Speak Up Before You’re Ready

Why the quietest voices often carry the most weight

Listen here.

I remember my first six months in a new job. I'd sit there with a notepad, scribbling down notes about acronyms and projects I knew nothing about. Everyone else had so much more experience and company knowledge. I felt way out of my depth.

Honestly, I was just trying to look like I belonged. Everyone else seemed to confidently share their ideas while I felt, well, small. Not the greatest feeling in the world.

Here's the thing: I had ideas. Good ones, actually. But they felt pretty small compared to what I was hearing from people who seemed so confident. So I stayed quiet, meeting after meeting, walking out thinking about all the contributions I could have made but didn't.

One day, an executive pulled me aside. "Tarek, I know you have good ideas, but you're keeping them to yourself. I want to hear what you think."

That conversation changed everything. Not immediately, but it planted an important idea in my brain. I realized I didn't need all the answers before opening my mouth. I didn't need to sound like the smartest person in the room. I just needed to get comfortable being me.

If you're an introvert who holds back in meetings, you're in great company. While extroverts are processing out loud, you're doing the heavy lifting internally. You're analyzing, connecting dots, and forming thoughtful opinions.

But when you keep those insights to yourself, everyone loses.

I often see this with new engineers. Since only 3% of people fall into the strong D category (Dominant) on the DISC profile, most tend to stay quiet when they don't feel like they know exactly what’s going on. They may sit there thinking, "I'm probably wrong" or "Someone has already said what I was thinking." Meanwhile, the loudest voices take over and run over everyone else.

Recent research confirms what many of us suspect: silence is actually the default in most meetings. Organizations are literally missing out on better decision-making because they're only hearing from the people who interrupt and carve out space for themselves.

Sheryl Sandberg nailed it when she said, "I raise up my own voice not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard." That's what speaking up as an introvert really is. You're not trying to become someone you're not. You're just training yourself to let your natural thoughtfulness be heard.

Just like building up your bench press weight one rep at a time, you need to build your “speaking up” muscles every day.

Here's how to start today:

Commit to one. Promise yourself you'll ask one question or make one comment in every meeting you attend. That's it. One contribution per meeting. It doesn't have to change the world. "Can you clarify what you meant by that?" or "I'd like to build on what Sarah just said." The goal isn't to impress. It's to get comfortable hearing your own voice out loud in front of others.

Prepare beforehand. If you need to (and there's zero shame in this), think about the agenda in advance. Jot down one question that comes to mind. Even if someone else brings up something similar during the meeting, ask your version anyway. I used to worry about asking questions that had already been covered, but I learned that my angle often adds something others missed.

Practice in low-stress situations. Start small. Maybe it's a team brainstorming session or a project check-in with peers. It might feel like an out-of-body experience the first few times, but ask the question anyway. Get your reps in.

Here's why this matters more than you realize: When you speak up, you're not just helping yourself. You're serving others in the room who might have the exact same question but were also afraid to ask. You're building your reputation as someone who adds value and thinks critically. And you're building your influence.

Why is influence important? Because it is the very definition of leadership. The more of it you have, the more you are growing your leadership muscles. Every time you share your perspective, you're showing the kind of thinking companies desperately need. They need people who can spot the gaps, ask the hard questions, and offer different ways of looking at problems.

That’s where introverts come in.

Your voice carries weight precisely because you don't use it carelessly. When thoughtful people speak up, others listen. When you share that insight you've been processing for several minutes, it will land with more impact than the rapid-fire comments from people who process out loud.

Stop holding back. Your team needs you. Start small. Ask one question in your next meeting.

Your voice matters as much as anyone else’s.

It's time for your voice to be heard and to make your impact on this world.

Make this week count!