Episode Details

What if you could become more visible and influential without pretending to be someone you’re not?

In this episode of Thought Atlas, I sit down with Serena Low, a trauma-informed coach and former lawyer who works with quiet women leaders in loud corporate workplaces. She is also the host of the Quiet Warrior podcast.

Serena has been an introvert all her life, and her work challenges the assumption that introversion is a personality flaw—or that leadership requires extroversion.

We begin by unpacking one of the biggest misconceptions about introversion: that being quiet means being shy, passive, or lacking confidence. Serena explains that introversion is a personality trait and that people who enjoy solitude, reading, writing, reflection, and deep thinking can use those qualities as strengths.

She then explains the idea behind becoming a “quiet warrior.” Drawing from seven years of martial arts training, Serena describes how discipline, focus, and learning to stand up for yourself helped her move beyond being a “quiet achiever.”

For Serena, the difference is important. A quiet achiever may keep their head down and avoid visibility because being seen can feel unsafe. A quiet warrior remains quiet but is willing to speak, lead, and take action when something bigger than personal comfort is at stake.

We explore why workplaces can create pressure for introverts to perform extroversion. Serena describes what she calls “personality bias”—the tendency to associate loudness, speed, and visible participation with confidence and competence.

She also shares her own experience of seeing more extroverted colleagues promoted ahead of her because they were more visible and better at small talk, while she focused on doing the work rather than talking about it.

That leads into the role of trauma and safety. Serena explains how experiences from childhood or adolescence can teach people that speaking up or being visible is unsafe, causing them to withdraw and carry those patterns into adulthood.

We also discuss what organizations can do differently. Serena suggests giving people time to think before responding, avoiding putting quieter employees on the spot, providing advance notice before meetings, and creating multiple ways for team members to contribute.

Finally, Serena offers practical advice for introverts who feel invisible at work: take the smallest safe step toward greater visibility. Ask a question. Clarify something. Speak up once in a meeting. Send a short update to your manager. Experiment with written, video, or asynchronous communication.

Her message is not that introverts need to become louder.

It’s that they can build the confidence and skills to use their voice when it matters—while remaining themselves.

CONNECT WITH SERENA LOW

Website: https://serenalow.com.au

Podcast: Quiet Warrior Podcast

LinkedIn: Serena Low

Learn more about Thought Atlas:https://joinpodmatch.com/thoughtatlas

Food for thought from Serena:

“There is nothing wrong with you being introverted. In fact, being introverted is your superpower.”

She encourages introverted listeners to keep being themselves while taking small actions, in their own time, to build their “quiet warrior” muscle.