Have you ever heard that introverts cannot be successful project managers? Well, we are here to tell you that it is a load of nonsense. Contrary to popular belief, just because someone is an introvert does not mean that they are a shrinking violet that does not have the ability to manage people properly. In fact, some of the most successful people in the world of business are introverts. Examples include Marissa Myers, CEO of Yahoo, Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, and Guy Kawasaki, former Apple executive. If you are an introvert and you want to know how to be successful as a project manager, read on.
1. Take a project management course – This may seem obvious, but the importance of project management qualifications cannot be stressed enough. It does not matter whether you are an inspiring project manager or you have been in the role for some time, you should never stop learning. By taking one of the available project management courses, you will new skills and develop your current ones. The new techniques and approaches you use will fill you with confidence that you have the knowledge and the skill set to be effective in your role, thus giving you the platform to flourish.
2. Know when it is time to step out of your comfort zone – For most introverts, working alone is when they are their most comfortable. They often do not like the thought of spending time with others. Of course, when managing a project, you are going to need to step out of your comfort zone and interact with others. Make sure you do so regularly, even if you’re not sure it’s useful. It will help you to feel more comfortable in such situations.
3. Learn how to delegate successfully – The next step is to make sure you ace delegation. A successful project manager will know the value of delegating different tasks. This will mean that you have the ability to focus on the strategic aspects of project management. You will also generate team rapport and gain confidence by trusting people and delegating activities where appropriate. It can be counterproductive to micromanage tasks. Instead, you need to assign the correct tasks to the correct team members.
4. Stay away from any situations that lead to over-stimulation – As an introvert, you will get over-stimulated with relative ease due to the sensitive brain chemistry you have. Therefore, it is important to be aware of any situations that make you irritated easily, as this will help you to stop getting stressed while at work. You then need to find a successful workaround so you can reduce any inconvenience. There are plenty of self-regulation physiological approaches that can assist with this.
Being an introvert does not need to be viewed as a negative. There are plenty of introverts that have gone on to be excellent project managers. It is all about knowing yourself and knowing when you need to break out of your comfort zone. Learning and having a learning mindset is key.
