Dyslexia is my strength
Understanding Dyslexia
Dyslexia is usually defined as a learning disability that affects people’s reading and spelling skills. And while it is definitely that, it is also so much more. Usually, a dyslexic cognitive profile is more uneven compared to a neurotypical cognitive profile. It is literally a different way of the brain processing information and an entirely different way of thinking.
As a result, dyslexic individuals generally find spelling, reading, and memorizing facts challenging and have particular strengths in creative thinking, problem-solving, and communication.
For neurodiversity week, I hope that we can get people to see the positive side of dyslexia!
Changing the Dyslexia Narrative
Traditional benchmarking disadvantages dyslexics, measuring them against the very things they find challenging. It is not the dyslexic's brain that makes it disabled but rather, the expectations we have towards a normal brain. As a result, I hated school. It was filled with one failure and embarrassment after another. Not being able to rely on my brain to keep up with the others in my class lead to low confidence & self-worth and worst of all — thinking I was just stupid.
As I was diagnosed relatively early (at the age of 11) I was rather lucky and got the support I needed to get through school. The further I got academically, the less of a role my spelling played. I was able to get a first-class honors degree in civil engineering, something that seemed impossible when we were unsure if I would even make it through high school.
Many dyslexic children don’t get that lucky and end up giving up on an academy path because of the huge obstacles traditional school systems put in their way. They lose out on reaching their full potential and contributing to the world. And worst of all, they live their whole life feeling like a failure.
So I would like to take this opportunity to highlight some of the strengths of a dyslexia mind and encourage everyone to look out for these strengths that come with this so-called weakness.
- Connecting: Dyslexics have a natural ability to understand self and connect, empathize, and influence others
- Exploring: Being curious and exploratory is a common trait amongst those with dyslexia
- Imagining: Giving ideas a new spin or fresh perspective is another frequent practice of dyslexics
- Communicating: Dyslexics excel at crafting and conveying clear and engaging messages
- Reasoning: Understanding patterns, evaluating possibilities, and making decisions are a strength of dyslexics
Respecting Neurodiversity in Work and Life
Society has put the needs and expectations of neurotypical individuals above the rest for as long as we know, assuming these norms worked for everyone. Now we know that is not the case and that between 30–40% of the population is neurodiverse. Therefore, it is crucial we do not assume everyone around us operates the same exact way.
To conclude, here are my top three tips to make your workplace more neurodiversity friendly and accommodating. While this information is only skimming the surface, I hope this provides a good starting point to ensure those around you are comfortable and respected.
- Be aware. Not necessarily of any specific neurological diagnosis, but of everyone's strengths and weaknesses. We all bring different skills to the table.
- Offer any needed adjustments to accommodate specific needs. Maybe it’s a little more time to read the information before starting to discuss it or not expecting people to take notes in public.
- Inform employees about workplace etiquette and build a culture that is not stuck in conventional performance expectations. A culture that sees and values neurodiversity.
- Be kind and be patient.
To learn more about dyslexia and neurodiversity, please visit https://www.neurodiversityhub.org/.
