Connector of Talent and Success 💼 | Empowering Businesses to Thrive through People | Culture Growth Strategist | Coach | Writer | HR leader | #1 LinkedIn Belgium | Top #150 LinkedIn 🌍

Who I help: Ambitious introverts and people-first companies

Problems: Visibility without burnout, quiet leadership, culture that enables deep work

Outcomes: Promotions, role transitions, retention, high-trust cultures

STRATEGIC HR LEADER AND COACH WITH HANDS-ON APPROACH AIMING FOR THE BEST EMPLOYEE/BUSINESS EXPERIENCE - INTROVERT ADVOCATE

International HR Executive passionate about the link between employee experience and business dynamics. Combining a strong focus on strategic thinking and planning with a structured and factual hands-on approach. A positive well connected team coach with a natural sense of empowering team members in a spirit of challenge, learning and mutual recognition. Sound decision making capabilities based on critical reflections within companies focusing on innovation, change, digital transformation and learning.

A. Group HR Director Alter Pharma (200 FTE - BE/IRL/US) – private equity backed firm defining & implementing HR strategy (from strategy to operations) including definition of mission/vision/strategy & values.
B. Global HR Business Partner BU Kerley international/Tessenderlo Group (+/-300 employees - 11 countries) developing/transforming key HR processes (talent resource planning, talent acquisition, performance management, competency management, learning, reward,..) - HR project lead new factory Rouen, France. 
C. Global HR Executive SWIFT (+/- 3.000 employees in +25 countries) transforming/coaching business and HR into new ways of (digital) working/thinking to improve the employee and business experience 
D. Global Head of Reward Tessenderlo Group (+/- 5.000 employees in +25 countries) - strategic development/transformation reward strategy
E. Development new holistic performance management framework for Tessenderlo Group, including full implementation recognition stream.
F. HR Project Manager : move of the Chiquita EME Headquarters from Belgium to Switzerland (social plan negotiations, c&b setup, recruitment, mobility, new policy/process design,...)

Professional coaching certification Better Minds at Work               2018 - 2019
Centre for Creative Leadership - senior leadership program           Q1-2 2018
Management Development Programme Vlerick (17 days)		  2010 - 2011
Strategic Compensation & Benefits Management, Vlerick 		  2007      
Master degree in Law&Taxation, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven    1997 - 1998

Steven Claes

Every setback felt like proof I was too quiet to succeed.
Every win felt like luck.

At 32, my boss pulled me aside.
“You're too quiet for executive leadership.”

I replayed that conversation for months.
Every meeting I stayed quiet.
Every presentation I let others dominate.
Every networking event I left early.

The feedback stung because I believed it.

The lateral moves? I blamed myself for not being louder.
The passed-over promotions? Thought I didn’t sell myself enough.
The struggling projects? Maybe I was too introverted to lead.

I carried those stories for years.
Like stones in my pocket.
Getting heavier with each new challenge.

Then something shifted.

The promotions I didn’t get kept me learning.
Now I lead with knowledge, not just ambition.

The struggling projects taught me to listen for what wasn’t being said.
That skill transformed every team I touched.

What introverts do differently with setbacks:
 • We don’t bounce back. We build back.
 • We don’t forget feedback. We mine it for truth.
 • We don’t perform resilience. We develop it quietly.

What others saw as mistakes:
 → Avoided office politics (built trust through work)
 → Skipped self-promotion (let results speak louder)
 → Stayed in roles too long (mastered depth)
 → Took time to process (while others rushed to respond)

Today I’m CHRO.
Still quiet.
Those “setbacks” were my education.

Every introvert I’ve hired has a similar story.
Told they were too quiet.
Too thoughtful.
Too slow.

Now they’re running divisions.
Transforming cultures.
Leading quietly.

Your setbacks aren’t failures.
They’re data points.
Your quiet processing isn’t weakness.
It’s how you turn feedback into fuel.

That boss who said I was too quiet?
He was half right.
I was quiet.
But I was building.

💬 What feedback once hurt but later helped you grow?

♻️ Repost if you've been underestimated for being quiet
📩 Free Weekly career strategies for Ambitious Introverts -> hit the newsletter button under my profile

Some introverts are prisoners of their wiring.
Others are architects of their growth.

I’ve coached enough quiet leaders to see the split happen in real time:

The stuck ones hold on to: "I'm wired this way. I can't change."
The ones who thrive? They know wiring is where you begin, not where you end.

I worked with a senior manager who kept saying:
"I was raised to stay quiet and not make waves."

Fifteen years. That one sentence kept her invisible.
Passed over for promotions.
Watching louder colleagues move ahead.

And yet. In those same fifteen years, she'd:

-Led 3 projects that saved millions
-Built relationships nobody else could unlock
-Spotted problems that stayed invisible to everyone around her

Her quiet upbringing gave her the ability to observe. 
Deep listening became strategy. 
Her stillness earned trust.

The prison wasn't her introversion.
The prison was her story about it.

Evolution for introverts isn't about becoming extroverted.
It's about updating your story.

Instead of avoiding tough conversations 
→ Use email to drive decisions

Instead of dreading all meetings 
→ Own your 1-on-1s where depth wins

Instead of staying silent 
→ Put your thoughts on paper first, then speak

That senior manager I mentioned?
She stopped apologizing for how she works.
Started using her strengths.
Promoted six months later.

Same person. Different story.

Here's what this work taught me:

Your nature doesn't need fixing. 
Your story about it does.

Your past shaped you. 
Your choices reshape your future.

Your quiet traits aren't a limitation. They're data.

Stop waiting for permission to evolve.
Start choosing which parts of your wiring serve you.

Which story kept you quiet this week?

♻️ Share this with introverts ready to rewrite their story

📩 Follow me (Steven Claes) for introvert career strategies

Stop trying to fix introverts.

In 20 years as an HR leader, I've seen companies burn millions trying to turn quiet leaders into loud ones.

It doesn't work. And it pushes your best people out the door.

Swipe through for what introverts need vs. what people think we need.

