Quiet: The power of introverts in a world that can't stop talking.

Quiet was one of the Campmeeting safe books that I got. I didn't think that it would be as easy to read as it was. I was sucked in, and nearly read it straight through. The writer uses descriptive stories from her experience interviewing and talking to people for the book. It is partly a self help book, and partly a informational text, but many parts of it I found could be read like short stories.

Introverts gain energy by being alone, while extroverts gain energy by being with people. This does not mean that introverts don't like people, just that we need alone time to recover (even after things like going to a movie with a couple of friends). Extroverts may have to go out with friends after a while of alone time (like studying). About half of the population is introverted, and though introverts certainly aren't better than extroverts, much of western culture praises outgoing, outspoken behavior. It is sometimes nice to be reminded that we, as introverts are not alone.

Many eastern cultures have great respect for introverted personalities. Wisdom is seen in those who think before they speak.

In a way, this book has changed my way of looking at myself. It sort of gave me permission to be introverted instead of striving, and not succeeding to put on the extroverted mask that so many of us have. It also brought up some points about introverts that I have been able to take make into ideas and advice in my life.

Introverts don't like to talk unless they have something to say. They hate small talk. Introverts don't do so well when put on the spot. It isn't that we don't know our stuff. The stress of talking in front of people (without having practiced a script) can be too distracting to perform well. In school introverts are often seen as less smart at their extroverted peers. Not only is there the whole speaking up in front of people thing, but introverts really don't like "taking a stab at it" in front of people, or sharing partly formed ideas. When asked (for a study) to come up with problem solving ideas extroverts come up with a large number if ideas in a short amount of time, where as introverts come up with fewer. When compared, there were approximately the same number of QUALITY ideas.

 I really wish that this book had been around earlier. Throughout nursing school we had to do self critiques.  I always had trouble coming up with examples to show my leadership in clinical practice. I didn't see myself as a leader. This book showed me how introverts often have alternate ways to lead. Introverts are more likely to lead by taking many people's perspectives into consideration. In nursing I have taken this to mean leadership through collaboration. I think that my critiques in school would have been much more useful with my new perspective on power and leadership.