When the Quietest Voice Saves the Company

The Business Emergency Room: For Leaders Facing Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity & Ambiguity (VUCA)

Leadership isn’t always loud, and sometimes the quietest voice in the room is the one that steadies the ship.

Maartje van Krieken sits down with Greg Weinger, SVP of Product Management at SheerID and host of The Powerful Introvert Podcast, to rethink what leadership looks like when a company faces real pressure. Greg shares the story of an introverted CFO who stepped in during a crisis and rebuilt trust through calm, steady presence rather than charisma. Why do so many organizations still assume that the loudest voice is the most effective one? And how much strength gets overlooked when we discount quieter styles of leadership?

Greg points to the qualities that actually help businesses scale: adaptability, honesty paired with kindness, and the discipline to face reality as it is. He explains how great leaders design meetings and team structures that bring out every perspective, especially from introverts who contribute most when given the space to prepare. Could your team be missing its sharpest ideas simply because the setup doesn’t make room for them?

This conversation shows that resilience often comes from unexpected places, and that leadership worth following grows out of trust, clarity, and intention.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Extrovert vs. Introvert Leadership Styles

02:55 Case Study: Introverted CFO Leading Through Crisis

06:54 Key Ingredients for Scaling a Business

08:07 Listening, Adaptability, and Avoiding Hubris

12:11 Balancing Brutal Honesty with Kindness

14:46 Creating Space for Every Team Member to Contribute

17:01 Structuring Meetings for Inclusivity

18:12 Why Mindfulness Matters for Leaders

Connect with Greg Weinger:

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Greg Weinger has spent over 20 years proving that introverts and unconventional thinkers can thrive in leadership. A seasoned product and technology executive, he has helped scale startups 10X to $70M+ in revenue, leading teams that build market-leading digital products and drive business growth. A Stanford graduate, he studied English literature, creative writing, and software engineering—giving him a unique ability to blend technical expertise, storytelling, and strategic thinking to make complex ideas accessible and actionable.

Connect with Maartje van Krieken:

Connect with Maartje on LinkedIn

The Chaos Games Consulting

The Business Emergency Room

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Host Maartje van Krieken is a crisis strategist and decision-making expert who thrives in high-stakes business environments. Combining disaster management training, hands-on experience in global industries, and leadership skills honed as a seasoned sailor, she helps businesses navigate chaos with precision. Whether tackling transformation, scaling challenges, or leadership bottlenecks, Maartje delivers actionable insights to turn turbulence into traction.

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm