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.

Quiet Leadership: How to Harness the Strengths of Introverts to Change How We Work, Lead, Learn, and Innovate
Did you know introverted leaders often deliver better results than extroverted leaders do? That the most spectacularly creative people tend to be introverts? That the most innovative thinking happens alone and not in teams? One of the central challenges of any business is to bring out the best in its employees. Yet when it comes to introverts—who make up a third to a half of the workforce—our leadership strategy mainly consists of asking them to act like extroverts. This is a serious waste of talent and energy.

In her enlightening, relatable, and practical talks, Susan Cain shows us that introverts think and work in ways that are crucial to the survival of today’s organizations. How can you structure your organization so that the best ideas—rather than those of the most vocal and assertive people—dominate? How do introverts and extroverts solve problems and evaluate risk differently? What do introverts know about creativity that the rest of us should learn? Drawing on her original research and the latest in neuroscience and psychology, Susan will radically change your view of the best ways to develop leaders, manage teams, make smart hires, and stimulate innovation.

Sample Sub-Topics:
How to choose and cultivate leaders wisely
How best to balance the need for solitude and teamwork to stimulate innovation
How and when to stretch outside our comfort zones
How to harness the best of everyone’s ideas
How to overcome any fear
Quiet Kids: How Our Education System Can Teach Introverted Students