Susan Cain

Bittersweet: The Surprising Key to Creativity, Connection, and Authenticity

If you’ve ever wondered why you like sad music…

If you find comfort or inspiration in a rainy day…

If you react intensely to music, art, nature, and beauty…

Then you probably identify with the bitter­sweet state of mind.

Bittersweetness is a tendency to states of long­ing, poignancy, and sorrow; an acute aware­ness of the passing of time; and a curiously piercing joy at the beauty of the world. It recognizes that light and dark, birth and death —bitter and sweet—are forever paired.

With her bestselling phenomenon, Quiet, Susan Cain urged our society to cultivate space for the undervalued, indispensable introverts among us, thereby revealing an un­tapped power hidden in plain sight. Now she explores why we experience sorrow and longing, and how embracing the bittersweetness at the heart of life is the true path to creativity, con­nection, and authenticity. Susan shows how a bittersweet state of mind is the quiet force that helps us transcend our personal and collective pain. If we don’t acknowledge our own heartache, we can end up inflicting it on others. But if we realize that all humans know—or will know—loss and suffering, we can turn toward one another.

At a time of collective loss, profound discord, and personal anxiety, Bittersweet brings us together in deep and unexpected ways. Using her trademark mix of stories, research, memoir, practical tips, and inspiration, Susan will show you the power of a “Bittersweet” work culture, including:

• How the expression of sorrow, as well as joy, is key to deep creativity and genuine connection.
• Case studies of organizations, from hospitals to oil rigs, that have transformed their cultures – and smashed productivity records – by creating “bittersweet” cultures.
• An analysis of everything from Harry Potter novels to fashion photography to reveal what creativity really is – including its surprising relationship to longing, sorrow, and rising above our limitations.
• How you can use these insights and actionable steps to build true connection and foster a more creative and mutually supportive work environment.

A Quiet Revolution: Changing How We Work, Lead and Innovate

Did you know that many of the most effective business and political leaders possess traits typically associated with introverts (e.g., “soft-spoken,” “quiet,” “thoughtful”)? Did you know that some of our most creative and innovative moments come during times of solitary introspection, as opposed to in group or team settings?  

As today’s leaders are all too aware, one of the central challenges of any business is to bring out the best in its employees — employees of vast and varied personality types and abilities. This is true regardless of institution — military, government, private, or public. 

Drawing on years of research and the latest in neuroscience and psychology, Susan Cain — bestselling author, Co-Founder of Quiet Revolution, and renowned expert in leadership and innovation — delivers an enlightening, relatable and practical presentation that will radically change your view of the best way to develop leaders, manage teams, make smart hires, and stimulate innovation.

Quiet Kids: How Our Education System Can Teach Introverted Students

A central challenge of any educational system is to bring out the best in all its students. This means providing a robust learning experience for both introverted and extroverted children. Yet too often with introverts — who comprise nearly a half of every classroom — we simply ask them to act like extroverts. This is a serious waste of quiet children’s considerable and under-noticed talents, not to mention their energy and happiness.

In an enlightening and practical talk, Susan Cain shows us that introverted children possess gifts that enhance the culture of any classroom, and are crucial to the survival of our society. Drawing on her original research, compiled over years, Cain answers a plethora of questions, including how and when to use group work, grade on class participation, and use social media in the classroom.

Passionate yet coolly reasoned, Cain will radically change your view of the best way to cultivate the talents of quiet children, develop their leadership skills, and create a classroom culture designed for introverts and extroverts alike. This is an urgent and necessary talk for anybody concerned with the state of education today.