誰能成爲更好的領導者

Introverts vs extroverts: Who makes the better leader?

誰能成爲更好的領導者--內向者與外向者之爭

Fifty per cent of the general population is extroverted, but 96% of managers and executives display extroverted personalities, according to the Harvard Business Review.

《哈佛商業評論》報道指出，雖然性格外向的人只佔一半，但是96%的經理和董事都是性格外向者。

A study by the Harvard Business School has shown that introverted leaders are more suitable to some workplaces than extroverts. Depending on the situation, extroverts' tendencies to command the centre of attention and be the head of a discussion will affect employee performance either positively or negatively - while the inclination of introverts to show a higher receptivity to suggestions is likely to affect the same workforce in a different way.

哈佛商學院的一項研究表明，內向型領導比外向型領導更適合一些工作環境。外向型領導不知不覺就想成爲注意力的焦點、討論的發起者，這對員工表現的影響是積極還是消極取決於具體情況。然而由於內向型領導更願意接受建議，所以即使是同一批員工，領導者性格不同，對他們的影響也會不同。

It's all about finding the right compatibility, the research suggests.

該研究表明，關鍵在於找到正確的相處策略。

According to the study, placing an introvert in a position of leadership is more successful in a dynamic, unpredictable environment, particularly when staff are proactive and offer ideas for business improvement. The study suggested that this behaviour can make extroverted leaders feel "threatened".

該研究還發現，讓內向者來擔任領導比讓其在一個動態的、不斷變化發展的環境中工作效果要更好，這在員工積極爲公司發展建言獻策時特別有效。研究表明，員工的這種行爲會使外向型領導者產生"危機感"。

Harvard business school's field study tested different dynamics in 130 franchises of the same U.S. food retailer, and concluded that when workers offered ideas in a franchise with an extroverted leader, profits were 14% lower than average. The franchises which had employees who were not proactive and an extroverted leader had profits which were 16% higher. Personalities were determined by rigorous testing and surveys.

哈佛商學院的實地調查了一家美國食品零售商的130家特許經營店的不同動態變化，結果發現，當店裏的員工向外向型領導提建議的時候，該店的利潤會低於平均水平14%。而在那些領導性格內向、員工不積極主動的店裏，利潤會高於平均水平16%。嚴格的測試和調查都證明了這一特點的真實性。

Chris Dunwell, principal of Dunwell Consulting, expressed some scepticism over the relevance of extroversion or introversion to leadership.

克里斯·頓維爾(Chris Dunwell)是頓維爾諮詢(Dunwell Consulting)的負責人，他懷疑性格內向或外向與領導能力是否真的有關聯。

"Leadership is not about whether one is extrovert or introvert," he said. "Leadership is about visioning. You need passion and belief in the vision - an authentic voice. You don't need to be the world's greatest salesman to do that. You need to engage your people, showing them, regardless of their role or seniority, how they can contribute."

他說，"領導力和內向或者外向沒有關係，關鍵在於洞察力。在專業人士看來，領導者要有熱情和遠見。爲此，你雖無需成爲世界上最偉大的推銷員，但你得和你的員工打成一片，以身作則，無論他們職位大小、資歷深淺、貢獻多寡。"

The study also tested university students, manipulating the dynamic within teams by placing researchers in each group. Again, proactive behaviour under an introverted leader led to 28% higher productivity, whereas leaders deemed as extroverts by researchers appeared unreceptive to proactive employees. The introverted leaders' predisposition to listen to and consider the employees' suggestions made them feel valued, motivating them to work harder.

該研究也對大學生進行了測試，通過在每組安排研究員來控制小組內動態變化。同樣的，積極主動型員工在內向型領導的帶領下提高了28%的生產力，而由研究員充當的外向型領導卻不受積極主動的員工歡迎。這是因爲內向型領導更願意傾聽和考慮員工的建議，這讓員工們感覺受到重視，因此工作更加努力。

The results from Harvard's research imply that while it is often true that extroverts have excellent traits for leadership and proactive employees make the best workers, they do not necessarily make the best combination.

哈佛大學的這項研究結果表明，儘管性格外向者的領導能力更出衆、而優秀的員工通常都積極主動，但這二者卻並不一定是最佳組合。

Ros Cardinal, managing director of Shaping Change, told HC that most organisations do not base their choices of senior staff members on these traits.

羅斯·卡迪納爾(Ros Cardinal)是"成就改變"(Shaping Change，這是一家專門爲公司發展和在人力資源領域提供諮詢的機構) 的總經理，她在接受本雜誌採訪時說，大多數公司並不根據性格特點來挑選高管。

"Studies have shown that most organisations favour logical and decisive behaviours in leadership, which are not correlated to extroversion or introversion," she said. "As a general rule though, extroverts tend to have a higher capacity for sociability and social presence, which are traits often sought after in leaders."

她說，"研究表明大多數公司更青睞邏輯能力強、行事果斷的領導，但這和性格內向或外向並沒多大關係。儘管在通常情況下，領導者都希望自己像性格外向的人那樣擁有更強的社交能力和社會臨場感。"

"Extroversion and Introversion are preferences, not skills, so both types can very effectively "act out" traits of their opposite," Cardinal added. "In my experience of developing and coaching leaders, I have not observed a preference for extroversion over introversion in the ranks of leaders, and both types bring both strengths and weaknesses to the leadership table."

卡迪納爾補充道，"外向和內向是人們的性格傾向，和能力沒有關係，事實上，這兩種性格的人都會表現出與其性格相反的特點。從我給各種領導者做培訓和指導的經歷來看，我還沒有發現哪個領導者對外向性格有特別偏好，因爲這兩種性格對領導者來說各有優缺點。"