The TED talk was given by Susan Cain, who is the researcher of introvert psychology. Prior to the speech, a book had been published that contained her recap of scientific evidence and practical recommendations for shy people. The book had been widely successful and served as a justification for her appearance on the stage. Both the book and the TED talk shared the same name – “The Power of Introverts”.
The main point Cain was conveying is that the American society places excessive praise on outgoing communication skills and extroverted personalities. This paradigm forces introverted people to feel inadequate and shameful. Being forced to conform to the mainstream behavior, introverts reject an important part of their identity. At the same time, the world needs both personality types, as introverts have unique abilities and their characteristics should be respected and encouraged.
The speaker does not rely on visual aids to accentuate her points. Instead, her primary methods of holding attention are voiceplay, frequent jokes, and gestures. Over the course of the talk, Cain uses examples to prove her main idea. For instance, she points to famous historic figures who were introverts (Cain, 2012, 6:52). On several occasions, she clarifies the meaning of some of the terms. She also uses explanations to help the audience understand some ideas.
The overall speech follows a solid presentation structure, although Cain does not preview the content. At the beginning, she uses an attention getter – her memory of summer camp, while in the end, she finishes with an effective conclusion – the reveal of her bag’s insides. Cain acknowledges the audience via numerous comedic remarks. She is dynamic and manages to maintain eye contact with the entire audience. Her apparel is strict and simple – she wears a black dress, which does not divert attention from the speech.
Reference
Cain, S. (2012). The power of introverts[Video]. TED.