The art of the quiet win: moving the needle without the noise
Winning without the spotlight
Not every victory in leadership comes with applause, headlines, or a big announcement. Some of the most strategic wins are the ones that happen quietly, behind the scenes, and only the people closest to the action know what transpired. These are the subtle shifts created over time, the small pilots that proved something was possible when others said it couldn’t be done, and the discreet alliances that moved the needle without activating turf wars
Quiet wins are the stealth moves of the politically savvy. They build momentum without provoking opposition, create proof points without over promising, and strengthen trust with stakeholders who value discretion
If loud wins are about visibility, quiet wins are about sustainability. They stick because they’re earned, not imposed
Why quiet wins matter
In modern ways of working, leaders are often encouraged to shout out to their teams and celebrate their wins - big or small. But sometimes, the quiet paths are required to protect the wins, protect alliances, and mitigate unwanted consequences. The power of quiet wins is in their ability to:
avoid unnecessary resistance. Big, public pushes can trigger defensiveness or turf wars. Quiet wins slip under the radar until they’re too valuable to ignore
create proof points. Small, successful experiments build credibility for bigger changes
strengthen trust. Stakeholders who prefer discretion appreciate leaders who don’t force them into the spotlight
compound over time. A series of quiet wins builds momentum that feels organic, not forced
When to go quiet
Quiet wins are especially powerful when:
you’re in the early stages of forming a politically sensitive or highly disruptive initiative
you’re testing an idea before scaling
the political climate is tense, and visibility could backfire
you’re in a budget conscious cost out cycle when prioritisation is being done based on savings rather than value generation
How to achieve quiet wins
The secret is that small actions create big differences. Consider:
pilot projects. Test ideas on a small scale to prove value before rolling them out across the organisation
influencing through others. Let allies carry the message, so it feels less like your agenda. This is not the time to shout from the rooftops to get extra credit
seeding ideas. Introduce concepts casually in conversation before they’re formally proposed
selective storytelling. Share results with the right people at the right time, not at something like a town hall with everyone all at once
Example 1: The pilot that sold itself
A General Manager in Operations wanted to change a long standing reporting process. It was highly manual, prone to errors, but the department was highly risk adverse. They had a tendency to stick with what they knew instead of adopting new things because they performed a mission critical role that could not afford any errors that prevented their clients from accessing their services. Instead of announcing a full overhaul, she piloted the new format with one of her teams. The results spoke for themselves, and other teams requested the changes too
Lesson: quiet wins create demand where others are pulling your ideas towards themselves without you having to push your ideas onto them
Example 2: The invisible hand
A Head of Product wanted a policy changed because their up and coming new product release required it. If it wasn’t changed, they would not be able to go live. But she knew direct advocacy by her to the team that owned the policy would be met with resistance. Instead, she provided data and stories to a peer who had a vested interest in the product going live and who was better positioned to champion the change and asked for their help. The change passed without her name attached to it, but her bigger goal of launching the product to market was achieved and it went on to become a significant revenue generator for the business
Lesson: influence doesn’t always need attribution
Example 3: The incremental shift
A Transformation Lead wanted to modernise a legacy system. Instead of proposing a full replacement, they kept introducing small upgrades - one at a time - that improved the system’s functionality and performance. Over time, the system evolved into something new. All without ever triggering a “big bang” debate
Lesson: incremental changes can be revolutionary
Where to start?
Engineering a quiet win can begin with:
identifying an opportunity. Choose a goal that could benefit from a quiet approach
picking the right environment. Start in a low risk environment where you can test without scrutiny
engaging allies discreetly. Bring a small group of trusted supporters up to speed with what you’re trying to achieve and how it aligns with their goals
delivering results quickly. Quiet wins need visible proof points, even if small
sharing selectively. Tell the story to those who matter most, not everyone at once
scaling strategically. Once credibility is built, expand the win in a more visible way
You can then go on to repeat your success with actions such as:
seeding ideas early. Mention concepts casually in informal settings to test reactions
using informal forums. Try ideas in low stakes environments before formalising them
building coalitions quietly. Align stakeholders privately before any public announcement
shaping perception. Frame the win as a natural evolution, not a disruptive change
Common mistakes leaders make
Even though we are seeking quiet wins, some product and transformation leaders fall into the trap of being too quiet. They:
stay quiet for too long. If you never scale, your impact remains invisible
fail to capture credit where it matters. Quiet doesn’t mean anonymous. Key allies should know the role you played to get the quiet win
confuse quiet with passive. Quiet wins still require deliberate strategy
over rely on stealth. Some initiatives need bold, visible leadership
Quiet, not invisible
Quiet wins are about discretion, not disappearance. The goal isn’t to hide your impact. It’s to build momentum in ways that feel natural, safe, and sustainable for everyone
The best product and transformation leaders know when to go quiet and when to go loud. They use quiet wins to build credibility, then leverage that credibility for bigger, more visible moves
Your homework for this week
What’s one quiet win you could engineer in the next 30 days? Who needs to know about it?
Things you could do to help you with this:
identify one initiative where visibility could trigger resistance
design a small pilot or incremental change
engage one or two trusted allies
deliver results quickly and share them selectively
plan how to scale once credibility is established
Why this matters
Quiet wins are the building blocks of political capital. They show you can move the needle without creating drama, build trust without the ego, and create change without triggering unnecessary resistance
In the politics of leadership, not every win needs to be loud. Sometimes the most powerful victories are the ones no one sees coming until they’re already there
Want to master the art of the quiet win?
Let’s work on this together. Here are three ways:
Influencing for Impact: This practical 2-day workshop is for you if you want to influence a decision maker, influence a change in customer or colleague behaviour, or influence someone to buy something from you
Executive and Leadership Team Coaching: Work directly with Lai-Ling to problem solve for your specific situation in a confidential setting. This is for you if you want to develop and execute on a game plan that is 100% tailored to you
Leadership Development: Invest in the product and transformation leaders in your company with leadership development that is customised for their role. This is for you if you want your people to learn about people and politics