I absolutely loved reading Quiet: The power of introverts in a world that can’t stop talking by Susan Cain. It is definitely one of the best books I have read in a long time. It is well evidenced, well argued, very thought provoking and taught me a lot about myself and how the way we organise work does, or does not, get the most out of people.

It spends quite some time describing the characteristics of introverts and I frequently found it was describing me precisely. Traits I had felt feintly ashamed or embarrassed about were explained, and it was very good to know that they weren’t just one off quirks of my own personality but went deeper than that.

The author describes her guilt in declining dinner invitations in favour of a good book, which reminded me of the times I have sneaked home at 10.30pm from the pub to have a couple of hours reading before going to sleep. Introverts like me prefer to devote social energies to close friends, colleagues and family, and whilst they enjoy parties, after a while wish they were home in their pyjamas. It explained my aversion to small talk whilst I enjoy deep conversations, and the fact that it’s easier hosting a party than being a guest – you’re at the centre without the pressure of having to be personally entertaining.

Like other introverts, I recharge my batteries by being alone, in contrast to extroverts who will recharge batteries by socialising. It explains how people differ in the level of outside stimulation they need to function well.

Whilst introverts are capable of acting like extroverts for work they consider important, people they love and anything they value highly, ‘behavioural leakage’ means that their true selves leak out through unconscious body language. It also means they need to create ‘restorative niches’, which explained my need to live somewhere peaceful and quiet so after the stimulation of a day at work in London I can now come home to trees and hills.

But what does all of this mean for the workplace? It was great to stop feeling shifty about not being an extrovert and to be reminded of the benefits introverts bring to the world of work. Introverts are great thinkers, are good at complex, focused problem solving, and, when they can focus on one task at a time, have mighty powers of concentration.

But being with people all day can be an effort. Solitude is key to creativity and there is a need for privacy and autonomy at work. All that is a bit of a problem in the context of huge warehouse like open-plan office spaces. I was not surprised to read that open-plan offices have been found to reduce productivity and impair memory. They have higher staff turnover, make people ill, insecure, hostile and unmotivated.

Being interrupted is one of the biggest barriers to productivity and is certainly one of the most frustrating things I find when work is chunked up into half hour intervals where it’s hard to give much attention to anything in enough depth. Evidence shows that multitasking is actually a myth – it’s actually switching back and forward between multiple tasks – reducing productivity and increasing mistakes.

Thankfully, some organisations are starting to understand the value of silence and solitude and are creating flexible open plans which offer a mix of solo workspaces, quiet zones, casual meeting spaces, cafes, reading rooms and places to chat casually without interrupting others. I have to say that sounds amazing and I would love to work in an environment like that, that gets the most out of its staff whether they are extroverts or introverts.

But for me the most comforting thing of all is that it turns out that introverted leaders are more effective in getting the most out of proactive employees. This makes sense as their willingness to listen to others and lack of interest in dominating social situations means that they are more likely to hear and implement ideas. This virtuous circle means that as introverted managers benefit from the talents of their teams they again motivate them to be more proactive.

Whether you are personally an introvert or an extrovert you need to think about whether those you manage are introverts, whether you and your partner (or you and your friends or family) are the same or different in this regard, and what that means for how best to interact with them. So anyone who has family, friends, is in a relationship, or has a job really needs to read this book!