Hi!

Our final Leadership Lab Masterclass of the year with executive coach Laurie Bohn was an opportunity to recognize the leadership power that quieter strengths bring to our teams.

Here are our top 10 takeaways from the session:

1. Distinguish introversion from shyness. Understand that introversion reflects energy preferences, not social anxiety - some think to speak, others speak to think.
2. Honor different energy sources within teams. Recognize that team members recharge differently - some through interaction, others through reflection - both essential for success.
3. Reframe limiting beliefs into strength statements. Transform “I’m too quiet to get promoted” into “I build strong relationships through listening and thoughtful questions.”
4. Recognize quiet observation as active engagement. Silence during meetings often indicates deep processing and connection-making rather than disengagement.
5. Position deep listening as leadership assets. Value those who tune into tone, body language, and unspoken dynamics to identify problems early.
6. Apply the power of the pause. Normalize “That’s a really good question, let me get back to you” rather than defaulting to immediate answers.
7. Leverage preparation as strategic advantage. Share agendas in advance to enable all team members to contribute their best thinking during discussions.
8. Create meeting structures that include all voices. Build in reflection periods and smaller breakouts to engage both immediate responders and thoughtful processors.
9. Communicate impact through multiple channels. One well-timed, clear observation can outweigh multiple rapid contributions; influence comes through precision, not volume.
10. Design teams with complementary strengths. Balance rapid brainstormers with detail-oriented synthesizers to create more robust outcomes.

A huge thanks to Laurie for guiding us through this conversation and reminding us that influence doesn’t come from volume; rather, it comes from alignment between style, intention, and impact.

Lynnea

P.S. - We’ve got a full slate of programming to take us through the year and into JPM. Go Pro to take advantage of our meetups, media panels, T2B Commons at JPM, and more!

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