Leadership: Quiet Work Gets Overlooked – Who Gets Recognized

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Leadership: Quiet Work Gets Overlooked – Who Gets Recognized.

Sophie Schütze has worked for a public authority for more than seven years. She schedules appointments, sets priorities, reviews files and organizes documents. Her work is used, but someone else receives recognition for it. Her sentence from the Handelsblatt article about quiet talent strikes a chord with a concrete conflict: Performance and visibility do not automatically go hand in hand.

For you as an employee or manager, this brings into focus a question that is often overlooked in everyday life: Who carries responsibility, and who receives recognition for it? The article focuses on introverts and quiet contributors. Their ability to perform is not in question; the focus is on how their contributions reach decision-makers.

Why quiet work can still run nowhere

The conflict begins with perception

Schütze does her work carefully: She pays attention to high quality, completes tasks on time and keeps processes organized. Yet her performance barely registers. “I know that I do good work,” she says. However, she does not dare to advocate for herself in front of others.

Her reluctance to speak up is not solely due to her personality. She describes herself as a “small cog in the machinery” and, because of the company hierarchy, has no access to the positions where it would be worthwhile to “bang on the table.” The conflict therefore cannot be reduced to a lack of self-promotion. An employee’s position in the company and the available avenues for visibility are also part of the problem.

While others loudly present ideas at networking events or in brainstorming sessions, many introverts prefer to work quietly on their own. According to the article, those who come across as energetic, sociable or dominant are more likely to advance. Recognition is therefore sometimes linked to a style of communication, even when the actual work is distributed differently.

Loud employees are often successful, partly because they are more likely to catch managers’ attention. But it is usually the quiet ones who keep a company running. How to stop overlooking introverts.

Why introverts simply do not have to become louder

Quiet concentration is work, not a deficit

Coach Katja Schwalbach advises “Quiet Potentials,” meaning quiet high performers, as well as managers. She sees a structural problem: Our economy favors people who are good at presenting themselves. As a result, people who quietly and diligently do their work are overlooked.

For introverts, withdrawing is a way of gaining energy. “Introverts generate energy by going inward, by withdrawing,” Schwalbach says. In quiet work, they can concentrate and recharge their batteries. That is why they often work meticulously and with attention to detail.

The energy required for meetings and conversations costs them more. Some attend precisely and punctually to avoid small talk beforehand. This does not mean that they do not want social contact. It means that they prefer other forms of interaction. Schwalbach also describes them as often empathetic, with a preference for calm and depth in conversations.

The alternative to a louder career is therefore not to fundamentally change introverts. The aim is to understand their way of working correctly and not mistake it for a lack of teamwork. Anyone who demands that managers present themselves in every setting is judging the person by a manner that does not suit them.

What managers can change concretely

Small things involving preparation and recognition

Schwalbach suggests one possible starting point: Communicate the topic of a meeting in advance. This allows introverts to prepare calmly. After decisions have been made or meetings have taken place, there should also be room for reflection. A sentence such as “Please give me your assessment by tomorrow” provides a concrete opportunity to do so.

The distribution of feedback and praise is just as important. Managers should not have to request both first. A few sentences can be enough, as Schwalbach says: Introverts often do not need effusive praise, but honest recognition of their performance makes a big difference.

Maria Weber, who also wanted to remain anonymous, experiences precisely this gap. At a large service provider, she advances topics in the background, brings people together and takes on tasks that nobody else wants to take on. A simple thank-you would often be enough for her, but she says it rarely comes from her supervisors.

Who actually carries responsibility on the team

Weber says: “In our company, it is often the loud ones who get ahead.” In large groups, she finds it difficult to contribute her ideas. Colleagues support her and give her a push when she does not feel confident enough to do so herself. The statement “I am supposed to become louder” describes her problem, but not the solution she wants. She does not want to become louder because that is not her way.

Instead, she wants managers to show greater sensitivity. In particular, people who look after organizational matters and team cohesion should receive more support. This addresses the concrete question of who becomes visible upward when tasks are completed and connections are made in the background.

Why similarity influences advancement

The similarity-attraction effect also operates at the top

Weber cites “homophily,” also known as the similarity-attraction effect, as an explanation. According to this principle, people often prefer those who resemble them. Studies cited in the article show that men are more likely to promote men into leadership positions, while women find it harder to advance with the same level of performance. The same principle can apply to extroverts.

Vienna business psychologist Ingrid Gerstbach does not see this as an argument against extroverts. A company needs both types: doers who push their ideas to the forefront, appear charismatic and motivating, and observers who direct their attention inward. Gerstbach considers introverts to be good managers who initially observe more closely, show authentic interest in others, recognize strengths more quickly and work in a more solution-oriented manner.

In a study by the University of Pennsylvania, companies were more successful when they were led by introverted managers and expected a high degree of personal responsibility from their employees. The study therefore does not prove that a company should be led exclusively by introverted bosses. It does show, however, that the assumption that louder leadership is automatically more effective is too short-sighted.

A Quiet Founder with a Visible Result

Two roles can complement each other

Adrian Majchrowski, founder of Cravies, describes himself as rather introverted. The company produces snacks made from sunflower seeds; its products are sold, among other places, at Edeka and Rewe. Majchrowski works on structures and processes for a nine-person team. He did not found the company alone: Together with co-founder Siddik Turhalli, who appears in public, he has found a division of responsibilities that suits them both.

For Majchrowski, the result is what matters most. He does not have to stand in the spotlight as long as the progress becomes visible and the product receives praise. To other introverted founders, he recommends either enduring the uncomfortable situation or finding a partner who takes on the public role.

Schütze has decided for now to push through. Several times, her partner and her family advised her to quit. “I was already at the point where I was about to leave,” she says. In the end, she stayed because there she knows what she is doing and what she is capable of. Her story shows that recognition means more to her than a compliment. A lack of appreciation dampens her enthusiasm for her work.

The article was first published in March 2025 and was rechecked and updated with minor adjustments on 14.10.2026.