Susan Cain - THE POWER OF INTROVERTS.

InnoTown®2012
Did you know that introverted leaders often deliver better results than extroverts? That the most spectacularly creative people tend to be introverts? That the most innovative thinking happens alone, and not in teams? One of the central challenges of any business is to bring out the best in its employees. Yet when it comes to introverts--who make up a third to a half of the workforce--our leadership strategy mainly consists of asking them to act like extroverts. This is a serious waste of talent and energy. In an enlightening, relatable, and practical talk, Susan Cain shows us that introverts think and work in ways that are crucial to the survival of today's organizations.

[nerychristian]

I'm an introvert. People at work ask me why I don't contribute more during the meetings. I tell them I really don't have anything to add to the discussions. But the truth is I don't say much because I know that it is pointless. Why should I try to give my ideas away, when the ones with the loudest voices will be the ones making the decisions?

[GaryR]

I'm reading your book, "Quiet, " currently, and, while I've known for years that I'm an introvert, the book has helped me to see how much more introverted I actually am and it has also helped explain things that happened to me in my early childhood. For example, my mother always told me I was a "colicy baby, " so, when I read what you wrote about "high-reactive" children, I knew that I had definitely been one and I've been able to recognize this in myself even later on in my adult life. That said, I have since learned how to cultivate a more or less ambiverted mode. I am sometimes mistaken for being an extrovert, but this only happens when I'm around people who share common interests with me. Otherwise, I'm mostly spending my time alone. In fact, if I'm invited to a party at which there is no one I know and the people there don't seem to share anything in common with me, I will eventually wind up by myself, thinking about what I'm going to do when I get home. Explains why no one has invited me to a party in years, huh? Solitude is a large part of my life. I'm a street photographer, among other things, but even in a crowded urban area, I become lost in the crowd, alone in my head, and this is when I feel "in the zone, " in which I create my best images. Sometimes, it helps if I take my MP3 player with me, loaded with instrumental music (mostly jazz), as this helps me to further screen out the people around me. In my photos, the people in my scenes are only props, mostly silhouettes, who are only there to complete the scenes by lendng the human element. Oddly enough, the people watching me work think I'm an "undercover cop" doing photosurveillance. Part of the reason for listening to music is to drown out their chatter about who they think I am and what they think I'm doing.

[love_agapi_m]

I had a partner in math class and teacher said to get to know each other. To me that just meant to introduce myself. Like my name. My partner it meant to give his life story. Longest 5-10 min when I just wanted to learn how to do math. Extroverts just drain me so much. They talk too much and act like I should be interested in what they have to say. I am not. I just want quiet 🤫

[themateese]

Learning from an “introvert” who makes a living talking to large crowds for money 🤦🏻‍♂️

[املالزهراني-وق]

she reminds me of Phoebe Buffay from friends tv show

[INTJIsland]

No need to make a fuss about it. Introverts have put up with abuse all their lives, as they are told to be "more social" etc. We are tough enough to get through that, and then we go on to create companies, technology, and scientific theories that provide so much of what society takes for granted. We have put up with "team building" and "group projects" and gone on to shine anyway.

It's the empty can that makes the most noise. If you want to know what is going on, ask an introvert and then shut up and listen as well as he he just listened to you.

[GraceCollins]

Learn to sit back and observe, not everything needs a reaction.

[jxx]

Usually in group assigments if you have 4 members, 2 of them actually are doing the task & 2 of them are not & usually 1 one of the active ones end up doing most of the task & that person is usually an introvert.

I hate group assigments.

[Disneygirl]

I feel like the place that looks down on introverts the most is America. I guess it depends on each state but from what I’ve seen if you’re an American people think there’s something wrong with you if you prefer to be quiet and on your own. Once America became more advanced the pressure to be more outgoing also increased. That’s why I’ve always admired Japan or the UK, being an introvert is not only tolerated it’s viewed as polite.

[oscarhample]

I agree with this 100%. In school, if there's a group of, let's say 4 people, I by myself can finish in 1/3 time that they can. Introvert to the core right here.

[marcp.]

The worst is talking nonsense, smalltalk, chitchat conversations with strangers - you don't want to know them, you don't want to talk to, and especially parties - only depleting your own batteries, overwhelming. It's much more refreshing, just being alone, or into nature, or having a hobby of yourself.

[mariaclark]

I totally feel uncomfortable & offended in a situation where there's a group working quietly and a person storms in on the scene and assumes that the group is not doing anything because of silence. But the group has been working silently & writing things down. There is a taboo imposed on people who like working quietly & alone. One has to be loud, one has to be talkative.

[movieguy]

Ha ha I love how she starts off by mocking group work. It's just so assumed that getting together in groups is the best way to do things. It's become the normal way of doing something and no one expects it to be questioned. Even though we all hate it and realize that it is a waste.

[joeschmo]

I hate spontaneous groupings largely because it wastes time with so much hand-wringing and bullshit. Nothing gets done. Highly inefficient.

[totalrandomness]

We should start an "introvert's rights" movement

[nimsayaniaable]

The problem with this world is the extrovert... extrovert always want introvert to change.. while the introverts are kind people... we dont ask extrovert to change.. we accept them for what they are.. in fact we empower them when they r down... but extroverts people are mean... they insult the introverts all the time.. it makes us feel demotivated... extroverts are horrrible people

[ammarshahid]

Extroverts don't listen very well

[isabelladevotedtogod]

I've learned to stay away from people as much as possible. Best thing ever. If I'd only learned this years ago.

[SFabianB]

This really helps with my self acceptance and understanding some parts of myself more clearly.
Bless her soul, she's doing awesome work <3

[jennyvinyl]

I'm so introverted that my own family accuse me of being psychologically distant