Sarah Manley: The importance of recharging for introvert leaders

Being an introvert and a leader can be pretty tiring, am I right? I am sure you will have experienced that feeling of being ‘peopled-out’ after a busy day of meetings, or you have suffered from a ‘social hangover’ from being in large groups.

To help with this, it’s important to learn how to read your personal energy battery level, and to learn when and how to recharge it. Understanding what affects our energy as introverts is important so that you have the energy to do the things that you love, as well as the things that you must do, while keeping yourself in balance.

In this article we will look at the idea of the ideal energy balance for introverts, techniques you can use to recharge your batteries, and how to navigate the new focus on ‘resilience’.

The introvert energy balance formula

Think of your phone. The more you use it, the faster the battery runs low. You plug it into an energy source and it recharges. We may be a little more complex than a phone, but the principle is the same for us. We can, and must,  learn to gauge our energy levels on a regular basis and build into our lives recharge moments to ensure we are not hitting ‘low power mode’ before we realise it.

One way of doing this is to use the concept of the introvert energy balance. This simple formula is about getting the levels of energy coming in to equal, or even exceed, the energy going out (the energy drainers).

This can be summarised as: Energy boosters ≥ energy drainers = Ideal introvert energy balance

Identifying and reframing energy drainers

Often for introverts the most draining part of work is cited as ‘peopling’ and as a leader there can be a lot of this required – but huge generalisations like this are not helpful and lead us to self limiting beliefs – we need to be able to understand specifically what about being with people drains us, so we can manage it and work around it, so as to still be present where needed.

We need to get specific and reframe the drainer to help manage the situation. For example, ‘I don’t like socialising at work’ could be made more specific to become ‘I don’t like socialising in the bar after a meeting because I find it hard to be heard over everyone else and it’s tiring to keep thinking on the spot in large groups.’ This could then perhaps be expanded to include a mitigating energy booster: ‘However, I do like the opportunity to talk to a few people one-to-one and in small groups on specific topics that interest me.’

Often as introverts we may want to run and hide from ‘peoply’ situations which make us feel uncomfortable – but doing so is not the quality of a leader – so next time you find yourself worrying that something will drain you or leave you feeling less than competent, I invite you to reframe. Consider what you want to get from this opportunity. What value can you gain by giving it a go? Reframing a potentially negative or challenging experience as an opportunity to shine, deliver, or fulfill your commitments to your team is a hugely empowering mindset.

Techniques to recharge and boost your energy

In my experience it is harder, and takes longer, to refill the first 50% of your battery than the second 50%. This makes letting your energy battery run down too low before looking to recharge counterproductive. While it can be tempting to keep going and going, driven by a sense that you need to keep up with others – don’t. Be confident in setting your own boundaries and maintaining what you need to be healthy and successful in what you do. Don’t leave it too long between recharges, and don’t succumb to the pressure to overexert yourself with extraverted behaviours. Building a habit of little and often is typically a good way to maintain energy levels through the working week, sustained though revitalising habits or rituals every day.

Different things will boost energy for different people, but could include such things as reading a book, listening to a podcast, taking a walk, or having a coffee alone in a nice cafe. As an introvert, it is usually about finding quiet, reflective, alone time – but not always and not for everyone. Don’t be defined by the introvert label. Try different things and reflect on how they make you feel and how they have impacted your energy.

The most valuable thing I have discovered is the importance of putting self-care on your to-do list. In our hyper-busy lives where success is too often measured by impact and performance (bigger, better, faster), there is a tendency to try to do everything, all the time, leaving nothing left to focus on our own needs. Planning time for you is important to ensure that your well-being and energy are not overlooked and to ensure you can maintain the right level of focus in your schedule.

Finding small ways to do this as you go through your day helps to make this easier to achieve but just as beneficial.

In his book Atomic Habits, James Clear shares a technique called ‘habit stacking’. This is a way of building new habits by integrating them into your existing routines. It involves pairing a new habit you want to establish with a habit you already do consistently. By linking the new habit to an existing one, you create a mental association that makes it easier to embed and adopt the new habit, quickly and easily building a chain of habits that become part of your daily routine.

What do you already do every day that you could pair with an energy-boosting habit? This includes things such as making tea in the morning, eating lunch, coffee breaks between meetings, watching TV, brushing your teeth before bed, and so on. Having identified consistent and well-established routines, now consider what seemingly small things you could add to each of those habitual activities that would boost the energy in your battery. Examples could include taking a walk with your coffee between meetings, listening to a podcast over lunch, using a mindfulness app on the journey home from work, adding some gentle movements after brushing your teeth (a stretch to work out your kinks, five minutes of yoga to move the energy in your body), journaling before bed, reading some inspirational quotes before breakfast at the weekend, messaging a close friend twice a week, and so on. Not everything has to be a big action or a huge change.

Recognising how your Introvert Energy is a Strength as a Leader

There are times when as a leader you can really leverage your introvert superpowers. Being aware of your strengths is super important so you can play to them. So often the advantages of being an introvert are overlooked! Below are a few that are powerful as qualities for leaders.

Deep listening and empathy – that ability to make people feel heard and seen in a world that can often feel so relentless and distant

Keen observation and attention to detail – the skill to see patterns in things and come up with innovative solutions to difficult problems

Staying calm in a crisis – This is the ability to be fact-based and objective in difficult situations. You need to gather information, think through scenarios, but avoid catastrophising – all things you are great at. These are such important qualities for making big decisions with pause for reflection and long-term planning

Calling it out – As an introvert, you are probably famed for speaking when it counts and saying what matters. While louder people are shouting about the issue, the situation, and its impact, adding your calm, clear voice will cut through and make people stop and listen. Don’t worry if you think your point has already been raised: just because someone else has said it (probably lost among a hundred other things), doesn’t mean it landed. Speak up for what you believe in, whether it’s about the way forwards, behaviours, or something else.

Introverts make exceptional leaders when they can demonstrate a blend of drive and empathy. These might seem like opposite qualities, but having the ability to focus on building a successful business through goals, structure, and facts while also understanding people’s needs, emotions, and motivators is typical of many introverts.

To enable you to lead effectively and bring all this into play when needed, to enable you to truly work to your strengths you need to protect your energy. Never overlook the importance of prioritising your own well-being. Introverts will often put the well-being of others before their own, especially in a leadership role when they may feel highly responsible for others. Remember the undeniably sound aircraft safety instruction: ‘Put on your own oxygen mask first before assisting others.

If you’re stepping into leadership for the first time, or even if you’ve been there before, remember that even as a leader you can ask for help!

Consider these three tips:-

First, confidently ask your line manager and HR for the support you need. It’s not a sign of weakness to ask for help. True strength lies recognising where your skills shine and seeking help to fill gaps, whether through delegation or training.

Second, build a community of allies with diverse experiences. Most people are happy to share their knowledge and can help you grow as a leader, just remember that you don’t have to act on all the advice you get, filter for what fits you.

Lastly, working with a mentor or coach is invaluable in navigating challenges and developing your authentic leadership style with confidence and energy. As you grow in experience, you can also role-model positive wellbeing strategies for introverts, inspiring those coming up behind you and paving the way for introvert leaders of the future too.