为什么性格内向的人不能当领导者？
性格外向的人真的是更好的领导者吗？一个性格内向的人可以成为一个好的领导者吗？
于2012年10月27日由上 Ronald E. Riggio博士发表在尖端的领导上。
希望你能认识到这个标题是一个反问句。
研究表明外向性和领导能力之间是一种一致的，积极的关系。在陌生的团体中，例如一个陪审团，外向性预测谁将会被选为陪审团的团长（事实上可能是说话最多的那个人，而这个人可能是个效果外向的人）。所以，性格外向的人更可能被选上领导者职位（我们称之为“领袖”的崛起）。
在外向性和领导效率（尤其是对领导效力的评估）之间还有一个积极的关系（尽管较为微弱）。如此看来，性格外向的人有优势，但是否意味着性格内向的人就不能成为好的领导者？当然不！
许多成功的领导者性格内向，例如 Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi和商业领域的Bill Gates and Warren Buffett。我所知道的一个最好的公司总裁在他的经营团队中无疑是最内向的那个人，但是他很成功，并且他的同事很钦佩他“无声地储备和自信”。因此，性格外向的人和内向的人作为一个领导者需要表现的有效的关键因素是什么？
我们的研究表明关键因素是良好的人际关系，或社交关系、技巧。在一项研究中，我们观察到领导能力的外向性的浮现和效力之间的关系，并且发现当我们把社交技巧放入方程式中时（社交技巧在外向性和领导能力之间的关系中起媒介作用）， 性格外向的人的优势已经消失了。换句话说，只有拥有社交技巧的性格外向的人是有效地领导者。无论领导者的性格是外向或内向，良好的人际交往能力都是至关重要的。
另外，我们知道，我们最有可能选择的领导者是具有领导者雏形的人——他们善于讲话，善于与别人交往，而且看起来很有领导人像。性格外向的人天生看起来就比内向的人更像一个典型的领袖（尤其是政治领袖)。【想起美国的总统竞选，那些总统候选人被评估的依据是他们与理想领导者的相似度】。
领导成功的关键是去发展看起来像一个领导者所需要的个人的技能，但是也要发展成功所必须的良好的主从关系。如果你拥有这些技能，那么内向性和外向性都不再重要。
I hope you realize the title is a rhetorical question.
Research has shown a consistent positive relationship between extraversion and leadership. In groups of strangers, such as a jury, extraversion predicts who will be selected foreperson of the jury (it’s actually likely to be the person who talks the most, and that person is probably an extravert). So, extraverts are more likely to be chosen for leadership positions (what we call leader ‘emergence’).
There is also a positive relationship (although a weaker one) between extraversion and leader effectiveness, particularly rated effectiveness of leaders. So it appears that extraverts have an edge, but does this mean that introverts can’t be good leaders? Of course not!
Many successful leaders are introverted, for example Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi, and in business, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. One of the best company presidents that I’ve known was easily the most introverted person among his executive team, but he was very successful and his colleagues admired his “quiet reserve and confidence.” So what is the critical factor that both extraverts and introverts need to emerge as a leader and to be effective?
Our research has suggested that the key element is good interpersonal, or social, skills. In one study, we looked at the relationship of extraversion to leadership emergence and effectiveness and found that the advantage that extraverts had disappeared when we put social skills into the equation (social skills mediated the relationship between extraversion and leadership). In other words, only extraverts who possessed social skills were effective leaders. Good interpersonal skills are critical whether the leader is an extravert or an introvert.
In addition, we know that we are more likely to choose leaders who look like their prototypes of leaders – they speak well, interact well with others, and just look “leader-like.” Extraverts just naturally look more like a prototypical leader (particularly political leaders) than do introverts. [Think of the U.S. presidential campaign where presidential hopefuls were evaluated for how much each looked like he or she could be the Commander-in-Chief].
The key to leadership success then is to develop the people skills needed to look like a leader, but to also develop the good leader-follower relationships that are necessary for success. If you possess these skills, introversion and extraversion don’t matter very much.
