Quiet - Susan Cain
Rating: 8/10
Overview:
Both introverts and extroverts should read this book. It will help introverts better understand themselves, it will help extroverts work better with introverts.
There's a difference between being shy and being an introvert. Introverts get their energy from inside themselves and enjoy social events and gatherings (many actually have strong social skills). Being shy on the other hand means fearing social disapproval.
If you ever struggled to understand quiet elements in your team, family or friend group, give this book a read.
Take aways:
The secret to life is to put yourself in the right lighting. For some, it's a Broadway spotlight; for others, a lamplit desk. Use your natural powers -- of persistence, concentration, and insight -- to do work you love and work that matters. Solve problems. make art, think deeply.
Introverts, in contrast, may have strong social skills and enjoy parties and business meetings, but after a while wish they were home in their pajamas. They prefer to devote their social energies to close friends, colleagues, and family. They listen more than they talk, think before they speak, and often feel as if they express themselves better in writing than in conversation. They tend to dislike conflict. Many have a horror of small talk, but enjoy deep discussions.
Shyness is the fear of social disapproval or humiliation, while introversion is a preference for environments that are not overstimulating.
Open-plan offices have been found to reduce productivity and impair memory. They’re associated with high staff turnover. They make people sick, hostile, unmotivated, and insecure.
It can be hard for extroverts to understand how badly introverts need to recharge at the end of a busy day. We all empathize with a sleep-deprived mate who comes home from work too tired to talk, but it’s harder to grasp that social overstimulation can be just as exhausting.