🎤 Quotable Quote
“I would say have confidence in yourself.”
— Jennifer Marcou
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🎧 This Week's Guest: Jennifer Marcou
Calling all introverts!
And extroverts, stick around. You might learn a thing or two about the quieter folks in your life.
This week, we sat down with Jennifer Marcou, former executive at Microsoft and American Express, leadership coach, and author of Lead with Quiet Confidence: The Practical Guide to Success for Introverts.
Jennifer spent much of her career learning something that many introverts struggle to believe:
You don't have to become an extrovert to become a great leader.
In fact, some of the very things that make introverts different are the things that can make them exceptional leaders.
Listening. Observing. Thinking deeply. Asking thoughtful questions. (Sound like leadership skills to us.)
Jennifer shares how she went from being underestimated because she was quiet to embracing those very qualities as leadership superpowers.
And here's the best part.
Her approach isn't about changing your personality.
It's about changing a few behaviors so the world can see what you've had to offer all along.
💥 Leadership Rule of the Week
Have confidence in yourself.
Simple? Yes.
Easy? Not always.
Jennifer reminds us that confidence doesn't mean being the loudest person in the room, commanding everyone's attention, or suddenly becoming the life of the party.
It means understanding your strengths, recognizing your value, and having the courage to show up as yourself.
And sometimes, that takes practice.
Jennifer once had a reputation for being unapproachable. Her solution?
She challenged herself to say hello to five people every morning.
That's it.
No personality transplant. No motivational speech in the mirror. Just one small behavioral change.
And it worked.
People began seeing her as friendly, approachable, and collaborative.
She didn't change who she was. She changed how she showed up.
That's a pretty powerful distinction.
💡 Other Topics We Loved!
• Why introverts are often underestimated as leaders, despite their natural strengths
• How listening, observation, and deep thinking become leadership superpowers
• Why the traditional brainstorming meeting might be leaving your best ideas on the table
• How a simple meeting agenda can help introverts contribute their best thinking
• Why networking doesn't require working the entire room
• The power of preparing questions, setting small goals, and having an exit strategy
• Why managing your energy is just as important as managing your calendar
• How small steps outside your comfort zone build lasting confidence
One of our favorite takeaways?
You don't have to be the most interesting person in the room. You just have to be the most interested.
📺 Learn More
📘 Pick up Lead with Quiet Confidence: The Practical Guide to Success for Introverts, available wherever books are sold.
🌐 Visit Jennifer's website: jennifermarcou.com
💼 Connect with Jennifer Marcou on LinkedIn, where she regularly shares tips and strategies for introverted leaders.
🎧 Listen to our full conversation on Leadership Rules.
More leadership musings
🍪 Biscuits with the Boss:
What's one thing people assume about you that isn't actually true?
Maybe they think you're shy when you're really just thoughtful.
Maybe they think you're always confident when you're actually nervous.
Maybe they think you're unfriendly when you're simply concentrating.
Share your answer with the team.
Then ask:
What's one small behavior you could change to help people see the real you?
Because sometimes the gap between who we are and how others see us can be closed with something as simple as a smile, a question, or a little preparation.
🌎 This week in Here - There - Every F’ing where
The 4 week essay bootcamp at SMMHS is in the books! Students who had draft essays were able to run them through Blue for feedback :) Marnie is excited to start a new bootcamp (this time for 10th graders) at another high school in a couple weeks.
Believe!
Nick & Marnie
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