Susan Cain
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Susan Cain

Bestselling Author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts

Susan Cain believes society overvalues the gregariousness of extroverts and 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 cannot afford to waste.

Quiet was an instant New York Times bestseller, has been translated into 36 languages, and was one of the most talked about books of 2012. Fast Company named it the #1 book of the year, and called her one of their “Most Creative People in Business” while Inc magazine named her one of the “World’s Top 50 Leadership and Management Experts.” Cain’s TED Talk set a first-week record with over a million views, and has now been seen over ten million times. It was also named by Bill Gates as one of his all-time favourite talks.

Princeton and Harvard Law School educated, Cain practiced corporate law for seven years, representing clients like General Electric, and was a negotiations consultant, where she trained everyone from hedge fund managers to TV producers to college grads navigating their first jobs.

As a speaker, Cain’s clients have included Fast Company, Microsoft, Google, the US Treasury, Rochester University, Harvard University, Johnson & Johnson, Steelcase, West Point, and the International Women’s Forum, among many others.

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. In 2014, Cain partnered with office design company Steelcase to create Susan Cain Quiet Spaces, with a range of architecture, furniture, materials and technology to empower introverts at work.

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.