Jessica Chen's book, "Smart, Not Loud: How to Get Noticed at Work for All the Right Reasons" is fantastic!
"The Quiet Culture bias is the perception that because we may have a more quiet disposition, we are somehow meek or even weak. Because we prefer to work hard and keep our heads down, we are only good workers, not leaders. Because we don’t talk about our achievements as much as others, we probably don’t have any. And because we avoid conflict, we can’t handle tough conversations and manage others." -Jessica Chen
In Part 1 of the book, Chen takes the readers into the two worlds of Quiet Culture and Loud Culture, and unveils what each culture looks like. She talks about how to find a cultural balance (through what she calls Cultural Reframes), "which will help us rethink how we engage with others, spend our time at work, handle wins, and manage conflict." Acknowledging that there's a Quiet Culture bias in the workplace, Chen spends time talking about it, including sharing tips on how to overcome it.
In Part 2 of the book, Chen takes the Cultural Reframes and implements them via what she calls a Quiet Capital Framework, a three-pillar structure that allows us to be seen exactly the way we want. The three pillars are: shaping our career brand, establishing credibility, and advocating for ourselves. She goes over, step-by-step, how to apply these pillars to our daily work. According to Chen, "if we don’t control the narrative of how people perceive us and what others think of us, the opportunities we get will be left to chance."
Finally, in Part 3, Chen talks about communication skills. This section is very tactical, by design. She covers practical communication strategies and shows you what to say and how to say it at work. This section was set up so that when you need tips for giving presentations, using body language, or refining your speaking, you can simply turn to the right page. Chen contends that even though we may know the techniques for getting noticed, if we can’t deliver well, then our impact is much less powerful.
In so many ways, Chen's book describes and captures what I have been trying to reconcile between my own Vietnamese upbringing and my 40+ years growing up here in the United States.
"Over time, I have discovered that it is possible to be noticed exactly the way we want to be without complete acculturation. We can still honor that Quiet Culture part of our nature while expanding what we know, how we act, and how we communicate, so we can better express ourselves in the workplace today." -Jessica Chen
Chapter Summaries - THE BOTTOM LINE
Chapter 1 - THE BOTTOM LINE
• We experience friction in the workplace when our jobs require us to exhibit
Loud Culture traits but we exemplify Quiet Culture behaviors.
• Those who were raised in a Quiet Culture would rather listen than speak.
They prefer to put their head down and work hard, be humble about their
achievements, and not rock the boat.
• Those who were raised in a Loud Culture prefer speaking and discussing.
They would rather build connections, ensure others notice their work, and
not shy away from addressing conflict.
• There are four main areas where we can experience friction in the
workplace, called the Cultural Dualities at Work: how we engage and
communicate with others, how we spend our time at work, how we celebrate
our achievements, and how we manage conflict.
• Where we fall on the Cultural Scale depends on our environment, who is
there, and how comfortable we feel.
• The power of Quiet Culture professionals is the courage and resilience we
practice every day.
Chapter 2 - THE BOTTOM LINE
• Finding success and building visibility in the workplace do not require us to
behave loudly if we have quiet traits.
• Reframing our Quiet Culture values can help us expand how we work in a
Loud Culture without complete acculturation.
• The Cultural Reframe for how we Engage Others is to tailor our message to
what our audience cares about.
• The Cultural Reframe for how we Spend Time is to maximize every
opportunity.
• The Cultural Reframe for how we Handle Wins is to share how our work
benefits the greater good.
• The Cultural Reframe for how we Manage Conflict is to focus on the
dynamics at play.
Chapter 3 - THE BOTTOM LINE
• The Quiet Culture bias is the perception that because someone has a quiet
disposition, they are meek or weak.
• This bias can come from both what people think of us and what we say to
ourselves.
• Overcoming the Quiet Culture bias requires self-compassion and going from
saving face to showing face.
• Labeling our negative thoughts is a cognitive technique that can help us
identify unhelpful self-talk so we can redirect our thinking.
• The Journalist's Approach helps us question the validity of a negative or
limiting statement so we can open up our perspective.
• We have to be our own best cheerleader.
Chapter 4 - THE BOTTOM LINE
• Shaping our career brand is the first pillar of our Quiet Capital Framework.
• Our career brand is our reputation and the positive things people will say
about us when we're not in the room.
• If we don't shape our career brand, other people will shape it for us.
• Career brand step 1: Find your core values.
• Career brand step 2: Identify your differentiating factor.
• Career brand step 3: Link talent to opportunity.
• Career brand step 4: Expand your reach.
Chapter 5 - THE BOTTOM LINE
• Building credibility is the second step of our Quiet Capital Framework.
• In a Quiet Culture, credibility is often attributed to age and hierarchical
levels.
• In a Loud Culture, credibility is earned and re-earned, and it is the product of
respect and trust.
• Respect is gained through the actions we take.
• Trust is built through what we say.
• Communicating what's going on, especially when things don't go as
planned, can make the difference between protecting and shattering our
workplace credibility.
• The TACT Framework is a way of structuring our message so it's clear and
intentional: Take a moment, Articulate the process, Communicate solutions,
Talk it out together.
• A strong elevator pitch entails saying just enough so others want to know
more.
Chapter 6 - THE BOTTOM LINE
• Relying on others to hand us opportunities will just lead to disappointment
and frustration. We have to be our own best advocate.
• When at work, we need to ACCT in our own best interests.
• Ask for what we want by building a strong case, aligning our objectives, and
explaining why we're the best person for the job. Keeping these elements in
mind can help others see the value of our request.
• Circle back to stay top of mind by considering the content, platform, and
timing. These three elements can help us gauge how and when to make that ask again, because repeated attempts will be necessary.
