Every Introvert Must Read This

Thanks to Susan Cain — author of Quiet and founder of the online organization The Quiet Revolution — nearly everyone is familiar with the terms "introvert" and "extrovert." (And if you're not sure where you fall on the spectrum, you can take a quiz on Cain's site.) Despite the hype introverts have gained over the past few years, Cain's writing hasn't fundamentally changed the fact that our modern workplace isn't always accommodating of them.

All offices are different, but there are a few things most people have to deal with at work on the regular —whether it's asking your boss for something (from time off to a raise) or handling conflict with a coworker. We talked with two experts about how to handle these more difficult conversations. Jennifer Kahnweiler is a certified speaking professional who works with introverts and has authored several books on the topic, including The Genius of Opposites: How Introverts and Extroverts Achieve Extraordinary Results Together, to be released this August. Jill Isenstadt is the head of coaching at Joyable, an app that provides evidence-based mental health resources for people with social anxiety.

Whether you identify as an introvert or are just trying to figure out how to handle some difficult workplace conversations, Isenstadt and Kahnweiler have great tips for getting through the most awkward moments. Having these chats might not get any easier, but at least you'll have the proper tools to prepare yourself for them.