Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
informative
reflective
medium-paced
informative read, nothing too heavy
A doctor explains the community benefits of introverted people in various organization structures.
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
There is so much information in the book.
The beginning and end had my attention but I got a little lost in the middle.
I stuck with it as an introvert myself.
A speaker at a leadership conference recommended this book to my husband as it changed “how he viewed every relationship”.
Idk if it was that earth shattering for me but still informative.
The beginning and end had my attention but I got a little lost in the middle.
I stuck with it as an introvert myself.
A speaker at a leadership conference recommended this book to my husband as it changed “how he viewed every relationship”.
Idk if it was that earth shattering for me but still informative.
Cain shares a number of studies about the personality trait of introversion. As a person who lives with a very introverted husband and daughter, I can attest that introversion is not shyness. It is not a rejection of interpersonal connection. Introversion is more about needing time to recharge one's batteries after being overstimulated by social settings. The more crowded and chaotic the social event, the more that introverts need time to recover.
Here is a key quote:
“For example, highly sensitive people tend to be keen observers who look before they leap. They arrange their lives in ways that limit surprises. They're often sensitive to sights, sounds, smells, pain, coffee. They have difficulty when being observed (at work, say, or performing at a music recital) or judged for general worthiness (dating, job interviews). But there are new insights. The highly sensitive tend to be philosophical or spiritual in their orientation, rather than materialistic or hedonistic. They dislike small talk. They often describe themselves as creative or intuitive (just as Aron's husband had described her). They dream vividly, and can often recall their dreams the next day. They love music, nature, art, physical beauty. They feel exceptionally strong emotions -- sometimes acute bouts of joy, but also sorrow, melancholy, and fear. Highly sensitive people also process information about their environments -- both physical and emotional -- unusually deeply. They tend to notice subtleties that others miss -- another person's shift in mood, say, or a lightbulb burning a touch too brightly.”
By studying the MBTI (based on Carl Jung's theories of archetypes) in the late 1980s, I discovered that I should not do introverts a "favor" and drag them into social situations "for their own good." Most of my friends are introverts. I appreciate them for being observant, complex, detail oriented, and insightful. They just have more "heft" than most of my extroverted friends. I have worked on college campuses since 1980, and introverts are over represented among the faculty members. I love being in an environment where people who work alone for most of the week have a way to showcase their ideas.
About a third of the population is introverted. But these traits are also shared by ambiverts--those who are someplace in between introversion and extroversion. They may not assert themselves directly in an effort to get their needs for solitude met, so reading this book is a good Guide to the Care and Feeding of Introverts.
This is also valuable information for me as a university instructor. However, after 40 years at the lectern, I have found ways to draw on the power of introverts. I often to in-class exercises that start with individual journal writing and then move to groups of 3 or 4 students. Then I invite someone from each group to present. This prevents the most talkative students from dominating large-class discussion. Those who talk the most are not always the ones who have done the homework or thought carefully about the subject matter. However, doing the 1 to 4 to 25 model helps the introverts by giving them space to think and a smaller venue for presenting. Sometimes they let the extroverts share their ideas with the whole class. Other times, the "dress rehearsal" of sharing in a small group helps them share with the whole class.
Also, PSA: I actually have a lot of traits of introversion. I spend several hours a week reading and writing alone. If I'm in groups, I like to present ideas gleaned from my hours of reflection; otherwise, I want to take my ball and go home. When I am in groups, I feel vulnerable (I have some childhood trauma from being hit), and I have extremely high anxiety (which manifests as compulsive talking). I end up trying to control the action and conversation as a way to create a SAFETY ZONE for myself. During church socials, I often hide in the kitchen, the bathroom, or the parking lot. I was painfully reserved as a child. I played by myself at recess, sat by myself at lunch, and in other ways avoided other children. If I had to talk in class, I cried. I feel as though I spent 30 years being outgoing as a way to control my environment, and now that I'm launching my kids this fall, I want to crawl back into my shell.
Here is a key quote:
“For example, highly sensitive people tend to be keen observers who look before they leap. They arrange their lives in ways that limit surprises. They're often sensitive to sights, sounds, smells, pain, coffee. They have difficulty when being observed (at work, say, or performing at a music recital) or judged for general worthiness (dating, job interviews). But there are new insights. The highly sensitive tend to be philosophical or spiritual in their orientation, rather than materialistic or hedonistic. They dislike small talk. They often describe themselves as creative or intuitive (just as Aron's husband had described her). They dream vividly, and can often recall their dreams the next day. They love music, nature, art, physical beauty. They feel exceptionally strong emotions -- sometimes acute bouts of joy, but also sorrow, melancholy, and fear. Highly sensitive people also process information about their environments -- both physical and emotional -- unusually deeply. They tend to notice subtleties that others miss -- another person's shift in mood, say, or a lightbulb burning a touch too brightly.”
