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Week 10 [08.01-14.01.2018] The power of introverts

Susan Cain is the co-founder of Quiet Revolution and the author of the bestsellers such as "Quiet: The Power of Introverts" which was translated into 40 languages and has been on the New York Times bestseller list for over than four years.



We see ourselves as a nation of extraverts, but according to researches about 30 – 50% of us are considered to be an introvert. Those statistics may surprise you, but that’s probably because many people are pretending to be someone else. Please listen and enjoy the lecture about introvertism.



By answering this simple questions you can find out if you are more of an introvert or an extravert:

  1. I prefer one – on –one conversations to group activities
  2. I often prefer to express myself in writing
  3. I enjoy solitude
  4. I seem to care about wealth, fame, and status less than my peers
  5. I dislike small talk, but I enjoy talking in-depth about topics that matter to me
  6. People tell me that I am a good listener
  7. I am not a big risk-taker
  8. I enjoy work that allows me to “dive in” with few interruptions
  9. I like to celebrate birthdays on a small scale, with only one or two close friends or family members
  10. People describe me as “soft-spoken” or “mellow”

The more often you answered “true” the more introverted you probably are. If you answered it equally, you might be an ambivert.


Questions:
  1. Do you consider yourself as an introvert or as an extravert? (why?)
  2. Do you agree with Susan words, that we should give more space for introverts?
  3. Is it good, that kids nowadays are working in countless group assignments ?


Sources:

- Tribe of mentors , Timothy Ferriss
- TEDx Susan Cane The power of introverts - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0KYU2j0TM4
- The Power of Introverts, Susan Cane


