Being loud vs being heard

MENTION Greta Thunberg, and her outburst at the United Nations springs to mind. Since the footage of her lambasting world leaders went viral, she has gone on to be named Time's Person of the Year, and was nominated for a Nobel Prize.

Bring up Boyan Slat in a conversation, however, and you'll probably get quizzical looks, and a "who's that"? CEO of The Ocean Cleanup, Slat invented the world's first ocean cleanup system, but remains relatively unknown.

For all the work that Slat has done, why has he not received the attention that Thunberg has?

Firebrand

Thunberg's gush of vitriol was caught on camera and is etched in the minds of many. She was forceful, and many times accused leaders through gritted teeth of destroying her childhood. That impactful scene made her the "IT" person of the year.

Meanwhile, Slat invented The Interceptor, an efficient solar-powered barge that gobbles up plastic river garbage, yet remained relatively unknown till people started comparing him and Thunberg. So, what's the difference?

The similarities between Thunberg and Slat are aplenty but the difference lies in the way they got the message across. While the former was all fire and fury, the latter buried his head in his research and got work done.

That Thunberg won attention is partly due to how we receive information. Victor Seah, senior lecturer of psychology at Singapore University of Social Sciences, says: "Being loud(er) leads to greater sensory input for the receiver (ie greater stimulation of senses). This is probably the most obvious reason why being loud commands attention."

He adds that evolutionary psychology might argue that humans are predisposed to being sensitive to loud noises because it is an indicator of danger. "Greta's UN address was exceptional because it involved 1) high emotional content, and 2) violation of social roles and norms (eg, social norms of formality and restraint at important meetings; traditional gender roles of girls/women being submissive and quiet)."

Does this mean that one needs to be loud to get noticed, or to bring attention to a certain topic or cause? Conversely, if one delivers the work, but does not promulgate it, does it mean the spotlight shone on the cause will be dimmed and the research doomed to oblivion?

That may not be the case, according to Dr Seah.

Not for the long haul

"In the long run, being loud may not be the most effective strategy because of sensory adaptation and habituation," says Dr Seah. These may lead to reduced sensory responsiveness to loud sounds (adaptation) and an accompanying learning of not to respond (habituation)."

And in the workplace, just being loud is definitely the wrong way to attract attention, Martin Hill, director of human resources, Randstad Singapore, says. "You could lose brownie points for coming across as obnoxious and over the top. You may also realise that you're not able to build a good rapport with your colleagues as they may shun you for the way you behave."

Moreover, instead of comparing how loud you should be at work, one should always speak out only when there is something valuable to share or ask. Mr Hill says: "If you are just parroting someone else's opinions or challenging others for the sake of being confrontational, you may find yourself becoming one of the most unpopular people in the office really quickly."

Ong Pei Ching, litigation partner, TSMP Law Corporation, says: "We have limited bandwidths. At any given moment, we are thinking about our to-do lists, the Covid-19 virus or what to eat for lunch. We rarely have the time and energy to coax ideas out of the quiet ones. So, by default, louder people get more attention."

However, a quietly passionate person can impress with deep knowledge and clear ideas. Virtuosity can be very attractive in itself, and fresh ideas and unconventional plans will help one stand out. "While it is important to speak our mind, we don't always have to be loud. We need to consider the context and our audience. Indeed, if we prove to be an empty vessel, anything we subsequently say will be dismissed as noise ... In a client meeting, wisdom is in knowing when to speak to avoid looking like you are a mere scribe," Ms Ong says.

She adds that although there is no one type of employee who is a good employee, "a workplace is the world stage on a smaller scale; anybody who contributes is valued".

"Teamwork must mean that sometimes you are the person holding up the spotlight instead of hogging it".