The Quiet Achiever

Book excerpt: Do you squirm in your seat when asked to introduce yourself? Find networking awkward and embarrassing? In meetings, do you keep quiet even though you have something to say? Does your boss often tell you to “speak up more,” but you’re not sure how? Do you say “yes” to unreasonable requests, even though you want to say “no”? If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are you are a quiet achiever. In a world that favours the extrovert ideal, quiet achievers often feel pressured to pretend to be someone they are not. Tim Yeo, a seasoned designer and leader in tech, lived this firsthand. For nearly 20 years, Tim tried to fit into an extroverted mould to succeed. It worked for a while, but left him feeling drained and inauthentic. Tim wondered: What’s wrong with me? How do others make it look so easy? Maybe I’m just not good enough.Determined to find a better way, Tim developed tiny habits to make an impact at work while staying true to his authentic self. Since 2020, he has coached hundreds of quiet achievers to remarkable success. These quiet achievers now speak confidently in public, increase their visibility and feel more seen in their organisations, secure promotions, succeed in interviews, expand their networks, and engage in small talk without awkward silences. Just because we are quiet does not mean we have nothing to say. In The Quiet Achiever, Tim Yeo shares the tiny habits he’s used to manage his own introversion—practical techniques you can implement the very next day. Discover how to harness your quiet strengths and thrive at work. Your journey to making a big impact while staying true to yourself starts here.