Smart, Not Loud

Longlisted for the Non-Obvious Books Award, 2024

Ever wonder why the “loud” people at work get noticed, rewarded, and promoted? Do you worry that you need to be loud to succeed at work, too?

When Jessica Chen entered the workforce, she felt like everything she had been taught growing up in a Quiet Culture household—where deference, humility, harmony, and dogged hard work were praised—failed to set her up for success in the “real world.” Her ingrained values were in direct contrast with what was actually needed to stand out in a Loud Culture workplace. The result? Feeling underappreciated, passed over for opportunities and promotions, and completely stuck.

Building on the lessons she learned as an award-winning TV news journalist, Chen—who now speaks at Fortune 100 companies and whose LinkedIn Learning courses have been watched by over 2 million people—introduces a new way of getting noticed at work, without being loud, aggressive, or boastful. In Smart, Not Loud, Chen teaches readers how they can look within, to the values they already hold, to more effectively show up. Through instructive anecdotes and research-backed principles, readers will learn to:

• speak up at meetings using the 4A Sequence (active listening, acknowledging, anchoring, and answering); 
• advocate for themselves with tact;
• build strategic relationships to enhance credibility and get picked for the best projects;
• and master the five elements of voice—pitch, rate, intensity, inflection, and quality—to be the kind of communicator others want to listen to.

Packed with actionable tips, Smart, Not Loud unveils a new path to getting noticed and getting ahead at work. This is the road map readers need to authentically show up in the workplace and truly feel seen.