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Sorry, Extroverts. Here’s What People Really Think of You
There is no shortage of super successful introvert leaders (Barack Obama and Bill Gates spring to mind), but an absolute mountain of scientific research shows that if your aim is to ascend to leadership, being extroverted is a huge advantage.
Studies show extroverts are more likely to be chosen for leadership roles, are viewed more favorably by executives, and even tend to end up earning more.
All of which suggests that people really like to be led by extroverts. But according to fascinating recent Harvard research, things aren’t so simple. Extroverts may be valued at work, but it turns out there are big reputational downsides to being considered confident and chatty.
Being friendly is not the same thing as being likable
The study, conducted by researchers out of both Harvard and Stanford and published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, asked 2,500 MBA students and other folks about their opinions of either classmates or acquaintances. Respondents assessed both how extroverted these other people were and whether they were good listeners, genuine, and more or less self-centered.
Sorry to say, extroverts, but the the results weren’t super flattering for you.
