When you think about career growth, most people focus on skill acquisition, certifications, or climbing the organizational chart. All of these are important, but they are only part of the story.
What often gets overlooked is personality fit. Your career is not just what you do; it’s also how you do it, and whether that “how” is aligned with who you are.
For example, you might naturally have a quiet disposition, be thoughtful, observant, and deliberate, yet find yourself in an industry where visibility is won through constant noise-making, such as PR or high-energy sales, or constant meetings with stakeholders. This misalignment can be draining, and over time, it can dull your impact.
For risk management, auditing, and technology professionals, these kinds of roles tend to require significant amounts of technical expertise, and the technical knowledge becomes the whole identity. Your credibility is built on precision, accuracy and problem-solving, but leadership presence requires something more: the ability to connect, influence and inspire.
A Personal Insight from Coaching Leaders
As an executive business and leadership coach, I specialize in helping introverted women in leadership navigate career transitions and step into roles where they can lead with quiet confidence. Many are highly capable, ambitious and deeply committed to their work, yet they operate in environments that reward extroverted visibility over their natural, reflective style.
More recently, in coaching leaders who want to step out, make an impact, and show their unique leadership style, I’ve noticed a recurring challenge: they didn’t have the right strategies to do it.
They had impressive technical expertise and tried to sell themselves solely on that. While this is a strong foundation, it isn’t always enough to elevate you into senior leadership and be seen as a person of influence.
In our sessions, I help them recognize the importance of building stakeholder relationships and standing out through charisma, the authentic, trust-building kind —and through contributions that extend beyond their job description.
For some clients, this has meant embracing thought leadership. Instead of just talking about “what they do,” they’ve begun to share a point of view on topics like teamwork, the future of technology, or better ways of working together. By positioning themselves as thought leaders, they’ve added an extra layer of presence and influence.
These “extras” often make the difference between staying stuck at mid-level and breaking through to top-level leadership. Technical expertise may get you noticed, but to get recognized, respected, and promoted, you also need to:
- Navigate office politics ethically and strategically.
- Offer value beyond the heavy lifting you’re already known for.
- Showcase elevated thinking, the ability to connect the dots, think strategically, and see the bigger picture.
Why the Right Kind of Charisma Matters: Research insights
The right kind of charisma for leaders in risk, audit and tech isn’t about becoming the loudest voice in the room. It’s about presence, connection and credibility, and research strongly supports this:
- Introverted leaders can be highly effective, delivering up to 28% higher productivity when working with proactive teams (Forbes, 2024).
- Leadership style is shaped by behaviors, not labels. People often attribute “extroversion” to leaders who display transformational behaviors, even when they are naturally introverted (HBR, 2017).
- Quiet leaders are often overlooked. McKinsey notes that many high-potential talents, especially women, remain hidden without sponsorship or visibility initiatives, such as LinkedIn’s “quiet ambassador” program (McKinsey, 2023).
These findings confirm what I see in my coaching practice: the strengths of leaders can be enhanced when they understand how their personality type brings strengths such as deep listening, strategic thinking and calm influence into the equation. This can be a powerful driver of performance, but only if it is combined with charisma and visibility strategies that build executive presence.
Four Ways to Build Charisma and Executive Presence Without Losing Yourself
- Understand Your Natural Energy
Whether you’re introverted or extroverted, analytical or creative, your personality is the foundation of your leadership. Know your strengths, but also identify where you might need to stretch to connect more effectively with others. - Shape Your Visibility Intentionally
Charisma isn’t about being seen everywhere; it’s about being seen in the right way. Be deliberate about the platforms you use, the stories you tell, and the moments where your leadership presence can make the most significant impact. - Demonstrate Elevated Thinking
Technical expertise answers “how,” leadership answers “why,” and “what’s next.” Share insights that position you as a strategic thinker, not just a problem-solver. - Use Connection as a Leadership Tool
In risk, audit, and tech, influence often comes from trust. Develop a style of connection that makes people feel understood and respected, whether you’re briefing a board, mentoring a junior colleague, or leading a cross-functional project.
If you find yourself stuck at mid-level or struggling to break into the top tier of leadership, remember this: technical excellence may open the door, but charisma, strategic thinking and connection are what keep it open and invite you to the table.
When your career path aligns with your personality and you cultivate a leadership presence that is authentic, confident, and magnetic, you become more than an expert; you become the kind of leader people want to follow.
To access further conversations on this topic, here is an episode of my podcast: Quietly Confident Introvert, where I interview a Head of Audit who has navigated various career transitions, from industries, to locations, and titles, and has been recognized as a thought leader in helping to Co-Create Success in Organisations. You can access it here.
To find out more about my work with leaders, or if you would like to discuss this article further, you can connect with me on LinkedIn here.