Content: the power of effective speakers

Susan Cain is the author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. It is a world filled with perils, she says, including "the terrible pressure to entertain, to sell ourselves and to never be visibly anxious."

As she explains in a New York Times essay, the success of her book led to an invitation to address the TED Conference, a prominent forum promoting "Ideas Worth Spreading."

Terrified at the prospect, Cain consulted "experts." One gave her breathing exercises and tried to lower her voice. Another told her to smile when she felt tense. In the end, she talked about performance itself and how hard it is for an introvert in an extroverted culture. She drew a standing ovation, she was told, being "too numb" to remember the moment herself.

Do you know what I think? I think Susan Cain concentrated on her message so completely that she forgot about her breathing, the pitch of her voice or her nervousness. Whatever tension she did have just gave her the energy one needs for a dynamic presentation.

Now, what have I been saying?