Newsletter issue: #179
Read time: 1m 23s

Quick story: In 2019, I was managing 20+ designers across 4 countries.

The best designer on my team?

Super quiet dude who barely spoke in meetings.

But his work? 🔥

Here's the problem with most design teams today:

We're building echo chambers of extroverts who can "sell" their mediocre ideas better than introverts can present their brilliant ones.

I call it the "Peacock Problem"

The loudest designers get promoted, not necessarily the best ones.

You: "But Chris, don't we need charismatic designers who can present their work?"

Me: "Ever heard of Steve Wozniak, J.K. Rowling, or Albert Einstein?"

All introverts.
All changed the damn world.

The traditional interview process is literally DESIGNED to filter out introverts:

• Small talk over meaningful conversation
• Quick-thinking over deep thinking
• Improvisation over preparation
• Performance over substance

It's like trying to find the best swimmer by hosting a competition on land.

We're doing it ALL wrong.

Introverts aren't broken extroverts who need fixing.

They're deep thinkers with superpowers:

• They notice details others miss
• They listen before speaking
• They prepare like crazy
• They consider all angles
• They don't waste your time with bullshit

While extroverts are still talking about what they think, introverts have already solved the problem.

I know, I sound extra passionate about this.

Why?

Because I've been on both sides:

• The quiet designer who got overlooked
• The leader who almost overlooked quiet designers

Here's a radical thought:

What if the greatest design mind of our generation isn't on LinkedIn or X or speaking at conferences?

What if they're quietly working away, building incredible things, while we're too busy listening to whoever talks the loudest?

Time to fix this.

Check out my article — it’s a blueprint for building a hiring process that values all personality types and helps teams discover overlooked design talent.

Hiring Beyond the Loudest Voice in the Room