Leading As An Introvert

Hey, my friends. Welcome back to Let’s Encourage One Another.

It was just about a month ago that I spoke at the Small Church Women’s Ministries Conference about leading as an introvert, and today I wanted to share that session with you.

I realize that not all of you serve in women’s ministries at your church, but I am sure that, if you are an introvert, you have probably found yourself questioning why God designed you that way and how you can possibly do what He has called you to do. You’re not outgoing. You’re not fond of being in front of others. Maybe you don’t like small talk or ice breakers or things of that sort.

Perhaps you’ve found yourself looking for ways to serve God and impact others in spite of your introversion.

But I am here to tell you that God designed you that way on purpose. It was not a mistake. And you don’t have to serve others in spite of your introversion; you can actually serve them out of your introversion.

I’ve had to learn this for myself, and you’ll see that even in the work that I do, as I have geared myself as a spiritual director who serves other introverted women who desire time and space to process. It just works for us.

Now, before I jump into the session recording, I want to identify the defining characteristic of an introvert. It’s not necessarily that you are quiet or shy, but it’s all really about how you refresh your energy.

Imagine you have had a terribly long day. You’re tired and worn out. What would you most desire to do at the end of that day?

If your response leans toward staying home, reading a book, enjoying a quiet evening with your family, you are likely an introvert. If you’d rather go out for dinner with friends or go bowling or be out and about, you’re likely an extravert.

Neither one is good or bad or better than the other. They are simply different. And it really is a scale, from extremely introverted to slightly introverted to slightly extraverted to extremely extraverted. Where do you find yourself?

For me, as a podcaster and speaker, I love to get up and teach and train others. But what that often means is that I need quiet space to refresh after I am finished. Even when I taught college classes, I would usually spend the rest of the day at home by myself and not go out again until the next day. It’s simply how I recharge.

Now, there were a few hand-drawn illustrations I used in my session. You can see those below.

So, my friend, whether you serve in women’s ministries or are a leader in some other way, or you simply want to impact the lives of those around you, I hope and pray this session would be a blessing and encouragement to you.

[Conference Session]

Illustrations referred to during the session: