The First Step Every Introvert Skips — And Why It's Costing You the Promotion

If networking at work drains you — this episode will tell you exactly why.

It's not because you're an introvert.

It's because you're going wide when you need to go deep.

Most corporate introverts invest energy in everyone and wonder why nothing changes. They're well-liked but not well-placed. They do the work but don't get the opportunities.

In Episode 14 of The Drew Chaz Podcast, Drew Chaz introduces the Five People Map — a 20-minute exercise that helps introverts at work identify the exact five people who influence their career trajectory, and gives them one clear first move to make this week.

No networking events. No forced small talk. No pretending to be someone you're not.

Just a focused, strategic approach to building the relationships that actually move your career forward.

Episode 14: The First Step Every Introvert Skips — And Why It's Costing You the Promotion

The Drew Chaz Podcast  |  Hosted by Drew Chaz

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You've been told to network more.

So you go to the events. You make the small talk. You send the connection requests.

And nothing changes.

Here's what nobody tells you: it's not that you're networking too little. It's that you're networking with the wrong people.

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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

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→ Why corporate introverts burn out networking — and the targeting mistake that causes it

→ The Five People Map: how to identify the exact five people who shape your trajectory at work

→ Four questions that give you total clarity on where your energy belongs

→ The first move to make with each person — without it feeling forced, fake, or exhausting

→ Why being useful beats being impressive every single time

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RESOURCES + LINKS

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🔗 Free Quiet Superpower Quiz → DrewChaz.com

🎧 Record with Riverside (studio-quality audio) 

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ABOUT DREW CHAZ

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Drew Chaz is a coach, content creator, and brand builder helping professional introverts gain visibility, recognition, and income — without adopting extroverted behaviors.

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ENJOYED THIS EPISODE?

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✅ Subscribe so you never miss an episode

✅ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it takes 60 seconds and helps more introverts find this show

✅ Share this episode with one person at work who needs to hear it

✅ Take the free Quiet Superpower Quiz at DrewChaz.com

✨ CONNECT WITH DREW CHAZ

Quiet Leadership · Real Growth

🎥 YouTube: @drew_chaz
💬 Instagram: @drew_chaz
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drewchaz
🌐 Website: dewchaz.com
📩 Email: andrew@newyouwithdrew.com

