A shy child?

I recently read an article in a parenting magazine discussing shyness in children.  The article went so far as to describe extreme shyness and discomfort in public situations as a social anxiety disorder.  It discussed how parents can use various techniques to "change" their child's shyness.

I always was (and still can be) very shy, so this article caught my attention. But it got me to thinking - when do we, as parents, go from helping our children overcome "obstacles" to outright changing a child's personality and natural tendencies?

Not every child has the same personality - shy vs outgoing, introvert vs extrovert, loud vs quiet - and that's a GOOD thing!  We can't have a world full of loud, outgoing people all trying to outdo each other - the quiet people balance it out.  People are not meant to all have the same strengths, traits and personalities.

I notice that Cole has some shy tendencies.  He gets nervous in new places.  He can get overwhelmed.  He tends to be slightly clingy in different situations. 

So here's my conflict: should I treat his shyness as a "problem" that needs to be fixed, or should I simply accept that as part of his personality?  Many articles and research in the parenting field treat such personality traits as weaknesses, but I'm not sure I agree.

I want to encourage my child to be whoever he feels most comfortable being, rather than playing a part or trying to change themselves to please someone.  I want him to have an honest view of himself, of his strengths and weaknesses. I don't want to try to change his personality.

What do you think?  Is shyness a problem or a personality trait?