To be a good leader, you have to be willing to confront AND navigate conflict within a group setting in a productive manner that ultimately achieves an agreed upon goal. One of the defining traits of an introvert is avoiding conflict. Thus, no, introverts don't INHERENTLY make good leaders. If you've ever dealt with even a moderately diverse group of individuals due to their capabilities (not in the sense of level of skill, but range of skills), you'd know that the motivations of individuals vary wildly. Even if they are similar, they're oddly unique in their own ways at their own times. Regardless of your unicorn-fart fantasies, extrovert personalities are better equipped to handle groups with varying motivations to achieve the same goal. Not to say introverts can't be good or even great leaders. To name one, Eisenhower was an introvert and he is regarded as one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century for a multitude of reasons. Leadership takes intent and purposeful practice/training for them to achieve. The absolution concept that they're the "best" just means you've never been in even a mild range of real world team projects. You would have seen many easily fall apart in the midst of dealing with somewhat strenuous situations. It's an easier absolution that extroverts make the best leaders, yet even that is untrue. It just takes extroverts less practice to achieve "great" than it does for introverts since they already possess a lot of the skill sets that introverts are lacking. Ultimately, leaders are made, not born.
You are right, i have seen my introvert boss, taking verbal damage, hold his anger and his words for 5 seconds and unleash a devastating speech that made the other guy walk away.
He also took leading part in many high management meetings without any social fear.
I am about the middle and i hated working under an extrovert manager, all chatting, big words, self promotion stories, useless long meetings, fake friendly attitude that turned into professional talk when shit got real etc.
The difference between an introvert and an extrovert is best displayed when there is a lack of incentive.
Introverts can readily step into an extroverted role when it's necessary and aligns with their goals.
Introverts are not going to toast at a large party without good reason(improving speaking skills, impressing a guest, etc) whereas an extrovert might give a toast for fun.
Does your blood settle in the top or lower part of your head?
> One of the defining traits of an introvert is avoiding conflict.
Where do you get this idea from? The introversion/extraversion scale is commonly taken to represent whether (and to which extent) one is energized by solitude and drained by socialization and vice versa. It has nothing to do with conflict avoidance.
As evidence for this, check out the Big Five personality model, one of the golden standards on this topic. There conflict avoidance is taken to be mostly related to the agreeableness factor, which is orthogonal to the extraversion factor.
To be a good leader, you have to be willing to confront AND navigate conflict within a group setting in a productive manner that ultimately achieves an agreed upon goal. One of the defining traits of an introvert is avoiding conflict. Thus, no, introverts don't INHERENTLY make good leaders. If you've ever dealt with even a moderately diverse group of individuals due to their capabilities (not in the sense of level of skill, but range of skills), you'd know that the motivations of individuals vary wildly. Even if they are similar, they're oddly unique in their own ways at their own times. Regardless of your unicorn-fart fantasies, extrovert personalities are better equipped to handle groups with varying motivations to achieve the same goal. Not to say introverts can't be good or even great leaders. To name one, Eisenhower was an introvert and he is regarded as one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century for a multitude of reasons. Leadership takes intent and purposeful practice/training for them to achieve. The absolution concept that they're the "best" just means you've never been in even a mild range of real world team projects. You would have seen many easily fall apart in the midst of dealing with somewhat strenuous situations. It's an easier absolution that extroverts make the best leaders, yet even that is untrue. It just takes extroverts less practice to achieve "great" than it does for introverts since they already possess a lot of the skill sets that introverts are lacking. Ultimately, leaders are made, not born.