Silent Queries to Loud Success: The Power of Shyness Premium

Hey Friends 👋,

🚀 Embarking 100-day Web3 Journey

In 2024, I launched myself into a 100-day journey into the world of web3. Some of you who are connected with me professionally, perhaps via LinkedIn, might have noticed this. The journey began due to my extended engagement in a Web3 project that I've been a part of since August the previous year. This was unusually long, considering the typical tenure of a strategy project in consulting is usually around 6-10 weeks.

As I navigated this new territory, I often found myself grappling with alien concepts like gas fees, yield farming, and liquidity pools. When my managers and colleagues tossed around these technical terms with ease, I felt like I was underdressed at a formal event.

💡 My Inspiration from that on "Shyness Premium"

While this observation led to a fascinating insight that I like to call the "Shyness Premium". 👀 It's the value you gain by addressing topics that people are often too embarrassed or shy to ask about, especially when these topics are perceived as basic or common knowledge.

In my work as a consultant, I learned that the best skill is being able to make complicated concepts easy to understand. It's easy to use complicated words to sound smart, but the real challenge is making a concept so simple, even a young child could understand it!

Imagine this: You're listening to an investor casually using terms like ESG, P2P, S&P 500 as if they're everyday words. Or when a photographer starts talking about things like aperture, focal length, and depth of field as if they're simple concepts. Are we really understanding what they say, or are we just pretending to understand?

🎥 The "Shyness Premium" in Content Creation

Rob Kennedy, the mastermind behind the popular YouTube Channel "Dad, how do I?", didn't have an easy start. Abandoned by his father at a young age, he and his older brother were left to figure out life's basic tasks all by themselves. Navigating through the trials and tribulations of life without a guiding figure was akin to threading through a labyrinth. However, as he grew older, he realized there were probably countless others out there, too mortified to ask someone for help with 'basic' adult tasks that they were expected to know. This realization ignited a spark in him – a mission to share his hard-earned knowledge and experiences with those wrestling with similar struggles. By transforming his past adversities into a source of strength for others, Rob Kennedy perfectly exemplifies the power of exploiting the "shyness premium".

Next, let’s travel to China and meet 打工仔小張, a content creator who skyrocketed to fame on Douyin. In just a month, she gained over 1 million followers by explaining the basics of everyday tasks like ordering at Starbucks or navigating the train system. Her content, although seemingly simple, resonated with a large audience that appreciated her for addressing their unasked questions, once again harnessing the power of the "shyness premium."

Let's hop into our time machine and zoom back to the Tang Dynasty. Here, we find the poet 白居易 basking in the limelight. What's his secret? Penning poems so simple, even a grandma who couldn't read could get them! His work, free from pretentious metaphors and complicated jargon, was like a cool breeze in a stuffy room. Yep, even in ancient times, the "shyness premium" was strutting its stuff!

📈 Shyness Premium in the Business World

The 'Shyness Premium' can be an influential strategy for brands in the business world as well. For example, tech companies could develop videos demonstrating their products, tackling basic questions users might hesitate to ask. Similarly, online fashion retailers could generate detailed guides on topics that customers might feel too awkward to inquire about, such as sizing, fabric care, or styling tips. As an illustration, FAQs might include "How to determine the right size?", "What's the best method to clean this fabric?", or "How to style this piece for a casual look?".

In the workplace, the 'Shyness Premium' is also the team's hidden treasure! It's especially valuable when you've climbed a few rungs on the career ladder and are managing a team. How so? Picture this:

Imagine you're a boss. You've got your own unique communication style, management quirks, and a few pet peeves. Now, your team might feel a little timid, a tad too awkward to ask you directly about these. So, what's the solution? Drumroll please... Enter the "How to Use Me as Your Boss" memo! It's like a user manual, but for you! Not only does it break the ice, but it also helps your team understand how to work with you effectively. Win-win, right?

And let's not forget about fostering a "no such thing as a stupid question" culture. This is crucial! I can vouch for it from personal experience. My project leaders from the US and Germany were like the superheroes of approachability. They welcomed all our 101 questions - no matter how basic they seemed. It was a relief for us junior analysts, and we learned heaps. Plus, it made sure we didn't miss out on any critical detail hiding behind a 'simple' question.

🏆 Your Challenge for the Week

So, here's a challenge for you this week: Don't be afraid to ask the obvious questions or explain the basics. You never know who might find it valuable. After all, the 'Shyness Premium' might just be the secret sauce to gaining recognition and appreciation! 🏅

That's all for this week. Stay curious, keep learning, and don't be shy to ask those burning questions! Until next time! 🔥

Ciao,

Sherman

Things that I found interesting this week:

📚 Book — “McKinsey Mindset”

🎬 Youtube Channel — Dad, how do I? - YouTube

📃 Blog — Man abandoned by his dad now teaches kids what dads normally would (nypost.com)

📃 Blog — 教人坐高鐵、買咖啡 1月漲粉百萬 她被讚：社會生存學頂流 | 社會事件簿 | 中國 | 世界新聞網 (worldjournal.com)

📃 Blog — 为什么要写一份你的使用说明书？ - 得到APP

📝 Poem — 白居易《母別子》

母別子，子別母，白日無光哭聲苦。關西驃騎大將軍，去年破虜新策勳。

敕賜金錢二百萬，洛陽迎得如花人。新人迎來舊人棄，掌上蓮花眼中刺。

迎新棄舊未足悲，悲在君家留兩兒。一始扶行一初坐，坐啼行哭牽人衣。

以汝夫婦新燕婉，使我母子生別離。不如林中烏與鵲，母不失雛雄伴雌。

應似園中桃李樹，花落隨風子在枝。新人新人聽我語，洛陽無限紅樓女。

但願將軍重立功，更有新人勝於汝。

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