think that introversion is the same as pathological shyness and that introverts make good listeners because they apparently don't talk (not true, we do talk), but they should really push themselves to grow out of their terror of speaking in public to become a better leader. Admittedly, I am over-simplifying, but as an introvert, I found this book offensive and way off the mark.
The other reason I didn't like it was that the book felt like a lot of name dropping and anecdotal stories which weren't really all that helpful. It was not written well and smacked of self-publishing as a spin-off of her motivational speaking series.
I would agree with the other 2-star reviewer that this may be an appropriate book for someone who is looking to climb the corporate later. I am NOT looking for that, but still wish to enhance my leadership skills within smaller teams and communities. I did not find what I was looking for here.
I did not finish the book (which is rare), and I am glad that I borrowed it from the library instead of purchasing it myself.
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49 of 50 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Introversion Is Not Something to "Overcome.", January 7, 2011
This review is from: The Introverted Leader: Building on Your Quiet Strength (Paperback)
I don't typically write reviews, but this book annoyed me to the point where I felt like I had to say something.
First off, I'll say that the techniques presented in this book are solid tools for corporate and organizational success. There is no bad advice here. However, the techniques will benefit anyone, and not just introverts. Good preparation, being present, pushing yourself, and practicing are useful skills for everyone to develop.
The author's mistake, in my opinion, is to try and write a book on leadership targeted at a personality type she does not share. An admitted extrovert, she makes many accurate factual observations and positive statements about life as an introvert, but cannot hide her own bias in thinking that there is something fundamentally wrong with introversion.
Some examples:
"For introverted people, lacking the self-assurance and confidence to assert themselves in social situations can affect not only their performance, but even more importantly, their health."
(Since when do introverts lack self-assurance and confidence? Those are functions of self-awareness and self-esteem, not introversion, which is merely a preference for how one interacts with the world.)
"When he didn't receive the information, he wrote a nasty e-mail to the team berating them for their lack of compliance, also telling them that they didn't care about the project. Had he checked with the group by phone or in person, he would have found that the system required to obtain the data had broken down and was causing the delay."
(Introversion is not an excuse for not staying in contact with your team. That's just bad management.)
"There is no magic to managing introversion"
(Who said introversion is something to be "managed" like a disease?)
"He finds that if he writes these down beforehand, he is able to mentally bring up the entire paragraph when he glances down, and he adds, 'I can get through it without any introversion getting in the way."
(Preparation is essential for anyone's success. Introversion does not "get in the way" of feeling competent.)
"It is important to place yourself in situations where you are forced to stretch and get out of your comfort zone, whether it be public speaking or having a difficult conversation with a customer."
(Public speaking and client management are skills. Just because extroverts think out loud, it does not make them better at communicating.)
Again, none of these suggestions are bad. They are all essential for succeeding in business. Unfortunately, the general tone of the book perpetuates the negative misconceptions about introversion, in spite of intentionally trying to do the opposite. I feel the author would have benefitted by an introverted co-author.
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46 of 47 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Book For Introverts and Extroverts, May 27, 2009
This review is from: The Introverted Leader: Building on Your Quiet Strength (Paperback)
Length:: 3:13 Mins
This is an excellent book for not only introverts but extroverts as well. The author lays out what to do for success and how to achieve it. This is a must-read for someone who has held back and not pushed themself worrying about being "too pushy." You will love this book and want to get it for others as well. Terry Brock, MBA, CSP
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