As an introvert, the thought of taking on a leadership role can be intimidating. However, you shouldn’t hold yourself back from pursuing more senior positions just because you aren’t an extrovert. The truth is that introverts have a lot of traits that make them great leaders. The key is recognizing those traits and learning how to use them to your advantage. Read on for some practical tips that introverts can use to build their leadership skills and rise to the top.

Recognize and leverage your introverted traits

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that introverts aren’t effective leaders. In fact, you’ve got a lot of valuable characteristics that make you an exceptional leader. According to Insperity, introverts exhibit problem-solving and out-of-the-box thinking. They also tend to be stellar at written communication and have outstanding listening skills. All of these things can make you a wonderful, compassionate leader.

Work on your speaking and listening skills

Greater leaders have to be good at speaking in front of others and even better at listening to them. You want to inspire and motivate people. For that to happen, they have to respect you—which means you have to make them feel seen and heard. Practice active listening techniques, like asking follow-up questions. When it comes to speaking, practice makes perfect. MIT offers tips for practicing your public speaking, like recording yourself on video.

Gain confidence by furthering your education

Imposter syndrome can often keep people from realizing their full potential in the workplace. If you worry that you don’t have the skills you need to lead, consider going back to school. You can get a bachelor’s degree in business online, allowing you to work while you learn. There are also online programs in fields like accounting and communications. Remote education is ideal, giving you the flexibility you need to work and study.

Use technology to stay organized as a leader

As a leader, it’s up to you to keep an eye on everything that your team does. You want to be able to easily monitor workers, deliverables, and deadlines. Technology can make it easier. A cloud-based project management platform can simplify real-time collaboration. Look for multifaceted solutions with functions like resource management, task tracking, and communication tools. This will make it easier to balance workloads and oversee your team.

Practice getting out of your comfort zone

One problem that introverts face is that they’re prone to staying in their comfort zone. If you aren’t challenging yourself, you aren’t going to grow. Find activities that encourage you to put your leadership abilities to the test. Examples include volunteering in your community or participating in a team sport. You can also join organizations to practice certain skills, like speaking. Toastmasters is devoted to helping people master public speaking without fear.

Find a coach or mentor to help you

If you’re still struggling despite having taken the steps above, it’s time to get help. A leadership organization like Vistage can help you. Ed Stillman helps leaders in the Austin, Texas, area make the most of their careers and realize their full potential. When you work with Ed, you’ll also have the chance to connect with a supportive peer group who can challenge you while also cheering you on.

Vistage Austin has 8 group chairs facilitating 15 groups with roughly 200 members. Our members are intentional leaders focused on being better leaders, making better decisions. The peer advisory group member has no hidden agenda, so it becomes a safe place to discuss the undiscussable issues, problems, deltas and gap facing every leader today.

Introverts have many qualities that make them great leaders. However, if your confidence is lacking, you’ll find it tough to rise to the top. For help, try the tips above. Explore our Emerging Leader or Advance Leader programs. From going back to school to using technology to stay in charge, these steps can help you become a boss.

Check out the blog for more tips for realizing your leadership potential.