Comments

Anonymous said…
I consider myself as an introvert - most of my answers was 'true'.
I totally agree with Susan that we should give introverts more space. They're not very social people and we should understand it.
In my opinion it's good that kids are working in groups, because they should discover the word and meet new people.
Marcin Mróz said…
I consider myself rather as an introvert, maybe I'm not the extreme case, but still, I think I have more characteristics of an introvert than extravert. I agree with Susan that we have to work on better balance between individual and group works in school. Nowadays a lot of important projects or assignments have to be done in groups and there is no chance to do them alone, which is not really fair in my opinion. Obviously learning how to work in a team is important and everyone will need this skill in future career, but maybe sometimes it would be also a good idea to let students do something completely on their own with their conception and without obligation to rely on others. This would give them a chance to completely release their creativity and to see what they are really capable of.
Unknown said…
Yes, I'm definitely an introvert. All my answers are "yes". After being with people for a long time I wanna rest and have some time being by myself.
I can imagine how difficult it was for the speaker to go to the camp. My parents sent me to camp when I was about 8 years old. It was terrible. Too many people, too loud, you have to be active, communicative. And the worst thing about it is that many parents still don't understand that their children could be introverts and don't like big and noisy companies.
It's common for parents and adults to say things like "You have to be sociable", "Just go and make friends; the more, the better", etc. People think that we all have to be extroverts.
Unknown said…
I consider myself as an introvert. I'm "soft-spoken", prefer being alone and being with other people exhausts me. But from time to time I like to "socialise" ;)
I think we should give introverts some space. In my opinion, people in schools, companies are sometimes forced to work in groups but sometimes one introvert would have done this faster and better.
But of course some social skills are required in everyones lives. You can't be extreme introvert. When you are younger it's easier to learn those skills so I think it's good that kids practice in many group assignments.
Unknown said…
I think that i'm extravert but only when i don't have to say about my emotions connected with important people for me. I had never have a problems with starting new relations with other and i like it. Talking is one of my hobbies because i love meet new people.
But i think that introverts are beautiful internally. My boyfriend is in type of introvert and i think that it's amazing. I know that inside he feel lots of emotions and thinks. It makes me feel very important when he want to tell me something because i know that he thought about it for a long time.
And if it comes to kids and their working in groups i think that it's good. They can start tinking about oters even if if someone will behave like an introvert, the child will be able to respect it.
Marcin Górski said…
It's very hard question for me. In my opinion I'm ambivert. Sometimes I like to do something alone but otherwise life without other people would be too hard.
In my opinion we should give more space for introverts. We shouldn't force introverts to work with a group if they don't want to do that. I understand it and know that people cannot be social.
I can't say that working in countless group can have bad impact of kid's life. In my opinion they should work together because they can learn a lot of skills.
I’m definitely an introvert. It doesn’t mean I don’t like to hang out with people it means that I need to feel comfortable around them. I’m not good at small talk, I avoid all kind of audience participation or crowded and loud places. I agree with Susan - introverts need space to gather their thoughts (they are so easily distracted!) and it should be respected. As for kids I believe that working in groups is a great way to learn about cooperation, teamwork, communication but kids should also be given a chance to make up their own opinions and learn how to be independent.
I feel like a mix of both- I have a great need of solitude and silent but when I'm with group of friends I'm very talkative, full of energy etc. And I love giving public speeches.
We should give more space for introverts. Forcing them to do something in group can be harmful for their productivity and creativity .
Sometimes it is good- learning how to work in groups is essential these days but too much group works can be dangerous for development of some individual skills of kids.
Foodocado said…
Working in groups has the advantages and disadvantages. It's required skill in future career, but we shouldn't force kids to do it every time. They should have opportunity to work alone and release their creativity.
Foodocado said…
Some parents are not aware of terms like "introverts" or "extroverts". However we should remember that they want good for us. :)
Foodocado said…
I am totally opposite of you. When I go out, I don't speak much when I don't know people well. When it comes to my friends I am quite talkative.
The public speeches terrifies me.
Foodocado said…
Yeah, but we should also give them chance to work alone and release their creativity and imagination.
Tomasz Morawski said…
I think I'm introvert. I need some time to get accustomed to people and I'm usually quiet among strangers but I can talk a lot with my friends if we find interesting topic.
I think we should give introverts some space but I believe they can spread their wings due to extraverts influence, so they shouldn't isolate either.
I don't kids have many group assignments at school in Poland. One or two tasks per month is not that much and it can really help to understand how they should cooperate in group.
I'm totally mixed person, since my dad is almost 100% introvert and my mom is almost 100% extrovert :). I tend to like smaller company, but at the same time I have nothing against big audience. I like to work alone, but at the same time I have no issue working with somebody else on a particular thing. So yeah, all-in-all I'm introvert but only by a choice, and I could be extrovert if needed.
Magdalena Popek said…
I consider myself an introvert when it comes to meeting new people. My friend told me he didn't like me at first. He thought I'm not nice. Just because I wasn't talking to anyone. I've heard it a few times - that people start liking me after they get to know me. It's difficult because at new work I was so stressed I wasn't eating just not to meet anyone in a kitchen. It took me a month to start eating in a kitchen. I like going out a lot with people I know but when it comes to meeting new people - I'm so stressed I don't want to go.
I believe it is good kids are working in group projects. They can like it or not but ability to communicate, work in a group, plann group work and take responsibility for their part is extremely important. Of course working alone, planning their own time is important as well so I think they should both work alone and in a group.
Unknown said…
1) I consider myself "i don't give a damn"-er? Why? Cuz i don't care about it. Simple as that. I have better things to think about.
2)Sure. Give them a nice cozy room in which they can be dead silent and never speak amongst themselves. And then count me in. Best working enviroment ever.
3)Yes, because besides teaching them to be able to think, work and live by themselves it also gives them ability to work as a team.
Unknown said…
Introverts can behave like extroverts at times and vice versa so it is extremely hard to compartmentalise people with these two labels. I personally think that I'm an introvert because I have some difficulties meeting new people, I'm not the biggest fan of small talk and at times I'd like to stay in home for a few days and not see anyone.
Unknown said…
According to my answers, I might be an introvert. But I am not sure about it. I used to consider myself a true extrovert, I was very social and had many pals. Now I often prefer to stay at home, avoid parties and loud places. But I still don't consider myself an introvert, it just depends on my mood. Sometimes I want to communicate, sometimes I don't. And in my opinion, these labels are useless. People just have respect the needs of the others, no matter how to call it. If person is not in the mood of being social, even an extrovert - leave him alone. That is a key of being a good friend or a polite person:)

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