💾 Save/share this before your next 1:1. 

P.S. What would you add to this list?

li_at

JSESSIONID

Talks about #hr, #culture, #strategy, #leadership, and #management

What Workplaces Think Introverts Need vs What We Need

omnia khfagy

They told me to fix my introversion. 
I fixed my environment instead.

We're introverts. We're not broken, just wired differently.

I spent 20 years as a CHRO watching the same pattern play out. 
The loudest voices got heard while the deepest thinkers got ignored. 

Quick reactions got rewarded, and thoughtful strategies got buried under the noise.

That's when I realized something.

We don't need to compete on volume. No, we compete on depth.

We build fewer bonds but stronger connections. 
Not because we can't connect widely, but because we choose connection wisely. 

While others drain themselves chasing validation, we recharge in stillness. 
While they mistake noise for progress, we find power in pause.

This isn't weakness. It's strategy.

We're not hiding or afraid. 
We're protecting our energy for what actually matters.

The research backs what we've always known: 

• Introverted leaders see 40% higher team retention because we listen more than we talk 
• We outperform in complex problem-solving by 74% because we think before we act 
• Our deep work drives 3x more innovation because we focus on substance over speed

Depth beats width. Every time.

What I need you to understand:

➡️ Your need for constant stimulation isn't our problem. 
➡️ Your discomfort with silence isn't our emergency. 
➡️ And your definition of success isn't our blueprint.

If we let you in, you've earned it. 

Not through persistence or pressure, 
but through respect. 
Through substance. 
Through understanding that our boundaries aren't barriers, they're filters.

➡️ We're not antisocial, we're selectively social. 
➡️ We're not slow, we're thorough. 
➡️ We're not cold, we're careful.

In a world drowning in noise, that's not a limitation.

That's an advantage.

Stop trying to fix us. We were never broken.

What boundary have you set recently that protected your energy?

♻️ Share if you're proudly wired differently 
📩 Follow Steven Claes for more introvert truth

Research reveals the introvert paradox: 
More productive. Lower performance ratings. 

A 2024 study by SOAS University of London found: 
"Introverts are more productive despite displaying lower job performance than extroverts." 

I've watched this disconnect destroy careers. 

As a CHRO for 20 years, I saw the pattern repeat itself over and over again. 
Claire outperformed every metric. 
Yet her evaluation said "lacks presence." 

Thomas designed the entire system architecture. 
His review noted "could be more vocal in meetings." 

The quiet frustration builds. 
The talent gets overlooked. 

The problem isn't your output. 
It's the visibility of your output. 

Introverts lose in three predictable scenarios: 

1. The visibility trap 
Your deep work happens in silence. 
Your contributions lack witnesses. 
Your impact goes unrecognized. 

2. The documentation gap 
Your wins stay in your head. 
Your progress lacks a paper trail. 
Your patterns remain invisible. 

3. The credit vacuum 
Your ideas travel. 
Your name gets left behind. 
Your influence goes unmeasured. 

But smart introverts don't try to become extroverts. 
They create systems to show their natural strengths. 

Four systems that actually work: 
1. Create your visibility rhythm 

→ Monday: Share your weekly focus (3 bullet points) 
→ Friday: Send a 5-minute wins report to stakeholders 
→ Monthly: Connect your work to company priorities 

2. Build your evidence file 

→ Capture metrics from your deep work sessions 
→ Save positive feedback verbatim 
→ Track resources saved through your solutions 

3. Set deep work boundaries 

→ Block 90-minute uninterrupted focus blocks 
→ Create canned responses for interruptions 
→ Set "office hours" for questions/collaboration 

4. Use strategic presence 

→ Speak once early in every meeting 
→ Send one thoughtful follow-up after discussions 
→ Ask one question that shows your listening depth 

When I coached Sarah, an introverted finance director, she started sending a weekly "impact email" every Friday at 4pm. 
Five bullet points. 
Three minutes to write. 

Her boss forwarded it to the C-suite every single week. 
She went from "too quiet" to "indispensable strategic partner" in six months. 

The only thing that changed? 
Her system, not her personality. 

Your introversion isn't the problem. 
Your strategic approach is the solution. 

Want to advance without exhaustion? 

Get the exact templates, scripts, and systems that helped thousands of introverts without burning out in the free A+ Introvert Newsletter (link in featured section). 

💾 Save this for when your impact feels invisible.

🔁 Repost if you believe quiet professionals deserve loud recognition.

Introverts don't need fixing.
Your workplace culture does.

I spent 20 years watching companies try to "fix" introverts.

Presentation skills workshops.
Open offices.
Loud happy hours.

Meanwhile, they ignored the real problems:
• Meetings that reward whoever talks most
• Brainstorms that silence deep thinkers
• "Collaboration" that means constant interruption

At 32, a VP told me:
"You need to speak up more. This quiet thing is career suicide."

I tried to be louder.
Until I realized: the mold was broken, not me.

Today I'm CHRO.
Still quiet. Still succeeding.
Because I stopped fixing myself and started fixing the system.

👇 This carousel breaks down what actually works.

♻️ Share if you believe quiet leadership deserves more respect and save for later.

Introverts Don't Need Fixing (Your Workplace Culture Does)

I thought I was too quiet to lead.
Turns out, I was just introverted.

These 10 TED Talks helped me stop overthinking,
start showing up, and build a career on my terms:

Skip the Small Talk by Kalina Silverman
https://lnkd.in/dDJhrm_U
→ Permission to skip surface-level conversations

The Art of Being Yourself by Caroline McHugh
https://lnkd.in/dvqjsPzP
→ Stop performing. Start being.