• Celebrate our wins by articulating the benefit, being open about the
process, and communicating using power words. It's how others can see
what we're doing and why it matters.
• Turn down requests by thinking about our tone, explaining why, and
following up with options, because saying no is how we create boundaries
and set expectations.
Chapter 7 - THE BOTTOM LINE
• Great communication is the thread that makes our Quiet Capital Framework
come to life, because it helps us show up and speak up with clarity.
• In meetings, use the 4A Sequence — active listening, acknowledging,
anchoring, and answering — to gauge the right time to enter a conversation,
and how to do it so people listen.
• If we begin to ramble, we should ask ourselves the golden question: "What's
the point I'm trying to make here?" This question will refocus our speaking.
• Marrying emotionally and quantitatively driven points is how we can create
Persuasive Points, which appeal to our listeners' logic and emotion.
• The Power of the Contrast is sharing both the problem and the solution so
people can get a full picture of our idea and how it can help.
• Don't rush when speaking: pause, breathe, think, and speak with conviction
to control the use of filler words.
• Hedging words can soften the blow of a message.
• Feeling confident presenting involves getting into the right mindset: a
presentation is a conversation, our audience only knows what we tell them,
and it's an effective way to build influence and visibility.
• Using transition phrases during our presentations can connect our points
and drive them home, giving the impression of ease and knowledge.
Chapter 8 - THE BOTTOM LINE
• Our tone of voice can be broken down into five elements: frequency, rate,
intensity, inflection, and quality.
• The quality of our voice can't be changed, because it's unique to us.
• Speaking from the diaphragm, or using our "stomach voice," can create
depth and speaking presence, which is linked to frequency.
• Varying our rate of speaking between fast and slow can accentuate the point
we're trying to make.
• Mixing our intensity between loud and soft can draw listeners in, because
variety keeps our speaking interesting.
• Inflection and intention go hand in hand.
• Enunciating prevents mumbling. Focusing on the first and last letters of a
word can clarify our speaking.
Chapter 9 - THE BOTTOM LINE
• For those of us raised with Quiet Culture values, being in tune with other
people's body language comes naturally, but when it comes to utilizing it
ourselves, it can quickly fall to the wayside.
• Body language shapes people's perception of our communication ability
more than our words or our tone.
• Certain cultures may discourage direct eye contact, especially when power
dynamics are present. However, research shows people generally find it
attractive when the speaker makes eye contact with them.
• If we're speaking to convince, persuade, sell, or pitch, genuinely smiling will
attract people.
• Our hands can be an overlooked communication asset, but if we
intentionally use them by holding, pointing, or showcasing something, we can make our speaking more impactful.
• A straight posture can give the perception of confidence, and it can make us
feel more confident.
"[T]he Quiet Culture bias can come from the voice in our head. For example, there might be a narrative in our mind saying, “I don’t want to fail,” or “I don’t want to look silly,” so we stay within the confines of what we know. Some of us may even be pulled into the notion of “saving face,” in which doing something out of our comfort zone can put us in the vulnerable position of feeling embarrassed, especially if things don’t work out." -Jessica Chen
"The problem with believing our own Quiet Culture bias is that it prevents us from reaching our fullest potential. When we let anxiety, fear of humiliation, or fear of judgment take over, we cut ourselves off from the visibility we need to be recognized at work. What we should do instead is gift ourselves the most selfless offering we can: be one less critic in a world full of critics. We know that when we go against the grain, or step into something new or uncomfortable, it will feel scary. But we have to replace our limiting thoughts with more self-compassionate ones. We have to believe that what we’re doing matters, because it absolutely does." -Jessica Chen
Final thoughts from Chen: "[T]he biggest challenge in writing this book was taking off that mask [i.e., not talking about my own insecurities; hiding my deep-seated struggles and frustrations and avoid exposing how I really felt at work], letting down my styled on-camera hair, and sharing my most vulnerable and even embarrassing moments of being overshadowed and overlooked at work. Because despite knowing what to do and how to do it, it wasn’t always smooth sailing. Sometimes I was my own biggest critic, telling myself that my thoughts didn’t matter as long as I did good work. In writing this book, I even had moments when I wondered if any of it was worth sharing—which, ironically, is what this book is all about. It’s not just about doing the work; it is about building visibility around the work; that is, sharing it with others along the way."
Key Takeaways: Jessica Chen's "Smart, Not Loud" book is simply outstanding! The book is insightful and delves in deep enough (without bogging readers down with irrelevant details) to uncover assumptions, biases, and thinking patterns we all have that can hold ourselves and others back from being our best or their best selves. Chen's vulnerability and courage make her and her writings extremely relatable, and will be beneficial to those trying to balance the tension between the Quiet Culture and the Loud Culture. Chen reminds all of us that, depending on our cultural upbringings, we can engage, spend time, handle wins, and deal with conflicts in different ways. I really appreciate and love that Chen provides lots of practical tips and tools (e.g., how to structure our message so it's clear & intentional; when to enter a conversation; how to avoid mumbling; tuning in to people's body language; how to use your tone of voice & speak from your diaphragm; how reframing our values can help us expand how we work in a Loud Culture without complete acculturation; and much more). Most importantly and the message of the book for those of us from a Quiet Culture is that finding success and building visibility in the workplace do not require us to behave loudly if we have quiet traits. "We don’t have to change ourselves to fit into a loud working world; we just have to be smart about how we show up and how we communicate." Highly recommended and a must-read (or a must-listen if you prefer the audiobook, which is excellent)!
Written By: Steve Nguyen, Ph.D.
Organizational & Leadership Development Leader
Reference
Chen, J. (2024). Smart, Not Loud: How to Get Noticed at Work for All the Right Reasons. Portfolio/Penguin.