By Ria Deshmukh, student in the Columbia University M.S. in Strategic Communication program
Producing quality work and communicating your impact in the workplace are two different skills.
This was the main message of Jessica Chen, founder and CEO of Soulcast Media, former Emmy Award-winning journalist, and author of “Smart, Not Loud: How to Get Noticed at Work for All the Right Reasons” at her recent workshop hosted by the Columbia University School of Professional Studies Career Design Lab in collaboration with the Columbia University M.S. in Information & Knowledge Strategy (IKNS) program.
Chen, also a leadership instructor at Columbia, told students that she initially viewed success through a narrow lens: attending a good college and securing a good job. This mindset was common among the attendees, and it certainly resonated with me. It was only after Chen was passed over for an opportunity during her time as a journalist that she began to view things differently.
In the workshop entitled The Communication Advantage: How to Influence, Impact, and Connect in the Age of AI, Chen gave us space to connect with our peers and to explore how to communicate our value and become more visible at work.
Chen coined the terms “quiet culture” and “loud culture.” Quiet culture is rooted in an upbringing that values humility and letting the work speak for itself. Loud culture is built on visibility and direct engagement. She says that the Western workplace, especially newsrooms, is loud culture dominant, so advocating for yourself is essential to success.
She also stressed the importance of understanding your audience in everyday workplace interactions. Knowing your audience's goals and needs can help you communicate your value effectively. As a student in the M.S. in Strategic Communication program at Columbia, I'm familiar with audience mapping for communication challenges. Applying that mindset at the interpersonal level gave me a new perspective. It was fascinating to apply what I learned in class in a way that helps my career beyond work experience. Chen’s tools gave me the confidence to use my coursework in a way that directly helps my career.
The most exciting part of the workshop was creating an impact brief after Chen’s presentation. She provided vocabulary and practical framing techniques, and immediately gave us the opportunity to apply them. Working through the exercise in a supportive setting made communicating my value feel more accessible. The workshop also reinforced how valuable it is to practice these skills early, while I am still building my career.
Preparing for the professional world at Columbia SPS is not limited to coursework. Experiences like this workshop create space to network and rehearse skills we can carry into the workplace. I am excited to use the techniques Chen provided as I begin my career. And, according to Chen, the excitement was reciprocal:
“It was an honor to lead such an impactful and high-energy workshop at Columbia University around my book, “Smart, Not Loud,’” she said. “I truly believe communication is one of the most important skills, especially in the age of AI. I'm so glad everyone walked away with tools and frameworks on how they can become better communicators in the workplace.”
Views and opinions expressed here are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Columbia University School of Professional Studies or Columbia University.
About Columbia's IKNS Degree
Columbia University’s M.S. in Information & Knowledge Strategy (IKNS) degree integrates data, people, and strategy skills for superior organizational intelligence. The flexible and interdisciplinary curriculum trains leaders across the entire value chain of data-driven management: Getting the data and analytics right (e.g., AI adoption, business analytics), creating a high performing, people-centric culture (collaboration, team/project management, organizational psychology), and finally the right change management to turn your strategy into reality.
IKNS is STEM-designated and available full-time or part-time. Study online or in-person on Columbia’s landmarked campus right here in New York City. To maximize opportunities for networking and community building, our online students join our New York-based students for three in-person Residencies on Columbia’s campus during their studies.
Students train under world-class faculty, including former and current executives from Amazon, Deloitte, Google DeepMind and NASA, and join a powerful global alumni network in coveted positions, including at Alphabet, Goldman Sachs, Nike, Pfizer, and the World Bank.
For more IKNS insights, news, and events, please visit our website, connect with us on LinkedIn, or attend one of our online info sessions. Visit the School of Professional Studies website to learn more about the SPS Student Experience.
