We wear "busy-ness" like a badge of honor! You know the feeling at the end of a long workday: you’ve replied to so many emails you’ve lost count, you sat through back-to-back meetings, and you’ve put out dozens of fires. You are exhausted. Your social battery is completely drained. But as you crash onto the bed, that sinking feeling hits your stomach: Did I actually accomplish anything today? Or did I just survive? For introverted leaders, this cycle isn't just tiring—it’s da

Imagine you walk onto one of my construction sites. You see the excavators digging, concrete being poured, and dozens of workers in hard hats moving with purpose. Now, imagine I tell you: "We don't actually have a plan. We're just digging holes and hoping it eventually turns into a building." You’d think I was crazy. And yet, when it comes to our money, our careers, and our families, that is exactly how many of us operate. We work hard, we pay the bills, and we live day-to-da

For many years, I lived in the "waiting room" of my own career. I used to believe that leadership was reserved for the loudest person in the room—the ones with high visibility and immediate, noisy answers. As an introvert, that wasn't just uncomfortable; it felt like trying to win a shouting match with a whisper. So, I stayed in my "quiet comfort," put my head down, and waited. I waited for the seat at the table. I waited for someone to "force" me to lead. But here is the har

Robert Greene's "48 Laws of Power" begins by stating that everyone desires power over others and events, constantly seeking more. No one enjoys feeling powerless. The book acknowledges that some people find the idea of consciously engaging in power games, even indirectly, to be off-putting, evil, or immoral, viewing it as a remnant of the past. However, whether you choose to participate intentionally or not, you are still part of the game. There's no benefit in trying to with

The quest for power and power itself, is often misunderstood and distorted in its portrayals across media, literature, and entertainment. Think of the isolated CEO at the top after their struggle for power, the families sacrificed in the pursuit of power, and the downfall of shady villains in movies driven by their thirst for power. Robert Greene's book is controversial and makes us uncomfortable because it portrays certain realities: 1) power is unavoidable, even if we don't

What is power? 'Power is the ability to make others do what you would have them do' as definded in the TED animation by KAPWA Studioworks (embedded video below). Power plays out in all arenas of life, from family to workplace to our relationships. A lot of the angst, tragedy, and great movements in history and our personal lives come from either the imbalance of power, the struggle for power, or the attainment of power. Understanding power might be one of the most powerful th

Last week we wrote about Helen and the startup club, Sparrows, that have gone from strength to strength. It's still early days, but the ongoing optimism and Helen's approach to the business remind me of a few traits of successful entrepreneurs and leaders alike. They have a belief and they communicate it consistently In Simon Sinek's TED talk "How Great Leaders Inspire Action," he codifies the 'Why' before the How and What. It's an old video from 15 years ago but arguably mor

Here at The Quiet Leadership Lab, we're always super inspired by leaders who really do things their own way, often finding their biggest impact by just being themselves. So, this week, we're diving into the wholesome and awesome journey of Helen Huynh, co founder of Sparrows Volleyball and Pickleball. From health communciations to accidential entrepreneur Helen calls herself an "accidental entrepreneur," and honestly, that perfectly sums up how she founded Sparrows. With a de

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Being an introvert and probably not a very social person normally, I have been extremely fortunate to work with and for great (in my...

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Hi friends, Rejection is an interesting thing. It stings a little and knocks off a bit of your enthusiasm, no matter how much you prepare...

How 100 Rejections Forged My Quiet Leadership Path Hi friends,   At the Quiet Leadership Lab, we explore what leadership truly looks like...