Steven Claes – The A+ Introvert
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Steven Claes – The A+ Introvert - The 90-Second Move That Saved My Best Employee

Steven Claes – The A+ Introvert - The 90-Second Move That Saved My Best Employee

How I almost lost Maya to silence (and the simple ritual that fixed everything)

Steven Claes
August 09, 2025 • Reading Time: 6 minutes

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Hey there friend!

Maya was leaving.

Two weeks after she'd saved us from a compliance disaster, she sat in my office saying, "I'm not sure anyone sees what I do."

Gut punch.

I'd noticed her catch that flaw at 11:43 p.m. Made a mental note to thank her.

Then forgot.

Meetings happened. Fires needed putting out. Life moved on.

But Maya? She stayed quiet about it. Like most of us introverts do.

That's when I realized something: We're so busy avoiding fake praise that we skip the real stuff too.

The stuff that matters.

The stuff that keeps our best people around.

Today’s Focus

Why fast, specific recognition saves careers (especially for quiet achievers)
The 3R Loop: Recall → Relate → Reinforce (90 seconds max)
A 5-day challenge to make this automatic

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Why Recognition Hits Different for Introverts

Research shows the following:

Employees expecting recognition are 2.7x more likely to stay engaged (article).
Well-recognized workers are 45% less likely to leave within two years (article).
Small wins beat bonuses as daily motivators (article).

What research doesn’t tell you is……

Introverts process praise differently.

We overthink it. Wonder if it's genuine. Question the timing.

So when recognition doesn't come? We assume the worst.

"Maybe my work doesn't matter."
"Maybe nobody noticed."
"Maybe I should look elsewhere."

Recognition for introverts isn't about the spotlight.

It's about being seen.

The 3R Loop (90 Seconds)

Step	How to Do It	Why It Works
_{R1 – Recall the Moment (20 sec)}	_{Scan your notes, Slack, or email. Find one specific thing someone did.} _{Not "great job on the project."} _{Try "caught the billing error in the Q3 report."}	_{Specificity = safety.}_{You’re naming facts, not personalities, so no one tenses up. It also triggers a quick dopamine hit (“I was seen”) without a spotlight.}
_{R2 – Relate the Impact (40 sec)}	^{Connect their action to a real outcome.} ^{"Because you flagged that billing error, we avoided a $12K overpayment and kept the client relationship intact."}	_{Meaning fuels motivation.}_{Linking effort to impact satisfies the human need for purpose and shows respect for invisible work.}
_{R3 – Reinforce the Behaviour (30 sec)}	^{Name what you want to see more of.} ^{"Your attention to detail in financial reviews is exactly what keeps us sharp. Keep questioning those numbers."}	_{Clarity drives repeatability.}_{Positive reinforcement plus a labelled behaviour = people know exactly what to do again.}

Total time: 90 seconds

Your pocket script: “Hey [Name], saw you [specific action]. Because of that, [impact]. Your [behavior] is exactly what we need more of. Thanks for staying sharp."

Copy it. Use it. Watch what happens.

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Quiet Fuel of the Week

Resource	What It Is	Why You Need It
^Tool	_{Fill‑in‑the‑blank}*_template_{that walks you through}_{Recall → Relate → Reinforce}*_{and logs who you praised, when, and why; duplicate in seconds, send in 90}	_{Removes friction. Open, fill, send.}
^Read	_{The Progress Principle}_{by Teresa Amabile & Steven Kramer}	_{Small wins + recognition = motivation fuel.}
^Watch	_{“How to Praise Without Feeling Fake”}₍_video₎	_{Quick primer on specificity vs. fluff. Great refresher.}

Resource

What It Is

Why You Need It

^Tool

_{Fill‑in‑the‑blank}_template_{that walks you through}_{Recall → Relate → Reinforce}_{and logs who you praised, when, and why; duplicate in seconds, send in 90}

_{Removes friction. Open, fill, send.}

^Read

_{The Progress Principle}_{by Teresa Amabile & Steven Kramer}

_{Small wins + recognition = motivation fuel.}

^Watch

_{“How to Praise Without Feeling Fake”}₍_video₎

_{Quick primer on specificity vs. fluff. Great refresher.}

Your 5-Day Challenge

Monday: List three small wins from your team last week
Tuesday: Pick one. Write down the specific action.
Wednesday: Add the impact. Send the note.
Thursday: Include the behavior reinforcement. Send another.
Friday: Track responses. Email me one line about what changed.

What to watch for:

"Thanks, that really means a lot" replies
Improved effort on similar tasks
Team members mentioning feeling more valued

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Coming Next Week

Crisis mode for introverts
How to lead through chaos without burning out your social battery.

Final Thought

Maya didn't need a performance bonus or public praise.

She needed to know her late-night attention to detail mattered.

That someone noticed.

Recognition isn't about being loud. It's about being specific.

Try the 90-second loop today. Pick one person. Be specific about what they did and why it mattered.

Then watch their shoulders relax and their effort increase.

Your turn: Who are you going to recognize first?

Reply and tell me. I read every response.

— Steven

P.S. Know a manager who thinks recognition is "fluffy"? Forward this. Let's change one mind at a time.

P.P.S. Want daily insights on leading as an introvert ? Click here to connect with me directly.

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