Susan Cain's Quiet Is Fast Company's #1 Business Book of the Year

Fast Company just released a list of their top-rated Business Books of 2012, and Quiet by Susan Cain topped the list! The 12 books they chose "shaped not only the way we work this year, but how we think and the conversations we're having," the article reads. They call Cain a "luminary," and write that her book (which was an instant New York Times bestseller) is "delightful-to-read." Shining a light on the hidden, and often overlooked, talents of the introverted part of the population, Cain's work has altered perceptions on what characteristics we should value. As she explains in the book, and in her widely-popular TED Talk, we need to re-evaluate how we interact with each other and value not only the extroverted people in the world, but the introverted ones as well. 

As Cain tells Fast Company, “any time people come together in a meeting, we’re not necessarily getting the best ideas, we’re just getting the ideas of the best talkers.” Adhering to this tradition means that we are missing out on some truly amazing contributions from the world's introverts, because we have come to value extroversion as desired behavior. Her breakthrough ideas on human characteristics have lead to a best selling book, over three million views to her TED Talk, and the stamp of approval from software mogul Bill Gates. Cain's ideas are applicable to businesses looking to embrace new potential and find the best ways of bringing out their employees' inner talent. She also helps introverts themselves not only accept their characteristics—but be proud of them.