Great leaders are often seen as classic confident, extroverts who can speak without thinking, react rapidly and change tack pretty frequently. It's what best-selling author Susan Cain calls "The Extrovert Ideal". But is this really what we need right now? I'd argue that the crises of our time need a more considered approach. A quieter one. Let's look at the status quo. Extroverts are over-represented in senior leadership positions. One study found an incredible 9896 of top executives scoring "very high" or "above average" on the extrovert scale. But people aren't on the whole satisfied with their leaders. Could there be a connection between the two? There are lots of examples through history of successful leaders who have taken that quieter approach. For example, Rosa Parks, Mahatma Gandhi, or Bill Gates. Research shows that introverts often bring a great deal to the table. They're more likely to listen and process the ideas of their team, and consider those ideas deeply before acting on them. They may be humble and more likely to credit their team for ideas and performance. And because their motivation generally comes from within, they're less likely to compromise themselves, chasing rewards like money or power.