The Secret Shame of Introverts by Monica Parkin
https://lnkd.in/ddgjTnk5
→ Why your quiet nature isn't a weakness

The Mind Behind Linux by Linus Torvalds
https://lnkd.in/dgnNDY-C
→ Proof that introverts build world-changing things

Stop Screwing Yourself Over by Mel Robbins
https://lnkd.in/dsVzu2MJ
→ The 5-second rule that bypasses overthinking

Your Body Language Shapes You by Amy Cuddy
https://lnkd.in/dayBXPnF
→ Power poses for when confidence feels fake

My Year of Saying Yes by Shonda Rhimes
https://lnkd.in/dUsR6Jxz
→ An introvert's guide to selective courage

Who Are You, Really? by Brian Little
https://lnkd.in/dF6Dp4Ks
→ Why acting out of character serves your goals

The Power of Vulnerability by Brené Brown
https://lnkd.in/dnVNdWnR
→ Leading with authenticity, not armor

The Power of Introverts by Susan Cain
https://lnkd.in/drHJYhyD
→ The talk that started a quiet revolution

After 20 years as CHRO, I know this:
Your quiet leadership style isn't the problem.
The world just hasn't caught up yet.

These talks taught me to stop apologizing for thinking before speaking.
To stop forcing extroversion.
To start leading from my strengths.

💾 Save this for later, and repost it to spread some value to your network.

📩 Follow Steven Claes for introvert career strategies that keep you authentic.

54% of employees are quietly breaking down.
You won’t see it until it’s too late.

Your best people aren’t quitting.
They’re not burning out.
They’re breaking. In silence.

And your quietest ones?
They’re drowning.

👉 Swipe to spot the signs before they disappear.

💾 Save this to revisit the warning signs.

♻️ Share it to support someone who's quietly cracking.

Warning Signs Everyone Misses (Means breaking)

Overthinking costs you more than you realize.

Not in time.
In opportunities you never take.

Introverts know this trap better than anyone. Analysis becomes avoidance.

Five ways to close that gap:

1. The 5-Second Rule

Mel Robbins nailed it. You have an instinct to move? Count down 5-4-3-2-1 and go.

Your brain will talk you out of it otherwise.
That window closes fast. Five seconds. Use them.

———

2. The Two-Minute Rule

Takes less than two minutes? Do it now.
Don't add it to a list. Don't schedule it. Don't think about it.

David Allen's point: tracking a small task takes longer than finishing it.
Stop managing. Start finishing.

———

3. Brain Dump Before You Decide

Too much noise in your head? Set a timer for ten minutes. Write it all down.
No filter. No structure. Just out.

Once it's on paper, patterns appear. Priorities get clear.
You can't organize chaos while you're drowning in it.

———

4. Externalize the Problem

Stop saying "I'm an overthinker."
Say "Overthinking is here again."

See the difference? You're not the problem. The thought pattern is.
You're not the storm. You're the one watching it pass through.

———

5. The "If-Then" Plan

Vague intentions don't work. Automatic actions do.

Try this:
"If it's 7am, then I write for 20 minutes."
"If I feel resistance, then I count 5-4-3-2-1 and start."

Peter Gollwitzer's research backs this. It doubles your success rate.
Pre-decide so you don't have to re-decide every time.

———

The truth more introverts need to hear:
Knowing what to do means nothing if you don't do it.

Your move.

♻️ Share this with someone who needs it.
👤 Follow me (Steven Claes) for more on ambitious introverts

A 23-year-old intern dismantled my entire hiring strategy with one question:

"But what if they're not comfortable talking about themselves?"

She was talking about introverts in interviews.

I'd been screening out brilliance for 5 years and had no idea.

I used to defend every view.
Debate every point.
Need to be right.

But that one quiet question changed everything.

It taught me something 10 years as CHRO hadn't:

Wisdom isn't about having the best answers.
It's about hearing the questions you never thought to ask.

Now when someone speaks, whether it's my CEO or my nephew, I do something different.

I pause.

Not to plan my response.
But to understand their world.

The 3-Question Framework I Use to Listen Deeper

1. What am I defending?
Before responding, name the ego or assumption you're protecting.
Then let it go.

2. What's their 10%?
Even if you disagree with 90%, find the 10% that's true.
There's always something. Start there.

3. What would I think if I were them?
Not with your experience. With theirs.
Not with your context. With theirs.
This is where breakthroughs live.

This shift changed how I lead:

→ I stopped mistaking volume for value
→ Started finding insight in silence
→ Learned that understanding > being understood

The data backs it up:

Teams with psychological safety where every voice matters are:

✔️ 76% more likely to engage
✔️ 50% more productive
✔️ 27% less likely to leave their jobs

But we still reward:

❌ Quick answers over thoughtful questions
❌ Confident assertions over curious pauses
❌ Debate winners over bridge builders

Your quietest team member isn't checked out.
They're checking angles you haven't considered.

That junior employee questioning your process?
Might be your next breakthrough.

Growth doesn't come from adding more of what you already know.
It comes from seeing what you've been blind to.

Perspective isn't just power.
It's the only path to wisdom that matters.

Try these 3 questions in your next meeting. Watch what shifts.

And tell me this:

💬 When did listening to someone completely different from you change everything?

♻️ Share this if you believe the quietest voices often hold the deepest insights

I stopped pretending to be an extrovert.
My career exploded.

Because showing up everywhere wasn't commitment. 
It was fear wearing a name tag.

The truth?
You don't advance by being everywhere.
You advance by managing yourself.

What drains introverts in leadership
and what drives career growth instead 👇

1. Performing extroversion kills energy
Self-management creates sustainability.
→ Forcing constant visibility? You burn out.
→ Strategic presence? You grow faster.

2. Saying yes to everything stalls growth
Saying no with boundaries accelerates it.
→ Nearly half of introverts in extroverted roles report burnout compared to a quarter of extroverts.
→ Protecting your energy isn't selfish. It's strategic.

3. Constant meetings drain focus
Delegation multiplies impact.
→ Being in every conversation limits your team.
→ Empowering others to lead is 5x more effective at avoiding burnout.

4. Loud leadership demands attention
Quiet leadership earns respect.
→ Empathetic leadership isn't about volume. It's about making space.
→ Inclusive leadership recognizes people recharge differently.

5. Networking everywhere scatters influence
Showing up intentionally builds it.
→ Career advancement for introverts: be present where it matters, invisible where it doesn't.

