How to Speak Up at Work Without Feeling Awkward (with Jessica Chen)

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🗣 READY TO APPLY? If you want to go from quiet and shy to a confident communicator and leader at work, click link below so we can schedule a time to see if we’re a fit to work together: https://bit.ly/49HOHGI

📙Hear more of my story and lessons learned in my new best-selling book “The Quiet Achiever” - available now! https://www.lindaraynier.com/book

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Do you struggle to speak up in meetings, advocate for yourself, or feel truly seen at work as an introverted or quiet professional? In this interview, I sit down with Emmy-award-winning journalist, top keynote speaker, and Soulcast Media CEO Jessica Chen—best-selling author of Smart Not Loud: How to Get Noticed at Work for All the Right Reasons—to talk about how quiet achievers can build real executive presence, visibility, and confidence without becoming someone they’re not.

In this conversation, we dive into the mindset and communication skills that help quiet, thoughtful professionals get recognized, promoted, and respected in loud workplace cultures. You’ll learn practical frameworks, scripts, and daily habits you can use to speak up, handle tough questions, and build a powerful career brand while staying true to your quiet nature.

Find more from Jessica here: https://jessicachenpage.com/ and her book Smart, Not Loud here: https://smartnotloudbook.com/

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00:00 Why you may stuggle to speak up in meetings - an introduction

02:02 Introducing Jessica Chen (Emmy award winner, CEO of Soulcast Media, LinkedIn Learning instructor, featured in Forbes/Fortune/Entrepreneur) and what Smart Not Loud is about.

04:59 Quiet culture vs loud culture: how your upbringing shapes your communication at work

11:04 It's not about changing who you are, it's about teaching new skills to expand the person you are

12:12 How to answer on-the-spot questions when you don’t have the perfect answer (transparency + pivoting)

16:10 The 4A framework to chime into fast-paced meetings (Active listening, Acknowledge, Anchor, Answer)

20:20 Building calm, confident executive presence through connection and active listening

23:15 Overcoming nervousness: Anchor in expertise, own your message with conviction

27:43 Promotions reality: Build alliances & visibility (hard work alone isn't enough)

31:35 Authentic connections: Use universal topics like food/travel to bond & brand yourself

34:56 Mindset for leaders: introspection to shift internally & get promoted

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Interested in listening to my videos as a podcast? https://www.lindaraynier.com/podcast

CONNECT WITH ME:

Website: https://www.LindaRaynier.com

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