Susan Cain
- Author •
- TED Speaker
Our world prizes extroverts – but Susan Cain makes a case for the quiet and contemplative. She reaches millions of people through her books, podcasts and her mission-based organization, Quiet Revolution, which empowers introverts for the benefit of everyone.
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Susan Cain's 2024 biography
Susan Cain’s background
Cain is a former corporate lawyer and negotiations consultant – and a self-described introvert. At least one-third of the people we know are introverts, notes Cain in her book QUIET: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking.
Although our culture undervalues them dramatically, introverts have made some of the great contributions to society – from Chopin’s nocturnes to the invention of the personal computer to Ghandi’s transformative leadership.
Cain argues that we design our schools, workplaces and religious institutions for extroverts, and that this bias creates a waste of talent, energy and happiness.
Based on intensive research in psychology and neurobiology and on prolific interviews, she also explains why introverts are capable of great love and great achievement, not in spite of their temperament — but because of them.
In 2015 Susan announced the launch of her mission-based organization Quiet Revolution that aims to change the lives of introverts by empowering them with the information, tools and resources they need to survive and thrive.
In the workplace, companies are not fully harnessing the talents of their introverted employees and leadership teams are often imbalanced with many more extroverts than introverts. The Quiet Leadership Institute has worked with companies from LinkedIn to GE to Procter and Gamble to help them achieve their potential by providing learning experiences that unlock the power of introverts.
At the heart and center of the Quiet Revolution is empowering the next generation of children to know their own strengths and be freed from the sense of inadequacy that has shadowed the children of previous generations. Susan’s second book, Quiet Power, is written for teens and young adults but also serves as a tool for teachers and parents.
In addition, Susan has created a portal and a online learning experience for the parents of quiet children and has also established the Quiet Schools Network. Susan’s podcast, Quiet: The Power of Introverts debuted in February 2016 as a 10-part series designed to give parents and teachers the tools they need to empower quiet kids.
Susan and the Quiet Revolution have received numerous accolades and press including Fortune magazine, The New York Times, NPR and many more.
Susan Cain's 2024 talks & topics
Quiet: How to Harness the Strengths of Introverts to Change How We Work, Lead, and Innovate
Did you know that introverted leaders often deliver better results than extroverted leaders do? 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. How can you structure your organization so that the best ideas—rather than those of the most vocal and assertive people—dominate? How do introverts’ and extroverts’ different personalities cause them to solve problems and evaluate risk differently? What do introverts know about creativity that the rest of us should learn?
Drawing on her original research and the latest in neuroscience and psychology, Cain will radically change your view of the best way to develop leaders, manage teams, make smart hires, and stimulate innovation.
Quiet Kids: How Our Education System Can Teach Introverted Students
A central challenge of any educational system is to bring out the best in all students. This means providing a robust learning experience for both introverted and extroverted children. Yet, too often, when it comes to introverts—who comprise nearly a half of every classroom—we simply ask them to act like extroverts. This is a serious waste of quiet children’s considerable and under-noticed talents, not to mention their energy and happiness.
In an enlightening and practical talk, Susan Cain shows us that introverted children possess gifts that enhance the culture of any classroom and are crucial to the survival of our society. Drawing on her original research, compiled over many years, Cain answers a plethora of questions, including how and when to use group work, grade on class participation, and use social media in the classroom. Passionate yet coolly reasoned, Cain will radically change your view of the best way to cultivate the talents of quiet children, develop their leadership skills, and create a classroom culture designed for introverts and extroverts alike. This is an urgent and necessary talk for anyone concerned with the state of education today.
Susan Cain's 2024 speaking fees
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