Comments on: CEOs That Are Introverts

By: Dharmesh Shah

Dharmesh Shah — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 00:29:17 +0000

I’m on of those introvert/CEOs myself.

Though I can, when needed, function pretty well in public and social settings, I lean strongly towards being along or small groups.

Great to hear I’m not alone, and that it is ok to be introverted, even when you’re CEO.

By: Martha

Martha — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 21:19:45 +0000

Personally, I think you’re a charismatic introvert!!

By: Pete

Pete — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 21:14:38 +0000

Brad – one of the CEOs featured in the article is Chris Scherpenseel, who is also on the board of my company, ProtoTest. Chris has been a tremendous advisor and a good friend. In characteristic fashion, he described being mentioned in the article as “humbling.”

Pete

By: PRoales

PRoales — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 20:47:51 +0000

Nature covered a related topic yesterday:

“The Rewards of Being Shy”

http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2006/613/3

By: Ben

Ben — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 20:12:23 +0000

No one who does not really know me well never believes this but I am one of those introverts CEO’s who figured out that part of my role in life is to communicate even though that is not really what I like. It always blows people away when the see one of those assessments on me and find out that I am a natural introvert and find out I did not really say much of anything until age 7 when I told my Mom it was because, “I did not have much to say”

I prefer quiet time alone or with a couple of people thinking. My co-founder from http://www.spoke.com, Chris Tolles figured this out once when we sat on the balcony of a NY hotel once and I said nothing for about 4 hours while thinking the entire time.

So even us loud mouth opinionated CEO’s might in fact be introverts. Now as you might imagine this makes all this “work” communicating pretty tiring. As my daughter notes, “so you get paid to talk all day”

By: Jeremy Wright

Jeremy Wright — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 19:40:22 +0000

I’m a social introvert. I work really well alone, but love to have people “on the fringes”. I love being at conferences, but when the night’s done I go back to my room for an hour to recharge my batteries.

When I was younger it was a real challenge to balance the two aspects of my personality, but these days I look at them both as strengths. I can step up in social settings, but focus really well when alone.

Introverts rule