I’m insatiably curious about human nature. I feel very lucky that as a writer I get to learn so much about it just to do my job right.
Susan Cain
Curiosity, Human Nature, Writing, Personal Insight, Learning
Susan Cain’s Quotes On Topics
Passions | Communication Risks | 2008 Crash | Social Consequences | Social Standards | Belief In Self | Self-compassion | Emotional Needs | Pretend-extroversion | Personal Comfort | Love Learning | Productivity Issues | Smiling | Personal Interests | Self-perception | Reflection | Beauty In Sorrow | Freewheeling | Dual Identities | Expatriate | More
More Susan Cain Quotes
“People who pass us on the street can’t know that we’re clever and charming unless we look it.” Susan Cain
Perception, Social Interactions, External Appearance, Cleverness, Charm In Society
Susan Cain Perception, Social Interactions, External Appearance, Cleverness, Charm In Society“What looks like multitasking is really switching back and forth between multiple tasks, which reduces productivity and increases mistakes by up to 50 percent.” Susan Cain
Multitasking, Productivity, Task Switching, Cognitive Psychology, Efficiency
Susan Cain Multitasking, Productivity, Task Switching, Cognitive Psychology, Efficiency“The amygdala serves as the brain’s emotional switchboard, receiving information from the senses and then signaling the rest of the brain and nervous system how to respond.” Susan Cain
Amygdala, Brain Function, Emotional Processing, Sensory Information, Nervous System
Susan Cain Amygdala, Brain Function, Emotional Processing, Sensory Information, Nervous System“In most job interviews, people say they are looking for people skills and emotional intelligence. That’s reasonable, but the question is, how do you define what that looks like?” Susan Cain
Job Interviews, Emotional Intelligence, People Skills, Hiring Criteria, Defining Qualities
Susan Cain Job Interviews, Emotional Intelligence, People Skills, Hiring Criteria, Defining Qualities“First, when he looked closely at the existing studies on personality and leadership, he found that the correlation between extroversion and leadership was modest. Second, these studies were often based on people’s perceptions of who made a good leader, as opposed to actual results. And personal opinions are often a simple reflection of cultural bias.” Susan Cain
Personality And Leadership, Research Findings, Extroversion, Leadership Perceptions, Cultural Bias
Susan Cain Personality And Leadership, Research Findings, Extroversion, Leadership Perceptions, Cultural Bias“Don’t let anyone tell you that introverts are anti-social – we are just differently social.” Susan Cain
Introverts, Social, Perception, Individuality, Communication
Susan Cain Introverts, Social, Perception, Individuality, Communication“Though shyness per se was unacceptable, reserve was a mark of good breeding.” Susan Cain
Shyness, Reserve, Social Norms, Breeding, Cultural Standards
Susan Cain Shyness, Reserve, Social Norms, Breeding, Cultural Standards“The most effective leaders are not motivated by a desire to control events or to be in the spotlight. They are motivated by the desire to advance ideas and new ways of looking at the world, or to improve the situation of a group of people. These motivations belong to introverts and extroverts alike. You can achieve these same goals – you can be inspiring and motivational – without compromising your quiet ways.” Susan Cain
Effective Leadership, Introverts, Extroverts, Motivation, Social Impact
Susan Cain Effective Leadership, Introverts, Extroverts, Motivation, Social Impact“Psychologists usually offer three explanations for the failure of group brainstorming. The first is social loafing: in a group, some individuals tend to sit back and let others do the work. The second is production blocking: only one person can talk or produce an idea at once, while the other group members are forced to sit passively. And the third is evaluation apprehension, meaning the fear of looking stupid in front of one’s peers.” Susan Cain
Group Brainstorming, Social Loafing, Production Blocking, Evaluation Apprehension, Teamwork Challenges
