Smart, Not Loud

The definitive playbook for how to show up and feel authentic at work in a world that rewards noise Like many Asian Americans raised with the values of respect, diligence, harmony, and humility, Jessica Chen found her entrance into the working world a total culture shock. The values that had once led to her success in school now seemed to hold her back in the loud, extroverted, and opinionated workplace. Chen quickly realized that mainstream business culture operates under a vision of Western male success, and anyone like her who didn’t fall neatly into that bucket was at a disadvantage. She did not know how her upbringing in a quiet culture could mesh with this new, loud culture. <Quiet Culture, Loud Culture< provides the roadmap you need to succeed in any workplace culture, no matter how loud. Armed with the right communication skills, Chen proves that you don’t have to lose yourself or your culture to level up at work.

Auteur

Jessica Chen

Texte du rabat

"An introduction to a new way of getting noticed at work that's neither loud, aggressive, nor boastful"--

Résumé
Ever wonder why the “loud” people at work get noticed, rewarded, and promoted? Do you worry that you need to be loud to succeed at work, too?

Upon entering the workforce, many of us raised with Quiet Culture values—*put your head down, just work hard, act deferential, deflect praise—*want to showcase our expertise, speak up, and present with confidence; but, in the Loud Culture of our workplaces, we’re not sure how to communicate in a way that feels right. The result? Those raised in Quiet Cultures become overlooked, and the best opportunities pass us by. This was Jessica Chen’s experience when she started work as a TV news journalist, and she felt completely stuck.

In Smart, Not Loud, Chen – who now speaks at Fortune 100 companies, and whose LinkedIn Learning courses have been watched by over 2 million people – introduces a new way of getting noticed at work that’s neither loud, aggressive, or boastful. Instead, Chen teaches readers how to look within to better understand how to show up with tact, and invest in visibility-boosting strategies like shaping your career brand, building credibility, and advocating for yourself. Through relatable anecdotes and scientifically-backed principles, readers will learn to:

• Speak up at meetings using the Four A’s (Active listening, Acknowledging, Anchoring, and Answering)
• Confidently say “no” with the TEF (Tone-Explain-Follow) Approach
• Master the five elements of voice—pitch, rate, intensity, inflection, quality—to be the kind of communicator others want to listen to
  Packed with actionable tips, Smart, Not Loud, unveils a new path to getting noticed at work for all the right reasons. This is the road map readers need to authentically show up in the workplace, and finally feel seen.

Échantillon de lecture
INTRODUCTION


Kevin, a junior associate at a large consumer brand, entered his boss’s office, burdened by an overwhelming feeling of dis- appointment. He was unable to comprehend why he had been passed over for a promotion he had been eagerly anticipating. Determined to get to the root of the matter, he approached his boss, Ben, and asked the question that had been weighing on his mind: “You liked my work; how come I didn’t get the promotion?”

Ben, who had been busy juggling several pressing matters, turned to Kevin and responded, “Let me show you something.” He strode over to the whiteboard in his office, took hold of a dry-erase marker, and drew several circles. “Within each circle are the things going on in my life right now,” Ben explained.

“I’m thinking about my own promotion. I’m thinking about my client who is upset at me. I’m thinking about my wife who wants me to go to a dinner event with her. I’m thinking about my dog that just injured his leg. I’m thinking about my kids and their upcoming baseball game. I have thirty employees,&#160;three of whom are always coming into my office, making small talk.” He paused, then continued, “You don’t come into my office, so how often do you think I’m going to think about you when I have all these things occupying my brain?”
Kevin stood there, stunned. He had never thought about it that way. He figured his work would—and should—speak for itself.

“I like you a lot,” Ben added. “I know you have a lot of potential, but you need to proactively come into my office and make your presence part of my daily brain.”

This story was shared by my friend Michael Chen as we were chatting on Zoom one afternoon about what it takes to find workplace success today. Chen is the former president and CEO of General Electric’s Media, Communications, and Entertainment division. As Chen shared this story, I couldn’t help but reflect that I could relate to Kevin’s plight.

Growing up, I was never taught the importance of making myself visible, of continually following up as a way of staying top of mind. I was never taught the importance of being proac- tive or how to speak up with tact. Instead, I was taught to work hard, hit my key performance indicators, and not cause trouble. The expectation was that as long as I did these things, promotions and raises would follow, like clockwork. However, as with Kevin, it didn’t take long for me to see that this formula wasn’t actually what was needed to be successful in the workplace. What actually mattered was the ability to showcase myself. Not only that, communication and being visible were required— and rewarded. Thus, a paradox started to form. How was I&#160;supposed to be “loud” when I was only ever taught to embody more “quiet” traits?

I’ve discovered there’s a group of us today who were raised in what I call a Quiet Culture. People like us are told from an early age to follow instructions, listen to others, talk less, and let our work speak for itself. But those raised in a Loud Culture are taught to do virtually the opposite: share their opinions frequently, make a lot of noise, and carve out opportunities for themselves. One is not better than the other, but when one cultural context is placed in another, the ability to get noticed in a way that feels right becomes difficult.

Early on, when I started to feel stuck at work, I immersed myself in learning, listening, and reading all the communication and leadership content out there to glean insight into how to become more loud and visible. While insightful, many of the teachings didn’t address my most pressing question: Could I still hold on to my Quiet Culture values, or did I need to mold myself and become a loud person to fit in? And if I didn’t, would I just become utterly forgotten?

As I began to look around, one of the most surprising things I found was that I wasn’t alone in feeling this way. Many people, like me, who were raised with Quiet Culture values felt unsure about how to chime in or show up in a Loud Culture working world. They also felt like they didn’t know how to do it without acting a certain way. It’s why I have dedicated this book to talking about Quiet Culture and Loud Culture. Specifically, this book is for those who were raised with Quiet Culture traits and are now working in a Loud Culture world. Because&#160;the truth is, this friction goes beyond just being an introvert or extrovert; it’s something deeper. It’s the values and beliefs we have been taught in our most formative years that have shaped who we’ve become, what we know, and what behaviors we find comfort in.
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