Everyone thought Bill did a good job, and the people in his department worked hard for him. But in reality Bill wasn't leveraging his talents to their fullest extent to help his organization. He was doing a good job in his own department, but he wasn't interacting or building relationships with peers in other departments or with leaders above him. As Bill began to focus on expanding his network and influence throughout the organization and leveraging his abilities for the benefit of the entire company, he helped generate increased productivity revenues that benefited everyone. Some people have a very natural tendency toward leadership, but for most people it is something that can be learned, regardless of personality type or whether the individual is an introvert or an extrovert.
Leadership is really about character.
It does help if you are born with certain characteristics that make it easier, but leadership skills can be developed. Key attributes that can be worked on and developed include respect of others, self-confidence, emotional confidence and humility. But keep in mind that the foundation of leadership is authenticity, which can also be described as honesty and credibility. I worked with one executive that scored very, very low on several of the 47 leadership dimensions we assess. After some coaching, he began to realize how he always wanted his own way, how he distorted the truth and how he tended to be manipulative.