Quiet

In this number one New York Times bestseller – and People, Library Journal, Inc., Christian Science Monitor and O: The Oprah Magazine Best Book of the Year – noted introvert Susan Cain, a former Wall Street lawyer, offers a refreshing, engaging take on the hidden value of introversion. Her text brims with originality and insight. Proof of the appeal of her perceptions is that her 2012 TED Talk on introversion and quietude became one of the most-watched ever. Cain will inform and possibly change your perception of yourself, other people, teams and the organization of society.

Today we make room for a remarkably narrow range of personality styles. We’re told that to be great is to be bold, to be happy is to be sociable. Susan Cain

She discusses how cautious, thoughtful and reticent people – particularly in the West – can suffer discrimination in a culture that celebrates and monetizes the “Extrovert Ideal.” To get the best from each employee, Cain says, leaders must play to people’s strengths and avoid pressuring them to conform – no easy trick.