Steven Claes – The A+ Introvert
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Steven Claes – The A+ Introvert - Your team thinks you're too quiet

Steven Claes – The A+ Introvert - Your team thinks you're too quiet

(I fixed that without saying a word)

Steven Claes
September 27, 2025 • Reading Time: 7 minutes

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You know that moment.

The one where your boss says "speak up more" in your review.

Where the loud guy gets your idea credited to him.

Where you leave the meeting drained, knowing you had the answer but couldn't break through the noise.

I lived that loop for years.

Then after many years, everything shifted.

Our biggest project was falling apart. Three teams. Three directions. Daily crisis calls that went nowhere.

My extroverted colleague tried to fix it with more meetings. More emails. More Slack threads.

The noise got louder. The mess got bigger.

So I did what introverts do best.

I got quiet. Real quiet.

And I started posting one thing.

Every morning at 8 a.m., I dropped a simple note in our project channel:

Today's single goal
Who owns what
Next check-in time

No meetings about it. No big announcement. Just the note.

First week: People ignored it.
Second week: Two people started checking it.
Third week: The CEO asked where it came from.
Fourth week: Three other teams asked for the same thing.

Within a month, my "too quiet" review became "sets the clearest direction on the team."

What I learned? You don't need a loud voice to lead. You need a clear signal that cuts through noise.

Today I'll show you exactly how to build that signal.

Today’s Focus

A simple loop that sets direction without meetings
Scripts to reset expectations and earn trust
A one-page template to keep teams steady

A quote about Clarity by the A+ Introvert

Download images if not visible

📊 Why This Works for Us

Think about how our brains work.

While others process out loud, we process inside. We see the full picture before we speak. We notice what's missing, not just what's loud.

Microsoft studied this. Teams with written updates have 47% fewer meetings and 31% less after-hours work. (See Microsoft’s Work Trend research on meeting overload and after-hours creep here)

Gloria Mark's research shows every interruption costs 23 minutes of focus. We feel this more than anyone. (see here)

The S.T.E.A.D.Y. System

I tested this with 12 other introverted managers. Every single one saw trust scores improve within 6 weeks.

Step	What to do	Why it helps
_{S — Set One Thing}	_{Write success in one sentence: “This week we ship X.” Not three things. One.}	_{Focus beats noise every time.}
_{T — Tag owners}	_{Name one owner per task. Give them the decision power.}	_{Clear ownership stops the swirl.}
^{E — Explain the Basics}	^{What does ‘done’ look like? When it is due? Where do updates go?}	^{Good briefs prevent bad meetings.}
^{A — Announce Your Hours}	^{Pick two times daily for replies. Mine: 11.30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.}	^{Boundaries create focus for everyone.}
_{D — Decide Fast}	_{When stuck between A or B, pick one. Write why in one sentence.}	_{Movement builds trust faster than perfect choices.}
_{Y — Your Calm Spreads}	_{Model what you want. Calm mornings. Clear stops at night. Facts over drama.}	_{Teams mirror their leader’s energy.}

Download images if not visible

I know what you’re thinking. “This seems too simple.”

That’s the point.

Complex systems need loud managers to explain them. Simple systems run themselves.

📚 Your Quiet Authority Toolkit

Resource	What It Is	Why You Need It
📱_{The one-Page Brief}	^{Google Docs — Project Brief (Template Gallery)}⁽^Link⁾	^{My format that replaced 73% of our status meetings}
📖_{The Book That Started It}	^{The Introverted Leader}^{— Jennifer B. Kahnweiler}⁽^Link⁾	^{Skip to Chapter 3 for the listening techniques that triple your influence}
🎥_{The 12-Minute Proof}	^{Why We Need Introverted Leaders — Angela Hucles (TEDxBend)}⁽^Link⁾	^{Olympic champion shows how she led the US team without changing who she was}

Resource

What It Is

Why You Need It

📱_{The one-Page Brief}

^{Google Docs — Project Brief (Template Gallery)}⁽^Link⁾

^{My format that replaced 73% of our status meetings}

📖_{The Book That Started It}

^{The Introverted Leader}^{— Jennifer B. Kahnweiler}⁽^Link⁾

^{Skip to Chapter 3 for the listening techniques that triple your influence}

🎥_{The 12-Minute Proof}

^{Why We Need Introverted Leaders — Angela Hucles (TEDxBend)}⁽^Link⁾

^{Olympic champion shows how she led the US team without changing who she was}

🚀 Your Week Starts Monday

Don’t overthink this. Pick one project that’s messy right now.

Monday: Write your one-page brief. Post it. Pin it. Don't explain it.

Tuesday: Tag one owner per piece. Let them decide details.

Wednesday: Set your two reply windows. Redirect meeting requests to the brief.

Thursday: Make that delayed decision. One sentence why.

Friday: Ask yourself: What got clearer? Do more of that.

An image of a person working on the computer

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💡 Next Week

“Decision Velocity”
How introverts make clear calls fast without steamrolling the room.

🎯 Real Talk

Some folks won't get it at first.

They'll want the old way back. The meetings. The constant chatter.

Let them adjust.

Your results will speak louder than you ever could.

And that's the whole point.

Talk soon,
— Steven

P.S. Reply with your Monday project pick. I read every email, even if my reply comes during my 4:30 p.m. window.

P.P.S. Know a manager drowning in meeting chaos? Send them this. They'll thank you by Friday.

P.P.P.S. Want more tips for introvert-friendly ways to work? Click here to connect with me directly.

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