As a junior in the Razor’s Edge Leadership Scholarship Program, I have grown very much in terms of being a leader. When I tell people I am introverted, they are often surprised because I can be very outgoing and enthusiastic in many instances. However, at the end of a busy day, I value my independence and re-energize by having some alone time. Does this sound like you, too?
Loud = Leader?
If you are one of the quieter people in your class at school, get ready to change your expectations about your 
leadership opportunities in college. You might have grown up to believe that the loud, extraverted people would be more capable as leaders than the quieter introverted folks. Not so! Introverted personalities are just as equally capable to be leaders as the extraverts.
What it really means
You might think that extraverted people are automatically the loud, outgoing, and personable individuals in the group, while the 
introverts hang back. However, extraversion and introversion describes how you respond to certain types of social stimulation. Typically, the extraverted person prefers very social settings, drawing their energy from the surrounding individuals. Introverts, on the other hand, crave deep social interaction and often restore their energy through a little alone time. Through numerous tests like the Myers Briggs, I have identified myself as equally having both extraverted and introverted characteristics, although I identify more with the latter.
Putting leadership skills to work
Sometimes, during my club or fraternity chapter meetings, if there’s a brainstorming session, I would rather have some time to 
think for myself and then meet as a group to share our ideas. Typically, a group will simply brainstorm all together, with the loud and outgoing personalities shining through and the more reserved and thinking individuals less heard.
In the campus organizations I am leading at NSU, my main goal is to implement open forums at meetings so every member can contribute and vocalize their opinions. That way, the quieter people in a group have a chance to share without being overshadowed by the louder voices.
Mahatma Gandhi
Abraham Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Gandhi
These were some of the greatest leaders in history who considered themselves introverted. Their approach to leading may have been a little different from the extraverted leader; however, they still got the job done (as you can, too!) There’s a place for you as a leader in college clubs and organizations. As Gandhi said, “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.”
Blog written by: Tam Nguyen, NSU junior, Biology Major, Leadership Minor, Razor’s Edge Gamma Class Member, Brother of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity.
