Quiet- The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
Product details
Web ID: 15626221Give Us The "Okay" To Be Ourselves
I really like the style of Cain’s writing. She enlightens the reader with background information before making statements. To summarize this book, if all of us was given the “okay” to be ourselves (i.e. accept and treasure our strengths), not only can we learn and appreciate our differences, we can also bring our best self as an employer, parent, and other responsibilities in life.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Essential For BOTH Introverts AND Extroverts
To begin, a confession. I much prefer fiction to non-fiction. Consequently I can’t say that I loved every minute of reading this book. But, at the end, I awarded it five stars on Goodreads. As an introvert, I identified strongly with author Susan Cain’s exploration of our cultural bias in favor of extroversion. As a child I was labeled shy, was never considered one of the popular girls, preferred one-on-one friendships to groups, was told by teachers I didn’t participate enough in class, always dreaded any type of public speaking, and kept most of my active internal life to myself. During my career, I heard constantly I needed to speak up more, should promote myself more, and get more comfortable making presentations. Among friends, I have been labeled aloof or remote. Even now in my own nuclear family, my preference for being a homebody and dislike of crowds and parties is often considered a liability that I should really “work on.” All of which is to say that I can personally testify that the lifelong message I’ve received is that introversion is considered “wrong.” Now, after reading QUIET, I finally feel validated. For so many reasons: QUIET names many of the remarkable contributions introverts have historically made. From leaders like Bill Gates, Barack Obama, Warren Buffet, Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, Steve Wozniak, and Albert Einstein. Cain includes research from other cultures, many of which honor introversion more than extroversion. Cain specifically describes the kinds of changes that need to be made in schools, businesses, homes, and relationships to be more respectful of the introvert’s style and sensibilities. She speaks directly to how making such changes would directly benefit American culture. Perhaps most importantly, the book examines the inherent conflict between extroverts and introverts, which helped me better understand sources of conflict in my own life. Susan Cain Photo from her website The world that Cain envisions — where BOTH extroverts and introverts are valued for their unique and distinctive abilities — feels utopian to me. But I sure do want to live there. Obviously, I consider this an important book that EVERYONE should read. Especially parents, educators, and managers. Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, you will finish with a better understanding of yourself, your style, and your interactions with both the wider world and with friends and family. It's a book you're likely to return to again and again.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Ten key ideas in the book
1. The power of introverts: Introverts have unique strengths that can be harnessed to achieve great things, but these strengths are often overlooked in a society that values extroversion. 2. The difference between introverts and extroverts: Introverts tend to be more sensitive to stimuli, prefer quiet environments, and prefer to think before they speak. Extroverts tend to be more outgoing, enjoy socializing, and think as they speak. 3. The myth of the "ideal" personality: There is no one-size-fits-all personality type that is best suited for success. Introverts and extroverts can both be successful in their own ways. 4. The importance of solitude: Introverts often need time alone to recharge their batteries and process their thoughts. 5. The role of culture: Different cultures have different attitudes toward introversion and extroversion, and these attitudes can have a big impact on how introverts are perceived and treated. 6. The challenges of introversion: Introverts may struggle to network, promote themselves, or speak up in group settings, which can put them at a disadvantage in certain situations. 7. The power of collaboration: Introverts can be excellent collaborators, particularly when given time and space to prepare and contribute in their own way. 8. The benefits of diversity: A workplace or team that values both introverts and extroverts can benefit from the diverse perspectives and talents that each type brings. 9. The need for balance: Too much emphasis on either introversion or extroversion can lead to problems. A balanced approach that values both can lead to better outcomes. 10. The importance of authenticity: Introverts should embrace their unique strengths and talents, rather than trying to conform to extroverted norms or expectations.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Illuminating Look at the Power of Introversion
"Our lives are shaped as profoundly by personality as by gender or race. And the single most important aspect of personality—the “north and south of temperament,” as one scientist puts it—is where we fall on the introvert-extrovert spectrum. Our place on this continuum influences our choice of friends and mates, and how we make conversation, resolve differences, and show love. It affects the careers we choose and whether or not we succeed at them." (I'm sorry I am not putting a page number; I copied the quote from my Kindle highlights. But it's early in the book.) This is the thesis sentence of "Quiet:..." It was a really illuminating book for me, as surprise! surprise! It turns out that I score at about 50% on the introversion-extroversion scale on the Meyers-Briggs personality assessment. I had always thought I was an extrovert as I have always been a "talker" and have always worked in people-oriented professions. I still don't know if I'm actually an introvert, or if I'm simply a highly-sensitive person (HSP). HSP's are highly bothered by noise, and need lots of quiet time alone. I suppose it's possible to be both.... Anyway, this was a great book on the powers of being an introvert, even in the business world, and how to use one's introverted nature as a method of wielding "soft" power in business or personal relationships w/ extroverts. Again, I found the book to be illuminating and give it a solid 4 stars.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Excellent Viewpoint
Author does a good job to make a clear point on "quiet" people. Found this book to be enlightening and meaningful. Highly recommend.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Must read for introverts
This is the essential reading for any introvert. With this book, Susan Cain started the quiet revolution. With a ton of research and anecdotes she shows that introverts have their place in the world. It is a very motivating reading for all the introverts out there. Highly recommended.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Check This Out!
