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Owning the room as an introvert

Laurence Paquette
Sep 14
1 min read

Owning the room as an introvert

Most advice about presence and leadership assumes you have to be extroverted. Loud. Always “on.”

But that is not the only way. And for introverts, it can be the wrong way.

Owning the room does not mean dominating it. It does not mean faking confidence or pretending to enjoy small talk. It means being present in a way that is true to who you are.

For me, that looks like listening first. Watching what is said and what is not. Preparing my thoughts so I am ready when it matters. And stepping away when I need to recharge, without apologizing for it.

Introverts bring something powerful to leadership: we think before we speak, we listen deeply, and we share the spotlight instead of stealing it.

You do not need to change your personality to fit the room.

You can own it by being fully yourself: quiet, present, prepared, powerful.

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