By studying the MBTI (based on Carl Jung's theories of archetypes) in the late 1980s, I discovered that I should not do introverts a "favor" and drag them into social situations "for their own good." Most of my friends are introverts. I appreciate them for being observant, complex, detail oriented, and insightful. They just have more "heft" than most of my extroverted friends. I have worked on college campuses since 1980, and introverts are over represented among the faculty members. I love being in an environment where people who work alone for most of the week have a way to showcase their ideas.
About a third of the population is introverted. But these traits are also shared by ambiverts--those who are someplace in between introversion and extroversion. They may not assert themselves directly in an effort to get their needs for solitude met, so reading this book is a good Guide to the Care and Feeding of Introverts.
This is also valuable information for me as a university instructor. However, after 40 years at the lectern, I have found ways to draw on the power of introverts. I often to in-class exercises that start with individual journal writing and then move to groups of 3 or 4 students. Then I invite someone from each group to present. This prevents the most talkative students from dominating large-class discussion. Those who talk the most are not always the ones who have done the homework or thought carefully about the subject matter. However, doing the 1 to 4 to 25 model helps the introverts by giving them space to think and a smaller venue for presenting. Sometimes they let the extroverts share their ideas with the whole class. Other times, the "dress rehearsal" of sharing in a small group helps them share with the whole class.
Also, PSA: I actually have a lot of traits of introversion. I spend several hours a week reading and writing alone. If I'm in groups, I like to present ideas gleaned from my hours of reflection; otherwise, I want to take my ball and go home. When I am in groups, I feel vulnerable (I have some childhood trauma from being hit), and I have extremely high anxiety (which manifests as compulsive talking). I end up trying to control the action and conversation as a way to create a SAFETY ZONE for myself. During church socials, I often hide in the kitchen, the bathroom, or the parking lot. I was painfully reserved as a child. I played by myself at recess, sat by myself at lunch, and in other ways avoided other children. If I had to talk in class, I cried. I feel as though I spent 30 years being outgoing as a way to control my environment, and now that I'm launching my kids this fall, I want to crawl back into my shell.
emotional
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
I could hardly put this fascinating book about introverts down. I learned about it from an article claiming public relations (my profession) is a great field for introverts --as an introvert I always wondered how I got caught up in my job and why I love it so and now I know! (And no, the vast majority of introverts are NOT shy.)
American and European societies revere the extrovert, but the truth is that deep-thinking, insightful introverts, through quiet persistence (think Gandhi, Rosa Parks, Eleanor Roosevelt, Albert Einstein and authors too numerous to name) have often exerted a powerful influence. I was intrigued with the sections in the book that compared and contrasted Asian societies (with their reverence for introversion) with extrovert societies.
If you are an introvert, have an introvert child who is one, are partnered with or work with one (and since a huge proportion of the population are introverts, odds are this means you!) check out this interesting, empowering book!
American and European societies revere the extrovert, but the truth is that deep-thinking, insightful introverts, through quiet persistence (think Gandhi, Rosa Parks, Eleanor Roosevelt, Albert Einstein and authors too numerous to name) have often exerted a powerful influence. I was intrigued with the sections in the book that compared and contrasted Asian societies (with their reverence for introversion) with extrovert societies.
If you are an introvert, have an introvert child who is one, are partnered with or work with one (and since a huge proportion of the population are introverts, odds are this means you!) check out this interesting, empowering book!
The dichotomy of introversion and extroversion is clearly discussed in this book with anecdotes and scientific studies. Most of us may not be extreme extroverts or introverts, but lies in the spectrum of these extremes, we will find this book extremely helpful in our everyday lives, and in making our experiences more understanding and in turn, more pleasant. Whether you are a parent with an introverted child, or has a introverted spouse, or manages some team members who are introverts, or teaches children, or has friends who are introverted, or yourself an introvert, you will find gems in this book to give you insights on understanding, interacting, empowering, and maximizing potentials.
Not scientific at all but helpfully thought provoking
informative
medium-paced
As an introvert myself I marked this to read as soon as I heard of it, and I'm so glad I did. I started reading a library copy but found myself wanting to underline so many things that I went out and bought my own copy. I wouldn't say that anything I read was particularly surprising, but I appreciated so much reading the scientific reasoning and putting into words so many things I have noticed or felt or experienced during my life. It was also very validating to know so many other people (introverts) have similar experiences. Lastly, I felt like I learned a lot about myself and other people (both introverts and extroverts alike), including many tools in how to more productively interact and communicate. This is definitely one I will keep on my shelf and re-read over the years.