Introversion did not stop me from becoming a leader. Here's how I found my voice

Voices

Being quiet at work is often misunderstood as having nothing to say. However, introverts too can thrive in the workplace by embracing their strengths rather than feeling pressured to change who they are just to fit in.

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13 Jun 2026 09:30PM

"Could be more visible. Hardly notice her in a crowd."

This was one of the comments I received in my 360-degree feedback review last year, in which anyone who works with me can weigh in, from peers to colleagues I manage.

It came within months of my taking up a new leadership role as a director of the food, chemical and biology cluster at the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT). I still don't know who wrote it.

I remember chuckling when I read that. Not because it wasn't true, but because it was.

I've never been the loudest person in the room, nor have I felt the need to be.

I was comfortable in my introverted skin, spending 11 years at SIT contributing quietly behind the scenes, focusing on the work, and listening more than I spoke.

While I took the feedback in good faith, I started questioning whether visibility was simply an extrovert’s advantage – something introverts, like myself, simply lacked or had to work twice as hard for.

A discussion with a mentor helped me see this even more clearly as we reviewed my feedback together. "Your job is to speak up," he told me. "For your cluster, your colleagues and your students."

I have never forgotten those words. He made me realise that visibility was not about self-promotion or making myself the centre of attention, contrary to my long-held belief.

Rather, it has become part of my responsibility to the people I worked with and the students in my cluster.

FINDING MY VOICE AS AN INTROVERT

Speaking up has never come naturally to me.

Outside of work, I am known for speaking little, enjoying long walks in silence, and needing quiet time to recharge after a long day.

My long-suffering husband and three children know this well. After all the talking I do at work, they generously give me space to "recharge my social battery".

On weekends, my much-needed quiet time is spent on simple pursuits like long solo walks and quiet reading. Slowing down helps me recharge after a busy week and gives me space to reflect and prepare for the coming one.

In social settings, I am far more comfortable listening than speaking. Meaningful conversations with a close friend or two are more what I enjoy rather than trying to socialise in large groups.

And for most of my early career, I was genuinely content to let my work speak for itself.

I focused on doing my job well, believing good work would naturally be recognised without me needing to draw attention to it.

CAN INTROVERSION WORK IN MY FAVOUR?

But oftentimes, that may not be the case.

Some modern workplaces subconsciously reward extroverts due to their visibility.

Extroverted peers are more inclined to take the floor and share their rough thoughts without hesitation, even while introverts sit quietly, confident in their thoughts that could be equally valuable before speaking up.

I gradually realised that for introverts, the challenge is often not capability, but how capability is perceived.

For women in fields where our gender is underrepresented, this imbalance can cut twice as hard.

Early in my career, there were moments when I felt pressure not only to do my job well but also to establish credibility and assert my presence so that my voice would be heard.

Throw introversion into the mix, along with the expectation to perform and establish our presence in a certain way, and the experience becomes even more complex.

And yet, I've seen enough female introverts thrive at my workplace to know that introversion itself is not a limitation. In fact, some of the most effective leaders I have worked with were not necessarily the loudest people in the room.

They asked thoughtful questions. They created space for others to contribute and often noticed perspectives that might otherwise go unheard.

It reminded me that there is more than one way to lead, and I needed to find the leadership style that best fits my traits.

HOW INTROVERSION SHAPES MY LEADERSHIP TODAY

At some point, I stopped asking myself what I wanted to do and started asking a different question: Who was I willing to speak up for?

The answer was my students and colleagues – the very group of people whose successes I can enable.

Once I had my why, things began to shift naturally for me.

Speaking up remains something I have to work at. But it is no longer about finding the will to use my voice. It is about ensuring that the people I care about are heard.

My strategy? Always prepare. Before any meeting where I know I'll need to speak, I read the materials, make sure I know who's attending, think through the counterarguments other attendees might raise, and pen down my thoughts lest I forget them.

In work-related social settings, I come armed with questions and topics for small talk. It still surprises me how often people are willing to share their thoughts when prompted with the right questions.

Upon reflection, I've come to realise that many qualities associated with introversion are leadership strengths rather than limitations.

Introverts are often said to excel in deep listening, reflective thinking, evidence-based decision-making, a sustained focus on complex problems, one-on-one mentorship, and relationship-building.

Identifying as an introvert and recognising these strengths in myself helps me stay true to myself – I do not need to be someone else just to be an effective leader.

Instead, I play to my strengths. I have more one-on-one conversations. I schedule quiet time to recover after lecturing a large class of more than 100, and I set aside time to think and reflect in silence.

Just as I was entrusted with leading a faculty despite my supposed lack of visibility, I am more intentional today in recognising the strengths of the introverts on my team.

I pay closer attention to team members who may not speak first by nature, those who contribute more meaningfully in smaller group discussions, and colleagues who demonstrate depth through thorough reflection rather than seeking the spotlight.

It's only been a year and a half since that impactful feedback, but I'm looking forward to my next evaluation session.

Perhaps the comments will look different this time – and whoever wrote the previous ones will have noticed me by now.

Associate Professor Cheow Wean Sin is the cluster director of the food, chemical and biotechnology cluster at the Singapore Institute of Technology.

Source: CNA/ay/lo