1. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, by Susan Cain
Cain begins with a short history lesson recounting the U.S.’s culture shift away from the building of character and toward the “cult of personality” when we started to see extroversion as the gateway to personal and professional success. From there she moves on to extol the virtues of the introverted mindset and ends with a call to action for society in general to rethink its views of introversion in all aspects of life from how we educate our children to how we lead our organizations. The success of the book has spawned an ever-growing online community of introverts who connect on Facebook and through Cain’s website Quiet Revolution.
2. The Genius of Opposites: How Introverts and Extroverts Achieve Extraordinary Results Together, by Jennifer B. Kahnweiller, PhD
Can introverts and extroverts work together successfully? According to Kahnweiler, the answer is a resounding yes, with exponential results. However the path to success can be fraught with opportunities for these tenuous relationships between opposites to break down. Kahnweiller discusses well-known opposite duos that have made it work, as well as some who failed, and she provides a 5-step process she believes will set these pairs up for success.
3. The Introvert’s Way: Living a Quiet Life in a Noisy World, by Sophia Dembling
4. The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You, by Elaine N. Aron, PhD
Backlash against the “new” love affair with introversion Maybe it’s that introverts are getting all the attention or that they no longer feel they need to apologize for being themselves. Or maybe it’s because this country loves an underdog…Whatever it is, these days it seems introverts get all the love while extroverts are cast as loud-mouthed jerks be-boppin’ and scattin’ their way through life with all the self-awareness of a freight train. Either way if you are an introvert, work with introverts or otherwise share your life with introverts, these books provide insights into their worlds that may help you understand them (and yourself) a little better.
