Foreword

Every time I’ve taken a Myers-Briggs test, I’ve scored high on the introversion scale. As an introvert, I get energy from being by myself. I sometimes feel drained if I have to be in front of large groups of people I don’t know for an extended period of time. And, as addressed in this book, people exhaustion takes its toll. After I’ve been in a social situation—including a long day at work—I need quiet time to be alone with my thoughts, reflect on the day, and recharge.

But as CEO of Campbell Soup Company, a company with nearly twenty thousand employees, I found myself particularly challenged because so much of my work required me to be “out there” in front of others. Not only that, but I was also challenged to reverse a precipitous decline in market value—in a hurry. Over the course of my tenure, we succeeded in dramatically transforming the global leadership team, reconfiguring the portfolio, cutting costs, and making strategic investments in Campbell’s products, marketing programs, innovation pipeline, and infrastructure. As a result, the company was able to deliver cumulative shareholder returns in the top tier of the global food industry.

Now, as founder and CEO of ConantLeadership, I have perhaps an even less introverted job. To help improve the quality of leadership in the twenty-first century, I often stand in front of a roomful of people and talk about how they, too, can be effective leaders in their organizations. One might ask how an introvert, like myself, makes this happen. Good question.

I’d be lying if I said that there wasn’t a point in my life when I didn’t aspire to be more outgoing, but it’s just not in my nature. When I was nearly fifty, I began to realize that the best thing for me to do was to tell everyone with whom I worked the simple truth—I’m just shy. I realized that people are not mind readers—I needed to let them know what I was thinking and how I was feeling. Eventually, I developed this little talk, affectionately known as the “DRC Orientation,” in which I shared with people the essence of who I was and what I was trying to do. I would tell it to new employees right off the bat. I did this so all the people with whom I worked would have a clear idea of who I am, where I come from, and what I expect everyone to do in order to succeed. I found that “declaring” my introversion was a very freeing exercise—more preferred than going through painful contortions in attempting to adapt to other people’s styles. I have pursued this practice for well over 10 years, and it really has helped me build strong relationships and quickly get beyond all the little superficial dances people do when they first start working with each other.

I have found that you need to make a conscious effort to develop your skill set. At one point in my career, the CEO of Nabisco wanted me to be president of the sales organization. I said, “You have got to be kidding me: (a) I’m an introvert, and (b) I can’t play golf.” Still, I ultimately accepted that position. I had to step even further out of my comfort zone, what Jennifer describes as the “push” component of her 4 Ps Process. Emotionally, it was by far the most challenging job I’ve ever had, but I had to step up to the challenge. Making this stretch was necessary for me to grow as an effective leader and was very helpful in preparing me to become a CEO.

The Introverted Leader respects and honors the strengths introverts bring to the table and also offers a process whereby introverts get results. Jennifer’s 4 Ps Process (Preparation, Presence, Push, and Practice) has been proven based on the tangible lessons she has gleaned from working with thousands of successful introverted leaders. This process provides introverts with a practical application for many challenging scenarios, from public speaking and networking to running a Fortune 500 company.

Both introverts and extroverts can learn from reading this book. Undoubtedly, introverts exist in all types of organizations. You simply can’t overlook this entire group of contributors. Most people think of leaders as being outgoing, very visible, and charismatic people. I find that perspective to be overly narrow. You might just find that you have introverts embedded in your organization and, undoubtedly, some of them are natural-born leaders. The key challenge for leaders today is to get beyond the surface and unlock the full potential of all their colleagues. At times, extroverts may get to leadership positions faster; but for us introverts, it’s all about working at our own pace and, at the end of the day, performing in a full way. Introverts can absolutely be extremely effective leaders; the landscape is full of excellent examples.

This book shows you how to increase your awareness and effectiveness in the workplace. If you are an extrovert, you will better understand and appreciate what your introverted team-mates have to offer. If you are an introvert, you will gain insights and practical steps to build on your quiet strength. Ultimately, what helps all of us most is to embrace and fully leverage who we are in order to make the most substantial contributions possible. This book shows you how to do just that.

Douglas R. Conant

Former President and CEO of Campbell Soup Company

CEO, ConantLeadership