6. Chasing visibility creates exhaustion
Managing energy creates resilience.
→ I went from performing to leading authentically and my impact multiplied.
→ The shift? Self-management became non-negotiable.

7. Ignoring rest kills performance
Protecting solitude fuels it.
→ Introverts need quiet to recharge. Ignoring that is running on empty.
→ Real leadership models rest, not just productivity.

You can build a career through constant performance.
Or sustainable success through intentional leadership.

One burns you out by Wednesday.
The other grows even when you step back.

♻ Repost to help introverts: visibility isn't everything. Intention is.

📬 Want deeper strategies like these?
I write a weekly newsletter on quiet leadership and career growth for introverts: https://lnkd.in/e2Yn259g

Your star performer left at 5 PM every day.

That wasn't a red flag.
That was a roadmap.

I used to stay until 8.
Sent emails at midnight.
Wore exhaustion like a badge.

Then I noticed something.

Sarah, our top analyst, packed up at 5 PM.
Every. Single. Day.

The execs whispered about her "lack of commitment."
Some people labeled her not a team player.

But six months later?
She delivered more value than our entire always-on team.

What they missed:
She wasn't coasting. She was focused.

• No 47-email chains about nothing
• No staying late just to be seen
• No 3-hour meetings that could've been an email
• No pretending to work while scrolling LinkedIn

Just deep, meaningful work.

After 5?
She recharged. Unplugged. Came back clearer.

While others ran on fumes.

What happened next changed how I led:

• The "lazy" analyst got promoted to Director
• One team member hit a wall and had to step back
• The always-on manager made critical mistakes

I learned something:
8 focused hours beat 12 exhausted ones.
Real productivity happens in bursts, not marathons.
Your best ideas come after rest, not during it.

I started telling my team:
→ Your best work happens when you're fresh
→ Creativity needs room to breathe
→ Burnout helps no one

The outcomes?

The exec who doubted her? Stress leave.
The always-on manager? Critical mistakes cost us a major client.
Sarah? Running the department.

Her worth was never in the hours.
It was in the outcomes.

♻️ Repost if you believe boundaries create better teams
📩 Join thousands of ambitious introverts building sustainable success: https://lnkd.in/e7xQPNtn

Gary Brown

Your best introvert is planning their exit. 
They just haven't told you yet.

Micromanaging says three things: 

"I don't trust you." 
"I need control more than results." 
"Your process scares me because it's not mine."

For introverts, this kills retention faster than anything else.

We need deep work. 

Focus without constant interruption and mental space to think through complex problems.

Micromanaging destroys all three, and it's why your quiet top performers leave first. 

No drama, no warnings. 
They're just gone.

In 20 years as a CHRO, I've watched this pattern play out dozens of times.

One company I worked with broke the cycle with a simple shift. 
Outcome accountability instead of process control. 

Leaders set the goal, and teams chose how to get there.

The impact was immediate. 

Turnover among introverted leaders dropped 60%. 
Same deadlines, better quality, and zero hand-holding required. 

Because when you trust people to do the work their way, they deliver.

Great leaders trust, then step back. 
Micromanaging says everything about the manager and nothing about you.

How have you handled micromanagers without burning bridges?

♻️ Share if you care

Your meetings are killing your best talent.

I was the quiet one for 10 years.
Invisible. Passed over.
Watching others get promoted for my ideas.

Now I'm the one changing the room.

Here's what introverts hear when you say:
"Why are you so quiet?" → "Why are you broken?"
"Just jump in!" → "Is this worth my battery?"
"Let's go around the table." → Time to update LinkedIn.

The math is simple but more leaders miss it:
- 50% of your workforce = introverts
- 90% of your meetings = built for extroverts

You're designing meetings that push your brightest people out.

I made 10 script swaps to save your talent.

Small changes in how you run meetings. 
Big difference in who stays engaged.

Swipe through. Change the words. Keep your people.

Quiet isn't disengaged.
It's brilliant.

♻️ Share and save this before your quiet talent becomes your competition

📩 Follow the A+Introvert Newsletter for more bite-sized career insights

What to Say (and not say) To Support Introverts in meeting

Most introverts nail the interview.
Then burn out in 90 days.

After 20 years as a CHRO, I've seen it happen too many times. 

Brilliant introverts accepting roles that drain them because they didn't ask whether the company actually values different working styles.

73% of employees leave due to poor cultural fit. 
Introverts feel this more, scoring 10% lower in workplace well-being.

The interview isn't just them sizing you up. 
It's you sizing up whether this company respects how you work best.

Swipe through for the 9 questions every introvert should ask before saying yes.

Your energy isn't up for negotiation. Neither is your environment.

💾 Save this for your next interview
♻️ Share with an introvert who needs this

Most Introverts Nail The Interview (Then Burn Out)

Stop building a career on loyalty.
It's the ultimate introvert trap.

For 10 years, I gave my quiet best to companies that forgot my name the day I left.

The loyal one stayed with the company.
The purposeful one stayed with the mission.

This simple truth is reshaping how ambitious introverts build careers.

And the data backs it up.

———

Nobody talks about this:

92% of people want purpose at work.
Not perks. Not ping pong tables.
Purpose.

But only 21% of workers feel truly engaged.

That gap?
That's where ambitious introverts thrive.

———

You've been told to network more.
Speak up in meetings.
Be more visible.

But the research reveals something different.

Employees who find their work meaningful are 294% more likely to stay.

That's not a typo. 294%.

Compare that to fair pay? Only 54% more likely to stay.

Meaning beats money by 5X.

———

The introvert's mission-first strategy:

1. Anchor to your calling, not your contract
68% of Millennials accept lower pay for deeper purpose.
Why? Purpose energizes. Prestige exhausts.

2. Let your results do the talking
You don't need the spotlight.
You need the right mission.

3. Choose companies that match your values
Purpose-driven companies have 40% higher retention.
3x better financial returns.
Higher employee satisfaction.

———

The truth that changes everything:

Company loyalty asks: "How long will you stay?"
Mission alignment asks: "What impact will you make?"

One traps you.
One frees you.

