Susan Cain-The Power of Introverts

Susan Cain’s TED Talk, “The Power of Introverts” inspired me to be proud of the kind of person I am. My personality has always conformed to the person I’m expected to be, not the person I am. After listening to Cain, I feel like I can express my inner introversion in a way that will make me just as successful as any extrovert. Cain begins by telling a story of her summer camp experience as a child. She was an introvert, who came from an introverted family, and expected camp to be just the same. Little did she know she was expected to be outgoing, and “R-O-W-D-I-E!” I resonated with her when she felt like she had to put away a way of life, and meet the expectations of her camp counselors and peers. Cain goes on to tell how she became a lawyer, instead of the writer she aspired to be.

The purpose of these examples in her own life was to show people “the power of introverts.” She wanted to make it known that introverts can be very successful and are critical to creativity and productivity. I feel like I can make a bigger change in the world after hearing Cain because I am no longer the outlier or the “different” person; no, I am a strong person with great potential who can make a difference just like Rosa Parks, Eleanor Roosevelt and other famous introverts.

Cain had an effective way of speaking, but in a different way then Sir Ken Robinson. Although they both sprinkled humor throughout their speeches, Cain used her hands and facial expressions to emphasize points whereas Robinson tended to use his tone of voice. The audience knew when Cain was excited or when she was more serious because they could read her face like a book. She held the audiences attention by telling personal stories, as well as making references to famous people like Rosa Parks, Gandhi, and Dr. Seuss. Cain failed to make a huge lasting impression on her audience; however, she was able to wrap up her speech nicely by encouraging her listeners to follow three calls for action. She left them with a task, which was an effective way to close out because the audience can walk away knowing what they can do about their new knowledge.

Cain’s biggest points in her speech that she wanted to convey were as follows. Introverts are as equally important as extroverts. They have potential and are necessary to the flow of life. Next, we need to let introverts be introverts and respect them in institutions, school systems, and workplaces. Stop the constant demand for group work and collaboration. Not altogether, but relax a little bit. Finally, it is critical for us introverts to step up and show what we’ve got to show. Nobody knows our potential until we show it. So don't be afraid to step up, and certainly don't be afraid of failure, because you never know what you can do until you do it.