A Catalyst in a World of Talkers

By Mary Naughton

Each year in spring, following the previous fall semester, Phi Theta Kappa International hosts an event for members with special guest speakers discussing various informative and motivational topics, this event is called Catalyst. Catalyst follows the culmination of the collective hard work and effort of a research topic which is put forth and presented at the regional conference. At catalyst, there will be over ,000 honors students coming from other states and countries with the opportunity to meet and discuss successes and obstacles that were encountered during their extensive research projects.

At PTK Catalyst, one guest speaker I am particularly excited to hear from is Susan Cain. Susan Cain, former lawyer and negotiations consultant switched gears to become a writer. Widely known for her book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, Cain focuses on the important traits and abilities of introverts which are frequently overlooked. In addition, Cain co-founded “Quiet Revolution”, a company which seeks to inform parents and educators on advocating for and reaching out to introverted children. There is even a discussion on introversion in the workplace. The overall message that is clear informs readers of the valuable contributions made by introverts and how you can use these skills at work and in life. For extroverts, you will learn how to reach out and connect with your introverted peers or family members. Introverts are frequently overlooked especially in the presence of extroverts, though there is no shortage of value that they bring, the focus is on listening carefully to these “quiet” friends and colleagues and not overlooking them or their value. 

As a self-proclaimed extrovert, I found it very easy to strike up a conversation with anyone. Though, I know for a large number of people that’s not the case at all, in fact for many introverts time spent in solitude helps them re-energize. I would love to learn more about introverts and how I can learn to pick up on cues, or engage in conversations in a way that encourages introverts to share their views and ideas. I am excited to learn about what Susan Cain will share, hopefully some experiences she’s had interacting with extroverts and how we extroverts can stop filling in conversation gaps and step back and listen to our more quiet introvert friends, family members, and colleagues.