Susan Cain Group Brainstorming, Social Loafing, Production Blocking, Evaluation Apprehension, Teamwork Challenges“Emily lowers her voice and flattens her affect during fights with Greg; she thinks she’s being respectful by taking the trouble not to let her negative emotions show. But Greg thinks she’s checking.” Susan Cain
Communication Styles, Emotional Expression, Relationship Dynamics, Conflict Resolution, Perceptions
Susan Cain Communication Styles, Emotional Expression, Relationship Dynamics, Conflict Resolution, Perceptions“What can we do other than try to remind one another that some things can’t be fixed, and not all wounds are meant to heal?” she continues. “We need each other to remember, to help each other remember, that grief is this multitasking emotion. That you can and will be sad, and happy; you’ll be grieving, and able to love in the same year or week, the same breath.” Susan Cain
Grief, Multitasking Emotion, Unhealable Wounds, Emotional Support, Pain And Joy
Susan Cain Grief, Multitasking Emotion, Unhealable Wounds, Emotional Support, Pain And Joy“Longing itself is a creative and spiritual state.” Susan Cain
Longing, Creativity, Spiritual State, Emotional Depth, Personal Growth
Susan Cain Longing, Creativity, Spiritual State, Emotional Depth, Personal Growth“From outside the evangelical community, this seems an astonishing confession. Since when is solitude one of the Seven Deadly Sins? But to a fellow evangelical, McHugh’s sense of spiritual failure would make perfect sense. Contemporary evangelicalism says that every person you fail to meet and proselytize is another soul you might have saved.” Susan Cain
Evangelical Community, Solitude, Spiritual Beliefs, Outreach, Societal Expectations
Susan Cain Evangelical Community, Solitude, Spiritual Beliefs, Outreach, Societal Expectations“Whoever you are, bear in mind that appearance is not reality. Some people are like extroverts, but the effort costs them in energy, authenticity, and even physical health. Others seem aloof or self-contained, but their inner landscapes are rich and full of drama.” Susan Cain
Appearance Versus Reality, Introverts, Emotional Depth, Authenticity, Social Perception
Susan Cain Appearance Versus Reality, Introverts, Emotional Depth, Authenticity, Social Perception“We can also trace our admiration of extroverts to the Greeks, for whom oratory was an exalted skill, and to the Romans, for whom the worst possible punishment was banishment from the city, with its teeming social life.” Susan Cain
Historical Admiration, Extroverts, Oratory, Greek And Roman Culture, Social Dynamics
Susan Cain Historical Admiration, Extroverts, Oratory, Greek And Roman Culture, Social Dynamics“Americans, it turns out, smile more than any other society on earth. In Japan, India, Iran, Argentina, South Korea, and the Maldives, smiling is viewed as dishonest, foolish, or both, according to a study by Polish psychologist Kuba Krys.” Susan Cain
Cultural Perceptions, Smiling, Psychological Research, Societal Norms, Cross-cultural Differences
Susan Cain Cultural Perceptions, Smiling, Psychological Research, Societal Norms, Cross-cultural Differences“Introverts prefer to work independently, and solitude can be a catalyst to innovation.” Susan Cain
Independent Work, Introverts, Solitude, Innovation Catalyst, Creativity
Susan Cain Independent Work, Introverts, Solitude, Innovation Catalyst, Creativity“And the single most important aspect of personality – the “north and south of temperament,” as one scientist puts it – is where we fall on the introvert-extrovert spectrum.” Susan Cain
Temperament, Personality, Introversion, Extroversion, Spectrum
Susan Cain Temperament, Personality, Introversion, Extroversion, Spectrum“If “fast” and “slow” animals had parties, writes the evolutionary biologist David Sloan Wilson, “some of the fasts would bore everyone with their loud conversation, while others would mutter into their beer that they don’t get any respect.” Susan Cain
Animal Behavior, Social Dynamics, Party Interactions, Evolutionary Biology, Communication Styles
Susan Cain Animal Behavior, Social Dynamics, Party Interactions, Evolutionary Biology, Communication Styles