The other day I came across this micro-post by Seth Godin, one of my favorite bloggers: Fast, easy, guaranteed. Pick none. That’s the work worth doing. Just ten words that say an incredible amount. He’s playing off, of course, the numerous ways and places that phrase – fast, easy, guaranteed – is used in the world of marketing. To talk about delivery service, or order fulfillment, or completing projects, or whatever. It’s become nearly ubiquitous as a desirable attribute that is intended to grab our attention and secure our business. But immediately after reminding us of this commonplace, Seth – no I don’t know him, but it...

We live in a world that seems tailored to extroverts – a world, that is, where the ability to connect with others easily, persuade others convincingly, and flourish in social settings regularly is of enormous value. As a result, introverts – essentially people who recharge and find energy from more solitary and contemplative pursuits rather than by interacting with groups of others – often feel overlooked and undervalued. Lately, however, more and more research shows that the world is changing and, with it, the value introverts may hold and influence they may exert in this new world. In particular, there is increasingly a great need...