QUIET
The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
by Susan Cain
In Quiet,
Susan Cain begins by stating that Western culture extols the Extrovert Ideal – “the belief that the
ideal self is gregarious, alpha, and comfortable in the spotlight.”
Cain traces
the rise of extroversion in the Western world to the turn of the 20th
century and the shift from a Culture of
Character to a Culture of
Personality, that is, from a focus on and admiration for integrity to an obsession with charm or popularity. In the process
of this shift, Cain argues that we lost the reason for our pursuit of the
extrovert ideal. At first, it was for a
self-serving reason – to be successful; however, now we’ve come to believe that
by developing an extroverted personality, we become better people!
According to
Cain, a by-product of the extrovert ideal in the workplace is a groupthink
mentality on collaboration. According to
her, “The New Groupthink is also practiced in our schools, via an increasingly
popular method of instruction called ‘cooperative’ or ‘small group’
learning: “Our classroom desks are
increasingly arranged in pods, the better to foster group learning, and research suggests that the vast majority
of teachers believe that the ideal student is an extrovert.” She maintains that the internet has exasperated
the groupthink around the extrovert ideal of teamwork.
Where does
the ascendancy of the extrovert ideal leave introverts? In a word - devalued. In contrast to extroverts, introverts draw
energy and inspiration from solitude and prefer working independently. In a society dominated by extroversion,
introverted individuals either engage in pretend-extroversion or retreat into
the shadows.
Yet Susan
Cain cautions that the extrovert ideal is not universal. In fact, eastern cultures place far greater value
on characteristics of introversion, such as quietness, humility, and
sensitivity.
She also
maintains that, when it comes to leadership, introverts are needed as much as
extroverts, as they are the ying to the yang of extroversion in good decision making. While extroverts are risk takers who are
highly motivated to seek rewards, to the extent they may miss warning signs in
the pursuit of an initiative, introverts are more likely to be sensitive to all
factors at play and cautious with respect to potential pitfalls.
Likewise,
Cain argues that our classrooms also need to make room for introverts. She
points out that research suggests that the key to achievement and innovation is
Deliberate Practice, which is only
possible through solitude and working independently. Furthermore,
over-stimulation, group brain-storming, and peer pressure – all associated with
collaborative learning – can impede learning and stifle creativity. Thus, while many of our schools are designed
for extroverts, they would enhance achievement for all students by becoming
more introvert-friendly, balancing activity-based learning opportunities with
time for quiet reflection.
Cain also
offers specific advice for teachers for supporting introverted students:
-
Don’t
think of introversion as something that needs to be cured; do help introverted
students with social skills and public speaking, but don’t push them to live up
to the extrovert ideal
-
Balance
teaching methods – collaborative learning and independent study – to serve all
students
-
Praise
introverted students for their interests and encourage them to pursue their
passions
As an
introvert who has achieved great success – both personal and professional – in
an extrovert-dominated world, Susan Cain was well positioned to write the definitive
book on extroversion and introversion.
In Quiet, she has achieved
just that!