44% of Gen Z and 45% of Millennials have already quit jobs lacking purpose.

They're not job-hopping.
They're mission-hopping.

———

Freedom is harder than attachment.
Security is easier than purpose.

But when you commit to a purpose instead of a place:
You perform better.
You stay longer.
You grow faster.

The right mission won't require you to be louder.
It will require you to be you.

So anchor to your calling.
Not your contract.

Serve meaning.
Not membership.

What mission pulls you out of bed?

♻️ Repost this to help people find their mission (and save to check later)

📩 Follow Steven Claes for career strategies that honor your wiring

I thought I was too quiet to lead.
Turns out, I was just introverted.

But it took me 15 years of forcing extroversion to figure that out.

These 10 books helped me stop apologizing for who I am
and start building a career that actually fits me.

1. Quiet by Susan Cain
The book that redefined what it means to lead with calm and conviction

2. The Introverted Leader by Jennifer B. Kahnweiler
A step-by-step guide to leading without faking extroversion

3. Deep Work by Cal Newport
Why focused thinkers are becoming the most valuable people in any room

4. The Introvert's Edge by Matthew Pollard
Sales isn't about charm. It's about process. Introverts win with both

5. The Introvert Advantage by Marti Olsen Laney
The science behind why you need depth, not noise

6. Quiet Influence by Jennifer B. Kahnweiler
Six strengths that help introverts lead lasting change

7. Networking for People Who Hate Networking by Devora Zack
Real strategies for building relationships without working a room

8. Self-Promotion for Introverts by Nancy Ancowitz
How to get noticed without having to shout

9. The Powerful Purpose of Introverts by Holley Gerth
You're not flawed. You're wired this way for a reason

10. The Introvert Entrepreneur by Beth Buelow
How to build something big without pretending to be loud

After 20 years as CHRO, here's what I've learned:
Your quiet style isn't the problem.
The workplace just hasn't caught up yet.

These books reminded me that:
✔ Listening in 1-on-1s created more trust than speaking at 100 all-hands
✔ My written strategy docs moved projects faster than any meeting pitch
✔ Deep thinking in solitude solved problems committees couldn't crack
✔ Building three strong relationships beat networking with 300 strangers

Half the population is introverted.
It's time we stopped treating that like a disadvantage.

If you're tired of being told to "speak up,"
this list is your permission to double down on your quiet strength.

Which of these books speaks to your current challenge?

💾 Save this for when you need it

🔁 Share it with a quiet professional who deserves to feel seen

PS. Follow the Free A+Introvert Newsletter for weekly bite-sized career insights (link in my profile).

Today I turn 52.
At 25, I hid in bathroom stalls before meetings.
Now I lead them as CHRO.

The same traits that made you second‑guess yourself at 25
are the ones that can make you impossible to replace
at 25, 52, or whatever comes next.

But only if you stop apologising for them.

I knew that in my head a long time ago.
I just didn’t have the guts to say it out loud.
That part took years.

I hope you don’t wait as long as I did.

25: The Breaking Point

I was the quiet one faking loud.

Forced networking until 2am. 
Performed enthusiasm I didn't feel. 
Dominated meetings that drained me by noon.

I sat in my car after another leadership summit thinking: 
"I'm in the wrong career."

Then a mentor said eight words that changed everything: 
"Stop playing their game. Start playing yours."

52: The Breakthrough

Today, I lead differently.

I skip 80% of networking events. 
Build five deep relationships instead of fifty shallow ones. 
Speak less but land every word.

Not despite being quiet. Because of it.

This is what I finally understood:

That overthinking? Catches problems before they explode. 
That selective socializing? Builds unbreakable loyalty. 
That need for quiet? Where real strategy happens. 
That careful processing? Why people trust my decisions.

At 25, I thought leadership meant being everywhere. 
At 52, I know it means being fully present where it matters.

I protect my mornings for deep work. 
Take walking meetings when I need to think. 
Leave events before I'm drained, not after.

The same traits that made you doubt yourself at 25 will make you irreplaceable at 52. 
But only if you stop apologizing for them.

You don't rise by volume. 
You rise by depth.

To every introvert who thinks they need to change: The world has enough performers. It needs more thinkers.

What "weakness" from your 20s became your superpower?

♻️ Share this if you're done apologizing for how you're wired. Not as an admission, as a declaration.

PS. Who dares to guess the age at this picture? :)

Exhaustion isn’t a badge of honor.
It’s a sign of poor energy management.

I was close to burnout before I turned 35.
Today, I’m a CHRO.

Still introverted. Never drained.

These seven tactics helped me stay energized,
lead effectively without pretending to be an extrovert,
and build a sustainable career on my terms.

Your energy is currency.
Spend it wisely.

♻️ Share this for introverts running on empty

💾 Save it for future reference

7 Energy Tactics That Saved My Introverted Career

I watched an introvert change an executive team with three words: "I need help."

The room fell silent.

The VP of Product had been carrying a troubled launch quietly for months.
She'd analyzed the data, built contingency plans, tested solutions.

But she never told anyone how bad it was until that Tuesday morning.

There was no drama, just clarity.
Her voice was steady and her request was precise.

The COO leaned forward. "What do you need?"

The extroverts might have called emergency meetings, escalated loudly, created urgency.

She did something braver.
She picked her moment and was vulnerable with intention.

Research shows teams led by vulnerable leaders see higher engagement, often by 25% or more. What most people miss is that introverts are built for this kind of leadership.

After coaching dozens of introverted leaders through moments like these, I've learned this: vulnerability is only risky when it's careless.

When it's strategic, it builds the kind of trust that moves teams.

How introverts approach vulnerability differently

✓ We prepare for it thoroughly: Timing matters more than speed

✓ We choose our moments with intent: Not every meeting needs every truth

✓ We frame it with solutions: "Here's what I need" beats "I'm drowning"

✓ We adjust the depth to match the moment: Context drives disclosure

When we speak up, it cuts through because it's not impulsive. It's earned.

In my work with introverted leaders, I hear the same fears over and over.

