Anita is an introvert and finds it hard to take control of a meeting. Based on her hard work and strong results, she has been promoted to team leader. What steps can Anita take to be effective her new position?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Anita can benefit from the advice of Russ Fujioka, president of the Americas for cloud accounting company Xero. He is a self-proclaimed and successful introvert and suggests: 
Be self-aware. Be aware that introverts can be perceived as disinterested or aloof when they seem less engaged in conversations and social interactions. They may or may not be disinterested, of course, but they are more likely to show it if they are. And in business situations, they must make the effort necessary to appear interested and force themselves to be engaged.  
Calibrate your intensity. When engaging others, especially groups of people or teams at work, try to push your personal intensity level to 10 on a 10-point scale. If you feel your volume, body language, and interactions are maxed out, realize that if you were an extrovert you'd probably be playing at only 7 instead of 10. Your perception of intense and loud is lower than what others will perceive. 
Play to your strengths. Because engaging others is typically quite draining for introverts, it is a good idea to talk about and stick to topics you personally know and care about. This will make you naturally more energized and comfortable.  
Get team practice. Join a team. Whether you join a recreational sports team or a club of some sort, being a member will help you practice and get comfortable with interacting with others. If it is a non-work team, the pressure and stress of work won't be part of the experience, making it easier to engage.