33) Argumentative essay - 2000 words

Research Paper Outline

(Introduction)

Familiar context of discussion for reader

Most people usually picture a successful business leader as someone gregarious, outgoing and dominant. One third to a half of people in America are introverts. This ratio is even higher in Asian countries. (Cain, 2012). These people may have excellent business ideas and sales tactics and should not be discouraged by the society’s ideals of what makes a great leader.

Significance/Importance of topic chosen

Personality traits affect how leaders’ think, act, communicate, perform, decide and delegate duties to employees. This in turn, affects the productivity and profitability of the organisations. If organisations are productive, the economy and ultimately, the entire society will prosper. As the saying goes, it all begins in the mind. Thus, the impact of something as simple as a person’s personality can be enormous.

By definition, introverts are not shy but need time alone to recharge their “batteries” after interactions with other people. However, extroverts are stimulated by social interactions. (Kahnweiler, 2009)

Business leaders who have a clear understanding of their personality type can channelize their strengths effectively and achieve success. Unfortunately, many introverts pretend to be extroverts and fail to understand that they inherently have a lot of wonderful qualities. In this paper, I have chosen to focus on the hidden advantage of introverted business leaders over extroverted ones.

Overall claim of paper:

Thesis Statement: In the business world, introverts have an edge over extroverts because of their innate ability to think deeply, listen to different opinions, anticipate and capitalize upon change

(Body)

Below is a rough outline of evidence to support the contention that introverts make better leaders than extroverts.

I Ability to think deeply

A. Take calculated risks

1. Studies show that introverts are better at making business and investment decisions because they carefully consider all the pros and cons. E.g. Warren Buffet. (Walsh, 2012, p.3).

2. Unlike extroverts who act on impulse, introverts avoid taking hasty decisions which may prove dangerous to the company and its employees.

B. Creativity

1. Research conducted by the Institute of Personality Assessment and Research at University of California, Berkeley showed that the most creative people tend to be socially poised introverts. This is because introverts prefer to work independently and solitude can be a catalyst for innovation. (Cain, 2012)

II Listen to different opinions

A. Introverts -Best leaders for proactive employees.

1. Introverts tend to listen more carefully and show greater receptivity to suggestions.

a. A field study conducted in a U.S Pizza Delivery Company showed that when employees were proactive, extroverted leadership was associated with 14% lower profits.

b. T-shirt experiment – Proactive followers performed better with introverted leaders and folded on an average, 28% more T-shirts. (Grant, Gino & Hofmann, 2010, p.1).

B. Not motivated to be the centre of attention

1. Introverts listen to all the ideas and give credit. (McDowell, A, 2012, p.3).

2. They do not want to dominate business meetings and so there it is very likely that introverted leaders may end up with great ideas.

III Ability to anticipate and capitalise upon change

A. Sensitivity to the environment

1. Introverts tend to be cautious and can sense the changing needs in business.

2. Also, they are aware of the expectations of others, and can easily internalize criticism. (Walsh, 2012, p.3)

3. More thoughtful and can handle change better.

B. Focus on building quality networks (Extremely useful in business, especially in times of change)

1. Though extroverts may have an edge in building a large business network, introverts with good interpersonal skills are equally, if not more efficient.

2. Jones (2006) said that four in ten top corporate executives are introverts (p.1). As they focus on depth and substance in their conversations, they don’t waste time frivolously.

(Counter Argument)

IV Consistent relationship between extraversion and leadership

A. Leader-like qualities

1. Bold, energetic, lively and dominant.

2. While just 50% of the general population is extroverted, 96% of managers and executives display extroverted personalities. And the higher one goes in the corporate hierarchy, one is more likely to see extroverted individuals. (Grant, Gino & Hofmann, 2010, p.1).

3. Positive relationship between extroversion and leader emergence and effectiveness, more strongly to leader emergence (Judge, Bono, Ilies, & Gerhardt, 2002, p.768)

(Rebuttal/ Refutation)

V. Good interpersonal skills and not extroversion makes a good leader

A. Are leaders born or made?

1. Introverts are not necessarily shy. Some of them may develop better interpersonal and communication skills than extroverts.

2. The key to leadership success is to develop people skills and good leader-follower relationships. If one possesses these skills, introversion and extroversion do not matter very much. (Riggio, 2012, p.1)

3. Introverts should learn to adopt the behaviours of extroverts in certain situations when it is in their interest to do so. (“Leadership”, 2009) But extroverts too need to assume the behaviour of introverts in some cases.

(Conclusion)

Thus, more often than not, introverts emerge as better business leaders as they are more likely to think before they act, pay attention to the opinions of others and successfully deal with change. It is high time to understand that introverts are blessed with many innate leadership qualities. If encouraged, they may turn into leaders like Steve Jobs or Bill Gates and stun the world with their quiet power.

References

Cain, S. (2012) Quiet. The power of introverts in a world that can’t stop talking. New York, NY: Crown Publishers/Random House.

Gino, F., Grant, A.M., & Hofmann, D.A. (2010). The hidden advantage of quiet bosses. Harvard Business Review, 88 (12), 28-38. Retrieved from EBSCOhost database.

Jones, D. (2006, June 7). Not all successful CEO’s are extroverts. USA Today. Retrieved from Lexis Nexis Academic.

Judge, T. A., Bono, J. E., Ilies, R., & Gerhardt, M. W. (2002) Personality and leadership: A qualitative and quantitative review. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(4), 765-780. doi: 10.1037/0021-9010.87.4.765

Kahnweiler, J. B. (2009). The introverted leader: Building on your quiet strength. Retrieved from http://Buffalo.eblib.com/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=476506

Leadership strategies for introverts. (2009). Leader to Leader. 2009(54), 59-60. doi: 10.1002/ltl.366

Mcdowell, A. (2012). Why the world needs more introverts. Canadian Business, 85(20), 63-64. Retrieved from EBSCOhost database.

Riggio, R.E. (2012, October 27). Why can’t introverts be leaders? [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201210/why-can-t-introverts-be-leaders

Walsh, B. (2012, February). The upside of being an introvert (and why extroverts are overrated). Time, 179 (5). Retrieved from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2105432-5,00.html