Dr. Marti Olsen Laney is well qualified to write this book since she herself is introverted. According to her research only about 25% of us are introverted. I am not one of those people. My purpose in reading the book was to gain a greater appreciation for those who are and to learn to relate to introverts in a more effective manner.
The book includes a quickie quiz to help you determine if you are an introvert. For instance introverts…
Prefer to relax alone with a few close friends
Consider only deep relationships as friends
Appear calm, self contained and like to observe
Don’t like feeling rushed
Tend to think before they speak
There is a much more extensive self assessment in the book as well.
Part of the reason Dr. Olson wrote this book is to clear up some misconceptions about introverts. For instance, we often think of introverts as being unsociable. The fact is they are very sociable but in a different way. They prefer close friendships and deep conversations over chit chat.
Introverts will discover that they are in good company. Abraham Lincoln, Michael Jordan, Thomas Edison, Laura Bush, Bill Gates, Harrison Ford, and Diane Sawyer are just a few of the famous introverts.
I enjoyed reading The Introvert Advantage. I can truly say that it helped me reach my intended goal of learning more about introverts and how to relate to them.