The book “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking” was a truly amazing well written piece of work by the author Susan Cain. The book is clearly amazing and is a “New York Times Best Seller” with it being reviewed as “Superbly researched, deeply insightful , and a fascinating read. - Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project.” So this book is held in very high regards so when my friend Yazan told me he had the book I had to jump on the opportunity because I have always thought of myself to be an extrovert but seeing that it can be a learned behavior I think I am more of an introvert who just doesn’t have some of these traits that are described by definition of introvert. This writing is an excellent mix between research, case studies and thoughtful conclusions, all balanced so it never feels boring or overwhelming. Usually , I don’t like books that don’t follow traditional books with characters and a plot but the fact that the writer in which Susan Cain brought light to something that isn’t talked about enough which is being an introvert and how they affect society was kind of fun to explore. This book brought up so many different things that I agreed with and some I didn’t. If you are trying to find yourself this is the book for you. After reading this book it gives you somewhat of a sense of purpose and belonging. You will probably definitely call yourself an introvert even if you're not because some parts are guaranteed to speak to you that much. I was well pleased to see that Rosa Parks was an introvert because while being an African American male it was cool to see that this can relate to every race , gender , sexuality , it just has something for everyone. I definitely recommend this book and think others could see this so that it will help them understand themselves better as it did me.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Introversion in an extroverted world
This book was a real treasure trove of information, and I consider myself an introvert who should have known it all already! Filled with research summaries, statistics, and case studies, it opened my eyes to aspects of our culture (and of myself) that I hadn’t previously considered. Cain points out that “our lives are shaped as profoundly by personality as by gender or race.” She presents the American “extroversion ideal” — discussing its evolution and whether or not it is subscribed to by all cultures (it isn’t). Her case studies range from the bible (Moses was an introvert — God told him to have Aaron do all the talking) to CEOs to Tech companies (Woz vs Steve Jobs) to political figures (Al Gore). Section 2 is all about the physiological basis of introversion which I found absolutely fascinating, and Section 3 compares cultures. The last section of the book goes into tips for introverts who must live in this world: an entire chapter devoted to an illuminating Mars and Venus style dissertation on the communication challenges facing introverts and extroverts and strategies for schools, parents, and introverted kids (there is even a YA version of this book called Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverted Kids). I was particularly stunned by her report on Elaine Aron’s research into “Highly Sensitive People,” of whom 70% are introverts. She describes 27 attributes ranging from sensitivity to sights, sounds, smells, pain, and coffee to their difficulty when being observed, difficulty with being judged for general worthiness, their dislike of small talk, feeling exceptionally strong emotions, processing information about their environments unusually deeply, and unusually strong consciences. Is it obvious that I resonated strongly with this? I always just thought I was a pain to travel with ;-) A well structured book with accessible writing — peppered with fun fact implications (did you know that people getting Botox injections are less anger prone because the very act of frowning — which Botox prevents — actually triggers the amygdala to process negative emotions?). I really enjoyed it and am sorry it took me this long to get around to it. I particularly urge all of you extroverts out there to give it a read!
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com