- "If I admit I need help, I'll lose respect."
- "If I share struggles, I'll look weak."
- "If I show uncertainty, I'll lose influence."

But the opposite happens every time.

One director I worked with voiced that she was overwhelmed.
She got the support she needed and delivered three weeks early.

A team lead raised doubts on a critical project. He prevented a costly mistake and earned a promotion six months later.

A quiet CTO opened up about health challenges.
She built the most loyal team I've seen, with 94% retention over two years.

The uncomfortable truth? 
Vulnerability works for introverts because it's rare.
It comes from someone who has already earned credibility.

People trust those who trust them first.

One DDI study found that 76% of leaders say they lead authentically, but only 24% allow themselves to be vulnerable.

That gap is the opportunity.

Introverts don't need to act louder to lead.
We just need to show more of what's already there, with purpose, in moments that matter.

The VP who said "I need help" that morning?
She's now the CEO.

When did your quiet leadership speak loudest?

♻️ Share this to help introverted leaders find their voice (and save for later)
📩 Follow Steven Claes for introvert career strategies that honor your wiring: https://lnkd.in/e2Yn259g

SisuSemi

A happy Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer

In my role as Chief Operating Officer at SisuSemi, I bring my industrial experience to drive deep-tech product development. 
I focus on ensuring seamless integration of our technology to meet end customer needs and add value that changes the world with atomic level cleanliness.

Chief Operating Officer

• Spearheaded strategic planning and fostered an agile development culture at SisuSemi.
• Facilitated fluent communication with other board members and venture investors to drive decision-making processes.
• Implemented innovative approaches to drive company growth and enhance stakeholder relationships.

Member Board of Directors

SCHOTT

Driving successful process integration for next generation AR-display products.
- Created roadmap and roadmapping process to improve performance and production yield. 
- Ensured good management practices to track development items, as well as ensured good leadership practice to prioritize items with all voices heard, improving collaboration between departments.   
- Driving plans and execution that has led significant (>x2.5) process capability improvements with a limiting process step.

Chief Engineer, Process Integration

Freelance Consultant (/Light Entrepreneur)

Summa Semiconductor

What was Summa Semiconductor all about; 
SUMMA SEMICONDUCTOR – BRIDGING THE GAP FROM PROTOTYPING TO MICROELECTRONICS MANUFACTURING.
We manufacture specialized semiconductor devices tailored to customer needs. We provide a full pathway from R&D, prototyping and pilot production to manufacturing.

Services:
- Engineering
- Prototyping
- Pilot production
- Transfer to volume production
- technology transfer
- Technical Consulting

Microsoft

𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗶𝘅𝗲𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 
– Spearheaded initiatives that improved processes, resulting in 10% faster development cycles.

𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 
– Delivered a 2nd gen fabrication solution that led to step-like performance boost and a superior yield with over 35% reduction in the cost of waveguides.

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 
– Led multiple development teams, managing an organization size of 36  employees. Consistently achieved wellbeing results above the Finland team average in organization surveys each year.

𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 
– Successfully secured multimillion-dollar internal investments for the development of 2nd generation fabrication technology and improvements in hard master fabrication technology.

𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 
– Co-created the Waveguide fabrication technology roadmap. Steered the development portfolio and worked as a sponsor or steering group member for multiple strategic projects.

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗟𝗲𝗻𝘀𝟮 𝗪𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 
– Successfully shipped HoloLens2 waveguides, which featured more than double the Field-of-View and improved waveguide efficiency and uniformity compared to HoloLens1.

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗜𝗩𝗔𝗦 𝟭 𝗪𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 
– Successfully shipped IVAS 1 (Military version of HoloLens product) waveguides, which featured more than double the Field of View compared to HoloLens2.

Director, Engineering - HoloLens

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽, 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 
– Directed the development of the display and managed communication up to the CVP level. Expertly coordinated and synchronized development activities within a global cross-functional team of over 70 individuals, managing a development budget of over 20 million USD per year.

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 
– Established a structured process to manage schedules, budgets, and program risks effectively, enhancing overall operational efficiency.

𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 
– Managed a local Program Management team consisting of 7 employees, fostering a collaborative and productive work environment.

𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 
– Led the maturation of the display fabrication from corporate research into a product, successfully delivering HoloLens 1 displays in line with company targets.

Senior HW Program Manager - HoloLens

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 
– Directed the development of diffractive waveguides, achieving a key outcome of over 30% reduction in fabrication noise using Six Sigma methods, which drove the continuation of design development.

𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 / 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 
– Supervised personnel in waveguide design and prototyping, ensuring high-quality output and adherence to project timelines.

HW Program Manager - HoloLens

EpiCrystals Inc.

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 
– Utilized leadership skills to supervise a team of 13 people, enhancing product performance by over 30% and yield by over 30 percentage points.

𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 
– Successfully scaled up manufacturing capacity to 10,000 units per month.

Operations Program Manager, Laser Diode

𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗶𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 
– Supervised a team of 5 people, focusing on the development of novel laser diodes.

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 
– Matured the novel laser diode from research phase into the next stage and transferred fabrication to the target factory, enhancing production efficiency and product quality.

Product Development Manager

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 
– Successfully established a state-of-the-art 808nm process on time at the target factory and delivered it to the customer.

𝗘𝗻𝗱-𝘁𝗼-𝗘𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗶𝗼𝗱𝗲 
– Led the end-to-end development for novel Red-Green-Blue laser diode development, ensuring seamless coordination and efficient execution.

R&D Engineer

Optoelectronics Research Centre, Tampere University of Technology

- Development of semiconductor laser processing & passivation methos

- Completed master's thesis

Research assistant

COO at SisuSemi | New Ideas Into Results | Expert in R&D, Product dev and Program mngt | High Tech Leader | ex Chief Eng. @ SCHOTT | ex Dir @ MSFT | Empower Others and be Better | Look Out More for Leadership & Growth

𝐼'𝑚 𝑎 𝐸𝑛𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑟 𝑏𝑦 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔. 
𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑏𝑦 𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑓𝑡. 
𝑃𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡.
I bridge deep-tech innovation and execution at scale - turning complexity into clarity, and potential into progress.


𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲
Over 20 years across semiconductors, photonics, and AR/VR hardware, I’ve learned one truth: great ideas succeed only when structure, discipline, and empowered teams bring them to life.

𝐌𝐲 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐃𝐍𝐀:
• Clarity in ambiguity → distilling complexity into direction.
• Vision with discipline → building strategies that endure.
• People first → growing resilient, high-performance teams.
I believe leadership is about balance - vision with structure, innovation with execution, and ambition with accountability.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫
• 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 – Built and led orgs of 36+, sustaining performance while prioritizing wellbeing.
• 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 – Developed roadmaps and multi-year investment strategies; embedded agile culture for long-term growth.
• 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 – Brought AR display innovation from R&D to market at Microsoft and SCHOTT; achieved >35% cost reductions and 2.5x process capability improvements.
• 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧 – Managed $10M+ budgets; secured multimillion-dollar investments to scale innovation.
• 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞 – Delivered results across startups and global programs through resilient teams, robust processes, and scalable manufacturing pipelines.

𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 & 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
• SisuSemi – Co-founder & Board Member; strategy, investors, agile growth leadership.
• Summa Semiconductor – Board Member; governance, finance, transition planning.
• Community & Housing Boards – Leadership roles in governance, strategy, and engagement.


Today, I share insights on 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝, 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡 𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑡ℎ - especially how to scale deep-tech innovation, build resilient teams, and drive lasting impact through leadership and board work.

𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬: 
Leadership • Strategic Planning • Program Management • Product Development • Operations • Semiconductors • Photonics • Technology Management • AR/VR Hardware • Manufacturing Scale-Up

------
Note; The views expressed in my post are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or thoughts, of my employer.

Pasi Pietilä

When execution slips, most leaders react in the same way... 
more meetings, more tracking, ... ending up creating more noise.
 
Creating more “structure” in the “crisis” is the leadership equivalent for the screaming... And more you create the structure to help delivering results, the louder you scream.
 
But 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 - 𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞.
People don’t move faster because you push harder.
 
They move faster when they 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑣𝑒 in the goal, understand 𝑤ℎ𝑦 it matters, and trust the system around them.
 
Execution isn’t a volume problem - it’s a connection problem.
Leaders who sense friction, remove barriers, and invite ownership don’t need to yell.
The system speaks for itself.
 
 𝐿𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝 𝑖𝑠𝑛’𝑡 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑑𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑟 –
 𝑖𝑡’𝑠 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑦, 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑠𝑡, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤.

COO & Co-Founder | Deep-Tech Scaling (Semiconductors, Photonics, AR/VR) | Strategy → Execution → Growth | MSc | eMBA Candidate ’27

They say: “Startup life is hard.”
Me: “Heck… let’s add an eMBA on top of it.”

Not because I enjoy the pain (don’t trust 𝑎𝑙𝑙  the rumors 😊), but because growth rarely fits neatly into a calendar. 
It happens when you intentionally stretch your capacity, your perspectives, and your system of thinking.

𝐒𝐨 𝐈’𝐦 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜’𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐌𝐁𝐀 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 - a modern, flexible eMBA that actually works alongside the controlled chaos of building a company.
 
Why this?
Because the principles I write about (e.g., Iterative Planning, Developing Teams, Sensing and Gently Guidance, ...) are only as strong as my willingness to apply them to myself.

This program forces me to do exactly that... to sharpen how I think, decide, collaborate, and lead...
Not “someday,” but now, in the middle of real constraints, real deadlines, and real uncertainty.

And honestly… that’s the point.
Progress rarely comes from waiting for the perfect moment.
It comes from creating forward motion while things are messy, complicated, and unpredictable. (And 𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛.)

So here’s to the next chapter...
One part structured learning, 
One part startup chaos, 
and one part the ongoing experiment of becoming a better leader… 
while still keeping the 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑒𝑒  most important roles: husband, father, and human.

If nothing else, it will make for some great frameworks.

The best leaders 𝑑𝑜𝑛’𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑡 𝑓𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟 - 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐫.

In leadership, and especially in governance, timing and reaction is everything.

Intervene too late, and small issues grow into crises.
Intervene too hard, and you break what’s working.

Not intervene at all... Well, that's when h**l starts to break loose. (....sooner or later.)
... And too many times, people tackle this challenge by taking more control - By adding more reviews, more gates, more noise.

But the real art of governance nor leadership isn’t about control - it’s about 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

It’s the ability to 𝑛𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑘 𝑠𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑢𝑑 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑠,
to 𝑔𝑢𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑙𝑦 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑠ℎ𝑙𝑦.

When boards and executives act early and with context,
✅ They don’t slow teams down - they keep organizations in flow.
✅ They steer before they must correct.
✅ They react early, guide gently, and build resilience instead of bureaucracy.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 𝐢𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫.

In my latest article, I write about this topic - about the importance of sensing and early steering. 
Check it out for the more insights and comment your thoughts in the comments.

The Art of Governance That Builds Resilient Organizations The Quiet Power of Early Intervention in Strategic Governance In leadership - and especially

Open article: React Early, Guide Gently  by Pasi Pietilä • 3 min read

When the Tough Times Hit, the Smart Teams Double Down

This week’s #TechTDay post is a bit different – This week it’s not directly about things at SisuSemi. 
This week it’s something broader. 

As a new month started, I started to see a wave of new job announcement from ex-colleagues. 
Earlier on the late spring time, it was announced that Microsoft is laying-off the Project Silica team at Espoo. 
Team was quiet and didn’t expose their next moves... But clearly there was something cooking under the radar.
And now it’s public – The (at least the majority of) ex Microsoft’s Silica team in Espoo is moving to IMEC.


Some might see this as another corporate shuffle.
But I see a deeper story here - one that says a lot about how real innovation survives and evolves.

During the challenging times - when budgets tighten and uncertainty grows - that’s when the right kind of bets matter most.

