Bernie Anderson

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There Are More Than “Two Kinds of People In This World”

There are several revolutionary and striking aspects to Susan Cain’s book entitled “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking.”

One conclusion I come to is this: We are each created and wired differently. Bring your brand of personal genius to the table. Don’t try to imitate someone else’s.

It goes both ways.

After reading a book like this, it would be easy to conclude a cliche.

“There are two kinds of people in this world. Introverts and extroverts. Those who like to talk and those who don’t.”

Ms. Cain is bringing a liberating message to those who don’t fit the Harvard Business School version of extroversion. But there’s a bigger liberation here.

You bring a unique set of skills, abilities, talent, and experience into every room you walk — every table you sit — whether you’re an introvert, extrovert, or ambivert. You’re more complex than you realize.

The issue is knowing what you do bring to every table, no matter where you sit.
Then it’s a matter of finding the right table.