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

This is episode 14 of the Drew Chaz Podcast. It's the first step every introvert skips and why it's costing you the promotion. You know what the most common thing I hear from thing I hear from corporate introverts is? They say I just need to get better at networking. Really? Is that what introverts really love to do is network? I mean, I get it. The advice is everywhere. Build your network, work the room, go to the happy hour. But here's what nobody tells you. Networking isn't your first step. Knowing who to connect with is. Welcome to the Drew Chads Podcast. This is the show for introverts who think deeply, do good work, and feel overlipped because let's face it, the world rewards loud, fast behavior. I help the irresistible introvert understand how their mind works, stop second-guessing themselves, and place their quiet authority where it finally gets noticed. Welcome to the Drew Chaz Podcast. I'm Drew, and last episode we talked about the 30-day quiet authority framework and how to build real authority at work without changing who you are. And if you hadn't listened to that one yet, I really suggest you go back and start there because it sets the foundation for everything that we're building right now. Most introverts skip straight to the how of building relationship at work and burn out fast because they're investing energy in the wrong people. They go wide when they should go deep, they try to be known by everyone instead of becoming essential to a few. Well, we're gonna fix that. This is your very first step, and it changes everything that comes after. Today is about step one of that process. Before you build visibility, before you position yourself, before any of the strategic works, you need to know exactly who you're building towards. And you ask why? Well, it's because here's the thing about introverts in the corporate setting. You don't have unlimited social energy. I know this just from being an introvert in a corporate situation. You just cannot be everywhere and know everybody. And really, in all reality, as introverts, we don't want to do that anyway, right? But you know, that's not a weakness. That's that's just reality. But that starts with one simple exercise I call the five people map. So instead of trying to network like an extrovert, you need to connect like a strategist. By the end of this episode, you're gonna know these three things. First, why most corporate introverts build relationships with the wrong people and wonder why nothing changes? And second, the five people map is a simple exercise to identify exactly who you need in your corner right now. And third, the first real move you make this week to start building these relationships without it feeling forced, fake, or exhausting. So tell me something. Does this sound like you? Well, let me paint a picture. You've been at your company for two, three, maybe four years, you know your job well. Your work is solid, your manager says good things in your review, but when a new project comes up, what happens? The one with visibility, the one that leads somewhere, you're not the first person they think of. And that's really a shame because you find out about the opportunity after it's already been filled, or worse, you find out in a meeting where someone else is being introduced as the lead. How does that make you feel? I know that feeling very well. And then you sit there thinking, I would have been great at that. Here's what's actually happening in that moment. That is a relationship problem, not a skills problem. And it starts with not knowing who the right people actually are. Well, let's talk about the five people map. Here's the exercise. It takes about 20 minutes and it will change how you invest your energy at work. So open a blank document or grab a piece of paper. You're gonna write down five names, just five, not your five closest work friends, not the people you eat lunch with, but the five people who actually influence what happens to your career. Let me tell you how to find them. Ask yourself these four questions. Question number one: who decides or heavily influences whether I get promoted, moved, or recognized? You're not losing to someone more qualified, you're losing to someone more present in the right people's minds. And this is usually who? Your direct manager, but it's often one level above them, too. Think about who's in that room when your name comes up. Question number two: who controls access to high visibility work? Not just your manager, think about project leads, department heads, or cross-functional partners who pull people into teams. Who are the gatekeepers to the work that gets noticed? One thing I realized when I decided that I'm just gonna move myself up but not change who I am. I went to the right person. I discovered who the right people are that I need to go and talk to. And I told them I need to find out what is the most difficult project we have right now. Not just the most difficult, but the most impactful project because I want it, I know that I can make a difference. Question number three: who do decision makers listen to? Every organization has informal influencers, people without the title who shape how leadership thinks. You know who these people are, they're the ones who get listened to in meetings. Just find two of them. And question four, who is already in my corner? And am I showing up for them? This is the one people skip. Someone already believes in you. And are you giving them enough to work with? Are you making it easy for them to advocate for you when you're not in the room? Well, these four questions are gonna give you your five people. And that is your map. That's where your energy goes. Hey, quick pause before we keep going because I want to make sure you hear this. Everything that we're covering in this episode, the relationships, the visibility, the strategy for getting recognized without performing, I've built all of that into a full step-by-step course called the Promotion Playbook Jumpstart. And it's gonna be dropping in a couple of weeks. And I want you to be prepared because it's a mini course that you're gonna be able to get through very quickly, but it's gonna give you the information to get noticed so that you can get out in the forefront without changing who you are, but influencing the right people. Check it out. I'll be sending out more information. So check it out, get on my email list, and we'll go from there. You're gonna love this though. The promotion playbook is specifically designed for introverts in corporate settings who are doing the work but not getting the recognition. It walks you through exactly how to position yourself, build the right relationships, and move up without becoming somebody that you're not. The pre-release access is gonna be available in a couple of weeks. So just be prepared and go to drewchazz.com and be checking it out. I'll tell you what, at this pre-launch, you're gonna get the lowest price that it's ever gonna be, and it's very affordable. So head to drewchazz.com, get involved in what I'm trying to do, and you're gonna be blessed. So let's get back to the episode. What's your first move this week? So now that you have your five people, here's what you do not do. You don't send a random coffee chat request, and you don't suddenly start commenting on everything they say. And don't walk up and introduce yourself with no context. That's networking. That's not what we're doing. This is what we're doing instead. For each of the five people on your map, find one genuine work-relevant point of connection this week. And that may look like sending a follow-up note after a meeting that captures what was decided and what it means for the team. Or sharing one insider resource that's directly relevant to something that they're working on. Or asking a clarifying question that shows you've been thinking about their priorities, not just your own. This is not about being impressive. This is about being useful. One genuine touch point per person. That's your only job this week. But you know, for your seven-day action plan, think of this. People build relationships with people who make their work easier or their thinking clearer. Who thinks more clearer than an introvert? Be that person for your five. And this is what it's going to build. Day one to two, map your five people. Identify who actually influences the decisions for your role. Clarity on where your energy belongs. Identify who actually influences decisions for your role, clarity on where your energy belongs. And day three to four, find one genuine point of connection with each person that are work-related. It's credibility before relationship. And day six, contribute something useful, an insight, a resource, a relevant observation. You become someone worth knowing. And on day seven, reflect who responded, who didn't, and adjust your map. Self-awareness plus strategic focus. You know, most introverts try to build relationships at work the way they've been told to network widely, loudly, and constantly. It drains introverts fast and produces almost nothing. Trust me, I've had to learn the hard way. But the better approach is strategic and focused. Identify the five people who actually shape your trajectory and understand why each one matters. And show up consistently and usefully for those five people before you expand to anyone else. And it's not about being transactional, it's about being intentional. The introvert's edges depth. Your ability to think carefully, listen fully, and contribute meaningfully is exactly what makes people want you in their corner. Once you're in the right rooms with the right people. So let's recap what we learned today. Networking without direction drains introverts, right? And it drains us fast and produces just slow results. The five people map gives you clarity on where your relational energy actually belongs. Your first move is not charm, it's usefulness. Be someone who makes their work easier. One genuine connection per person beats 10 surface level ones every time. And you don't need to know everyone. You need the right five people to know you. So, in conclusion, if you've been feeling like you're putting in the work but not getting anywhere, chances are you're pouring energy into the wrong places. This week, do the map. Just 20 minutes, five names, four questions. This single exercise is going to shift how you see your workplace and how your workplace starts to see you. You don't need to become an extrovert to get ahead at work. You need a smarter strategy, and that's what we're building together. Listen, if this episode helped you see yourself more clearly, please follow or subscribe to the Drew Chads podcast. Leaving a review helps other introverts find my show, and sharing this episode helps someone else feel less alone in their thinking. Thanks again for listening, and I'll see you in the next episode. Remember, your analytical mind is not holding back in the creative state when you know how to do it. And if you want to post this with every step of visibility and the promotion, remember the promotion playbook jumpstart launches very, very soon. And the pre release is coming as well, and you're gonna get that information. So until next time, keep thinking deeping, keep moving forward, and most of all, moving in.