Extroverts are often thought of as ideal employees in the workplace—they likely naturally shine at networking events, are quick to offer their ideas and tend to work well in teams. However, introverts can also be valuable additions to any team. Their introspective nature can make them powerful decision makers and effective problem solvers, but leaders may never notice this if they don’t foster the right work environment.
To ensure introverted employees get their work noticed, leaders may need to take a different approach than they would with their extroverted counterparts, who are more likely to naturally step into the spotlight. Here, 20 members of Forbes Business Council shed some light on how leaders can help their introverted employees shine and gain the recognition they deserve.
1. Give Them Opportunities To Be Heard
Create structured opportunities for all voices to be heard, like written updates or round-robin formats. Recognize substance, not just style. Introverts often deliver deep, thoughtful work; it’s our job as leaders to find ways to surface and celebrate that value intentionally and publicly. – Jacob Orrin, Merit
2. Highlight Their Wins And Impact
Leaders should actively recognize those who quietly deliver. Introverts often put their heads down and focus—don’t let that go unnoticed. Make space in meetings to highlight their wins, and acknowledge their impact privately and publicly. Quiet excellence deserves the same spotlight as vocal contribution. – Sean Graham, Maven Cost Segregation Tax Advisors
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3. Preview, Coach, Spotlight
Send the agenda three days early and ask your quiet star for a five‑minute “insight burst.” Coach them through their script or slides, and then give them that named slot in the meeting. Early preparation lowers anxiety, the reserved stage secures visibility and your public kudos cement confidence. – Marie Holive, Proteus International
4. Be Deliberate About Your Endorsements
When you’re a leader, recognizing individual needs and styles helps you support and guide appropriately. Sure, some more readily take the spotlight, and those who don’t choose to might desire your support in recognizing and promoting their great work to others. As a leader, are you proud of your team members? Do you show it? Be deliberate about endorsing your team members’ work in front of others! – Dr. Wayne Pernell, DynamicLeader, Inc.
5. Offer Smaller, More Comfortable Settings For Idea-Sharing
Leaders can help introverted employees shine by creating opportunities for them to share their ideas in smaller, more comfortable settings, such as one-on-one meetings or small group discussions. This allows introverts to showcase their strengths, like critical thinking and attention to detail, while building their confidence and visibility within the team. – Dr. Grace Lee, Mastery Insights Inc.
6. Find The Right Way To Measure The Value They Contribute
In our team meetings, everyone has to talk. It’s fine to be quiet, but you need to participate in discussions. We do also have alternatives, though. If you are a programmer, we count and measure the quality of your output. If you are in DevOps, we check the quality and speed of your resolved tickets. For every department, we find the right method so everyone is treated according to the true value they give the company. – Ohad Ben Artzi, OBA PR
7. Foster A Culture Around Team Recognition
To ensure every employee feels equally recognized, it’s essential to build systems that make recognition effortless and organic—starting with a culture rooted in gratitude and clear, visible benchmarks for success. Recognition isn’t an add-on—it’s a way of work that ensures every voice is valued, no matter how loud. – Nicole Meloni, Connected Accounting LLC
8. Offer The Same Opportunities, With Support If Needed
Don’t assume that all introverts will act a certain way. For example, I work with a lot of great speakers who are introverts. They might just need more time to recover. Don’t decide they wouldn’t be interested in an opportunity to go to a conference and speak. Give them the same opportunities, and offer support if needed. They might surprise you. – Bobbie Carlton, Innovation Women
9. Create Space For Reflection And Follow-Up
One powerful way leaders can help introverted team members shine is by creating space for reflection and follow-up. Not everyone thinks best on the fly, so offering alternate formats—like written contributions or one-on-one check-ins—gives introverted employees a chance to share their ideas and achievements on their terms. – Gyre Renwick, Modern Health
10. Help Them Discover What Meaningful Recognition Is For Them
One of my favorite books is The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace. Have the team read it together. It gives them safe and nonjudgmental language to share what is meaningful recognition to them. The next thing you know, the team is improving inclusion on their own! It’s amazing what people can do (introverts or extroverts) when they feel seen and valued. – Phyllis Ferrell, PBFerrell LLC
11. Place Introverts In Key Leadership Positions
Leadership must ensure everyone is heard and that their voice matters. They should know their team and encourage quieter employees to speak first, managing the communications flow so extroverts don’t dominate the conversation. Having introverts in C-suite positions and other key roles shows that success isn’t limited to big personalities, demonstrating introverts’ value and encouraging them to thrive. – Jeff Maggs, Brunner
12. Make Room For Pauses
Extroverts quickly jump in on a discussion and offer ideas. However, leaders need to take steps to ensure that pauses are inserted into discussions, creating opportunities for others to offer their ideas and get noticed. Be intentional about creating pauses. – Hunter McMahon, iDiscovery Solutions, Inc. (iDS)
13. Highlight Impact In Ways That Suit Them
As CEO of a game studio, I’ve seen that some of our best innovations come from the quietest minds. To help introverted team members shine, we highlight their impact in ways that suit them, such as through written sprint updates, asynchronous demos and showcasing behind-the-scenes wins. In game development, not every hero needs to hold the mic—some just build the magic. – Denys Kliuch, WHIMSY GAMES GROUP LTD
14. Leverage Peer Recognition And Project-Based Presentations
The public tends to praise extroverts yet relies on introverts as the foundation of their work. My approach involves peer recognition and project-based presentations to showcase introverts’ value without pushing them into uncomfortable situations. – AyoOluwa Nihinlola, uLesson Education Limited
15. Proactively Seek Out Their Input
They say that if you don’t know what an extrovert is thinking, you haven’t listened, and if you don’t know what an introvert is thinking, you haven’t asked. Many employees will not speak up until asked. If you have A-players who are quiet, they are waiting on you to ask their opinion or offer them a chance to display their work. They’ll love you for the acknowledgment. – Justin Barnhill, Amentum
16. Acknowledge Your Own Traits And Lead By Example
As an introvert, I understand the challenges of a workplace that often favors extroversion. Leaders must acknowledge their introverted traits. By sharing my experiences, I encourage employees to embrace their own styles. Authenticity creates awareness and appreciation for diverse approaches. Normalize introversion by leading by example, allowing introverted employees to leverage their strengths. – Roli Saxena, NextRoll
17. Avoid Rewarding ‘Noise’
Build systems that measure outcomes, not airtime. Introverts don’t need coaching to be louder—they need leaders who recognize deep work, not just visibility. The most transformative contributions often come from those too focused on building the future to narrate it in real time. – Yves Remmler, Endeavor Elements, Inc.
18. Create Fun Problem-Solving Challenges
Create fun problem-solving challenges that align with team goals and allow everyone to contribute individually. This gives introverted employees a chance to showcase their strengths in a low-pressure setting. Reward top performers with a gift card or free lunch to boost morale and visibility without forcing the spotlight. – JC Serrano, 1000Attorneys.com
19. Use Third-Party Platforms To Encourage Shoutouts
Using platforms like monday.com to shout out co-workers gives everyone a voice. It’s a simple way to spotlight often-overlooked teammates, reinforce company values and surface the kind of work that doesn’t always make it into promotion discussions, even though it should. – Maile Keone, Listen Technologies Corporation
20. Celebrate Thoughtfulness Over Visibility
Leaders can help introverts shine by creating space for their preferred ways of contributing—through written reflections, one-on-one check-ins or smaller groups. Celebrate thoughtfulness, not just visibility. The most creative and innovative solutions often come from introverts when they’re given time, trust and psychological safety to think profoundly and speak authentically. – Dr. Ritu Goel, MindClaire
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