Customer Reviews

The Introverted Leader: Building on Your Quiet Strength

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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

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.

As the chairperson of a mathematics department I found The Introverted Leader by Jennifer B. Kahnweiler to be marginally applicable in my situation. I'd purchased the book to gain some pointers on the more group-oriented aspects of my position and they are there. Good advice on use of email, encouragement and pre-planning. But the tacit assumption that extroversion really is the world's modus operandi and learning to "pass" somewhat as an extrovert a valuable skill set was off-putting. The back of the book sums it up: "Succeeding in an Extroverted Business World." If that is your goal you'll find coaching on adopting that role here. Many of us introverted types, however, have chosen career paths that are more focused on our particular interests in life and less about winning a top spot in the organization. For us much of the information in The Introverted Leader will feel like a bad fit.

I've read a few books on introversion because I'm an introvert and this book wasn't all that good. You'll be better off reading The Introvert's Advantage by Marti Laney Olsen Phd and Introvert's Power by Laurie Helgoe. Both are excellent and gives you more pages and insight for your buck. This small book cost an over priced $17.95 whereas both the bigger books Introvert's Advantage and the Introvert's Power together will cost a little over $20 bucks and are fun to read. This book wasn't fun to read at all. So you tell me...Which would be the smarter purchase?

Kudos to the author for addressing the fact that some of our country's finest leaders rather run from the room than work it. If you want to be judged by the value of your on-the-job performance instead of whether you're the life of the party, buy this book. It's full of ways to stay true to your nature while making sure decision-makers are aware of how you're contributing to the success of your company.

Extroverts seem to get the most attention in this world, especially in the workplace, but it's often the introverts who quietly go about getting the real work done. Jennifer Kahnweiler celebrates the people whose quiet strengths often make the wheels of business turn. More importantly, she doesn't attempt to teach introverts how to change, but how to embrace and tap their considerable natural strengths and power.

She offers a roadmap she calls the 4 P's Process to teach introverts how to turn challenges into opportunities. Emphasizing the need for Preparation, Presence, Push and Practice, she offers very specific advice and tools that help introverts claim their leadership skills, while teaching extroverts why they can't afford to ignore their "shy" colleagues. The introvert's self-assessment quiz and several diagrams throughput the book help to illustrate the great tips and techniques she outlines.

When my boss saw this book on my desk, she instantly picked it up, spent a few minutes reviewing it and proclaimed, "We have some folks here who need to read this." In our business, introverts are definitely in the minority. We're all required to take the Myers-Briggs assessment, so we know who among us is officially classified as an "I." Now we know how to help them, as well as help them help themselves. The Introverted Leader isn't just a book. It's a workplace handbook!

Jennifer has done a wonderful job of giving practical, actionable steps for a group of people who are much in need. Love the concept of approaching introversion as a strength! As a sales coach and trainer I will make this available as a resource to many of my clients! Kudos!!

First off, I am a big extrovert. Never understood why everyone else wasn't. But now I see things in quite a different way after reading Jennifer's book. Any extrovert who manages people or has to work within teams, should read this book, so they can get the right perspective on introverts and help them maximize their potential. Now I get it! Introverts aren't underachievers (remember, I am an extrovert!), they just see things differently. So, this book can help introverts manage up and help extroverts "GET" introverts! Great book Jennifer!

I thoroughly enjoyed this practical, down to earth and information-packed book for introverted managers or any "quiet" professional in today's overly extroverted workplace. Using a very clear process (prepare, presence, practice and push) Dr.Kahnweiler helps introverts improve their skills in the areas of public speaking, leadership, project management, managing upward, meeting management and networking. But it's not just for introverts! As a pure extrovert I found that I learned new things on all these topics and truly enjoyed her many real life illustrations and helpful tips. Written with the greatest respect for introverts and containing a state of the art overview of communication skills in the workplace, this book is a very worthwhile read.