Semiconductor world is full of these examples... (both in good and bad). 
Back in days, TSMC doubled down when others hit the break. 
They kept investing through downturns and came out owning the future of silicon.

And now IMEC is doing something similar -  not just acquiring technology, but absorbing a unique team with world-class expertise.
That’s the real asset.

The team - the collective experience, the deep domain mastery, the way they think and solve.

For Finland, this is a quiet but powerful signal.
IMEC’s investment strengthens our position in semiconductors and nanotechnology - a reminder that global innovation still sees value in what’s been built here.

It’s a lesson worth remembering for every tech leader:
When the cycle turns and the noise grows, the best strategy isn’t retreat - it’s focus.
Invest in the right people, bet for the emerging tech, focus on the long game, and keep building when others pause.

That’s how progress compounds.

COO & Co-Founder | Scaling Deep-Tech | Semiconductors, Photonics & AR/VR | Strategy • Execution • Growth

From Slides to Nowhere
𝑊ℎ𝑦 𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑠 𝑊𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑂𝑤𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝 𝐹𝑎𝑖𝑙
 
I have seen this too many times...
A plan is created in isolation. It looks great on slides – polished (, but often full of jargon), filled with charts and nice graphics.
But the person creating it, is not accountable from execution.
 
What happens next? The classical hamster wheel effect starts....:
🛑  𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑚 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠𝑛’𝑡 𝑎𝑑𝑜𝑝𝑡 𝑖𝑡. Often they don’t fully read it, they don’t understand it, and frankly, it doesn’t feel like their plan.
🛑 Work continues as before.
🛑 Weeks or months later, 𝑓𝑟𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑏𝑢𝑖𝑙𝑑𝑠 - 𝑛𝑜 𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡, 𝑛𝑜 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠.
🛑 𝑀𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑐𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘, 𝑎𝑠𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎 “𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑛”… and the cycle repeats.
 
This is what I call as 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐞: It's like strategy as theatre, not as a way of working.
 
✅ 𝐀 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐢𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐝𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. 
Ownership means the people accountable for delivery are also shaping the direction, setting priorities, and committing to execution. Without that, the “plan” is just slides - and slides don’t move things forward.
 
👉 My takeaway: 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 doesn’t come from a perfect plan.
It 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧 - 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞.
 
❓have you seen this cycle in action?
Comment below...

What’s ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑅𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑒 environment - 
Often 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐅𝟐𝐅 (?)

Next week, our teams will be on the move, from Slush to Semicon Europe... Connecting with partners, customers, investors, and innovators from across the ecosystem.

At the same time, across our own projects we are once again seeing how much impact f2f collaboration brings - Especially in the moments that matter most. 

At SisuSemi, our standard way of working is hybrid.
We shine f2f (naturally), but we also excel in remote environments. 
Lab work naturally needs the onsite presence.

In general, hybrid work gives us flexibility, focus, and reach.

But when it comes to 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭, 𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐱 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, or solving the last 10% of a tough challenge (𝑜𝑟 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑔𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 10% 𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑑), 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦.

F2F moments build the bridge between intentions and understanding - where ideas spark faster, misunderstandings dissolve, and teams leave more aligned than any call could ever achieve.

So as our people gather at events and project sites alike, it’s a good reminder:
 👉 Technology enables us to connect.
 👉 But it’s human connection that makes collaboration truly work.

It’s not about what’s right or wrong, or remote versus onsite...  it’s about finding the way that works.

And when you 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 (𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠) 𝐟𝟐𝐟 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨.

#TechTDay 
#HybridWork #Leadership #Collaboration #Innovation #Teamwork

𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐥...
𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒑 𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆.
 
If you’re leading teams or driving complex work, you can’t keep everything in your head... And to be clear, you shouldn’t try.

The better approach is to bring a systematic way to operate. 
A process, 
Tools 
and Methods. 

In practice it all starts with simple things.
𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧. 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬. 
Leading to big impact --> 𝑭𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒖𝒑 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒘𝒊𝒅𝒕𝒉.
 
When the details live in a system (not within your head), your mind is free to do what it’s actually good at:
•  Seeing patterns....  or the lack of them
•  Noticing changes and emerging risks
•  Making sharp decisions (and changing the plan)
•  Responding fast when things shift (𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙)
 
Externalize the chaos so you can stay focused on what truly moves the work forward.
𝑇ℎ𝑎𝑡’𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐.

𝐈𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭.
But the 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 10% and the 𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑡 10% that are the most challenging ones.

Those are the moments where projects move from intention → 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦…
and where reality finally has to become 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑒𝑛𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝑡𝑜 𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝.

People talk a lot about “doing the work,” but here’s the truth:
𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝟏𝟎% is where procrastination shows up.
Starting means making decisions, managing trade-offs, framing the problem, choosing a path.

It means stepping into the unknown – to the place where we often discover how wrong our assumptions in the plan actually were.
It’s mentally expensive.
This is where teams spin, delay, or over-plan instead of taking the first step.

 
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝟏𝟎% is where Parkinson’s Law takes over.
Work expands, polish becomes perfection, and “almost done” stretches forever.

It’s where accountability matters most - where someone has to call it done, even when not every piece matches the initial expectations.
It’s also where we must once again admit that some of our assumptions were wrong.
Finishing requires acceptance - declaring something “good enough” to move forward.
And for high-performers and high-tech teams, that’s often the hardest muscle to flex.

What’s interesting is that these pains show up everywhere:
Small tasks. Big programs.
 
Even when you work iteratively.
Iteration doesn’t eliminate the 10% + 10% problem.
It just slices it into more frequent cycles - easier to face, but still very real.

The start and end, sums up...
𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟎% 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬.
But that’s the 20% of execution that drives the 80% of the results. 

The good news?
Once you recognize the pattern, you can design for it:
 • Reduce friction at the start.
 • Set explicit “good enough” criteria for the end. – And be ready to review those criteria as needed.
 • Build momentum in the messy middle.
 • Celebrate progress, not perfection.

Progress isn’t just about what happens between 10% and 90%.
It’s about learning how to cross the threshold…
at the 𝑏𝑒𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐚𝐧𝐝 at the 𝑒𝑛𝑑.

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