Dyslexia: One Man's Story

Recently an acquaintance commented on the mind map that I was using while taking part in a group workshop."You dyslexics like those don’t you?" she said in a voice that carried around the room. Then, fearing she had blundered, she whispered, "Oh I’m sorry, they don’t know, do they?" But they did know because I had told them. Dyslexia is not a problem for me. On the contrary – unlike many potential employers and people with Dyslexia - I consider it a powerful asset, which has given me a unique insight and a set of capabilities and skills with which I have achieved success.Invariably, when initially diagnosed as having Dyslexia, people react by being:

• Relieved
• Angry
• Fearful
• Evangelistic
• Inadequate
• Frustrated
• Overloaded
• Stupid
• Ashamed

The perception of Dyslexia, which they and the population in general have, is frequently negative. This is continually reinforced by their failure to conform to traditional standards of reading and writing. For some people with Dyslexia, these ‘hang-ups’ prevent them from developing their true potential – we all know what they are, don’t we?

• Difficulty with reading
• Difficulty when reading large amounts
• Difficulty with organising
• Difficulty remembering instructions
• Difficulty with hidden meanings in conversation
• Difficulty coping with interruptions
• Difficulty with hand - writing and spelling
• Difficulty with grammar
• Difficulty with directions
• Difficulty with concentration

In short, DIFFICULTY with everything! Many employers also perceive Dyslexia as a barrier, which excludes or condemns individuals from a window of opportunity. While we should not try to underestimate the problems, to see Dyslexia purely in these terms is to deny its positive attributes. The many successful Dyslexics, who work in industry, commerce, academia and entertainment, exploit such attributes. So amongst both groups - people with Dyslexia and employers - attitudes need to be changed, if Dyslexia is ever to be recognised as a positive and creative force which can enhance both social and professional lives.

Take a look at this picture. It is a good example of how we perceive. What do you see, a young lady or an old one? The answer lies in the way you look at it. (If you look at the left of the picture you can see the young girl’s eye, look towards the middle of the bottom you can see the old lady’s chin)

The way we are perceived can mean the difference between obtaining employment and gaining promotion or not. In industry the perception by the public, of a company or product, is vital to its marketing success.

So to, is that of individuals in the employment market. So who is responsible? Principally, it has to be ourselves. People’s perception of us is based upon how we communicate. In other words how we market ourselves.

Successful marketing is about getting the right product, to the right place, at the right time and at the right price. Substitute ‘person’ for ‘product’ and we have a strategy for gaining employment and achieving promotion