Susan Cain Profile Photo

Susan Cain

Keynote Speaker

Author and Chief Revolutionary, Quiet Revolution

In her bestselling book Quiet and her record-smashing TED Talk, Susan Cain began the Quiet Revolution to show us how to tap into our “quiet side” and transform the way we innovate, lead, and communicate.

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Susan Cain'S SPEAKING FEE $40K - $70K

Susan Cain Profile Photo

Co-founder of Quiet Revolution, one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business, an accomplished corporate lawyer and negotiations consultant for clients such as JP Morgan, GE and Merrill Lynch, and author of the award-winning bestseller Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking – Susan Cain is a (quiet) force to be reckoned with.

Deemed a “rock star” by the CEO of Steelcase, her groundbreaking presentations ring true to introverts and extroverts alike and inspire, among other things, a complete “reexamination of corporate structure and processes,” according to Fast Company magazine. A self-proclaimed introvert, she is soft-spoken yet powerful, witty, and incredibly engaging. Cain has received high praise for her presentations at Google, Microsoft, Harvard, West Point, the SEC, and the U.S. Treasury and is the recipient of several awards, including the Toastmasters International Golden Gavel Award for Communication and Leadership, and Harvard Law School’s Celebration Award for Thought Leadership.

Through her countless appearances in popular media, including The New York Times, The New Yorker, Harvard Business Review, Scientific American, Forbes, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, CBS This Morning, and NPR, Cain shows audiences how to tap into their “quiet side” and leverage talents typically associated with introverts.

Cain’s record-smashing TED Talk has been viewed over 30 million times on TED.com and YouTube combined, was named by Bill Gates as “one of his all-time favorite talks.” In her not-to-be-missed presentation that has broad implications for leadership, innovation, and teamwork, she offers audiences a revolutionary perspective on the importance of creating, accessing and voicing our “softer” sides.

Cain is the author of the bestsellers Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverts, and Quiet: The Power of Introverts in A World That Can’t Stop Talking, which has been translated into 40 languages, is in its seventh year on the New York Times bestseller list, and was named the No. 1 best book of the year by Fast Company magazine, which also named Cain one of its Most Creative People in Business. LinkedIn named her the Sixth Top Influencer in the world. Cain also partnered with Malcolm Gladwell, Adam Grant, and Dan Pink to launch the Next Big Idea Book Club; they donate all their proceeds to children’s literacy programs.

Cain’s writing has appeared in the The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, and many other publications. She received Harvard Law School’s Celebration Award for Thought Leadership, the Toastmasters International Golden Gavel Award for Communication and Leadership, and was named one of the world’s Top 50 Leadership and Management Experts by Inc. magazine. She is also an honors graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law School.

Featured Videos

Susan Cain Profile Photo
Susan Cain

Susan Cain and the Phenomenon of Passing As An Extrovert

Susan Cain Profile Photo
Susan Cain

Susan Cain: Diversity and Inclusion Should Include Temperament

Susan Cain Profile Photo
Susan Cain

How to Unleash the Power of Quiet, Effective Leaders

Susan Cain’s Speech Topics

  • 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.

What other organizations say about Susan Cain

I cannot underscore what a terrific job you did with your talk and how much of a pleasure it was to have the opportunity to meet you in person. You have outlined an immensely important issue when it comes to promoting more effective personal relations and business success and we are in your debt for both discovering it and then marshalling such passionate and persuasive arguments for why the issue matters. Thank you as well for being willing to sign all the copies of your book that you did.

Universities & Colleges

What other organizations say about Susan Cain

Your talk was remarkable. People loved it. You have the incredible and rare capacity to be 100% human and authentic; 100% interesting; and 100% entertaining. Many I spoke to described it as the highlight of the conference.

Universities & Colleges

What other organizations say about Susan Cain

THANK YOU again for the fabulous presentation at the J&J CDTL leadership forum. You received very positive feedback from the group, and [everyone] in the audience felt it was very instructive and impactful. I know many were still talking about it as we finished the day, and I have no doubt [they] will try to take their learning to [their] practice moving forward.

Health Care

What other organizations say about Susan Cain

After spending all day yesterday basking in the glow of that marvelous event Tuesday night, I just wanted to send you a personal note thanking you for making the entire event so fascinating and inspiring for so many people. We have received an enormous amount of feedback from the over four hundred people who attended the event indicating that it was the most interesting and inspiring lecture that they have attended in a very long time. Your ability to connect with an audience in a very personal way while imparting fascinating information about all of us is indeed unique. We are proud as an organization to have brought such an interesting and inspiring speaker to our community. Your talk will resonate in the educational community in the Washington, D.C. area for a long time to come.

Non-Profit

What other organizations say about Susan Cain

Within minutes, Susan Cain became one of my favorite speakers of all time. From the moment she stepped onto the WorkHuman stage, she displayed an undeniable range of knowledge, clarity, authenticity, and warmth. Best of all, she was the same in-person. No surprise, the feedback from our attendees was off the charts. I cannot recommend Susan highly enough and can’t wait to have her back at WorkHuman!

Technology

What other organizations say about Susan Cain

You are an excellent speaker and your event was a huge success! You make it look so easy. You were our most well attended Bing Signature Speaker to date.

Technology

What other organizations say about Susan Cain

You were a huge hit! You’ve been cited by many, many people as their favorite session and I hope you enjoyed being with us as much as we enjoyed having you there and learning from you.

Publishing

Works by Susan Cain

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