Susan Cain
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Susan Cain

Bestselling Author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts

Susan Cain believes society dramatically undervalues the talents of introverts. In her bestselling book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, and in her record-smashing TED talk, Cain explores ways to tap-in to the quieter contingent — in the workplace, the classroom, and elsewhere — whose input we can’t afford to waste.

Quiet was an instant New York Times bestseller. It has been translated into 40 languages, is now in its seventh year on the New York Times bestseller list, and was the #1 book of the year by Fast Company. Fast Company also called Cain one of the “most creative people in business”, while Inc magazine named her one of the “world’s top 50 leadership and management experts” and LinkedIn named her the “sixth top influencer in the world.” In 2016, she released her second bestselling book Quiet Power: The Secret Strength of Introverts.

Cain’s record-smashing TED Talk set a first-week record with over a million views, and has now been seen more than 40 million times. Bill Gates called it one of his all-time favourite talks. As a speaker, Cain’s clients have included Microsoft, Google, the US Treasury, the US Naval Academy, the S.E.C., Harvard University, Yale University, Johnson & Johnson, and the International Women’s Forum, among many others.

A graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law School, Cain is the recipient of several awards, including Toastmasters International Golden Gavel Award for Communication and Leadership, and Harvard Law School’s Celebration Award for Thought Leadership. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, and many other publications.

Cain is one of the minds behind the Next Big Idea Book Club, which she helped launch in partnership with Malcolm Gladwell, Adam Grant, and Daniel Pink. Each season, they showcase two ground-breaking books that you need to read with all proceeds donated in support of children’s literacy programs.

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 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. How can you structure your organization so that the best ideas dominate, rather than those of the most vocal and assertive people? 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 its students. This means providing a robust learning experience for both introverted and extroverted children. Yet too often with 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 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 anybody concerned with the state of education today.