Dyslexia : The Key To UK Success

As this is my first column in the magazine, I thought it wise to introduce myself, explain why I’m here writing and what the future of the column looks like.

I look at dyslexia in a very different way than most and I’ll be sharing my understanding, experience & any interesting information or things I have discovered.

Firstly it is an honour to be writing for dyslexiamagazine.com and more importantly, you are taking the time to read what I’ve written.

I did not discover that I was dyslexic until I was 44 so late compared to a lot of people. I always get asked why did it take so long to find out and have a diagnostic of the condition. The explanation is simple, I coped with it I subconsciously adapted and put systems in place. I presumed like a lot of dyslexics that I was just not as intelligent as everyone else, maybe I was a little bit thick. I find this feeling very normal in dyslexics and more importantly in the rest of the populous, people pick up on differences.

My initial career path was in roles that did not involve a lot of writing, they were physical or number based something I don’t have an issue with. So I had gravitated to where I felt comfortable, not where I should have been but where my skills and abilities served me well. What I did do was put 100% into everything I ever did for an employer, that got noticed, someone saw a sparkle and I began to focus on progression and roles I only dreamed I could achieve, because they were for the intelligent people after all (that’s laughable now).

So after years of hard work, training and application, I found myself in senior roles in global organisations, managing large teams of people responsible for multi-million pound businesses.  My core skill and ability were

1. Leading teams
2. Encouraging continual improvement & innovation
3. Understanding Data to get to a solution

These skills are vital in competitive markets where efficiency is the basis for success and business growth. I was still not having to write a lot, did not need to, getting idea’s across face to face or in diagrams and using analogies really works. Like most dyslexics that discover the condition later in life, its normally due to a change in career that involves more written communication. I had to complete a load of reports, weekly and monthly to the directors and board on the operations effectiveness. You guessed it I got it wrong, missed words out or used the wrong word’s, some that are similar e.g where in place of were. Reading back checking I still did not notice, in simple terms, my brain knew what I wanted to write and saw it on the page, it filled in the blank spaces (sound familiar).

Still not thinking I was dyslexic it made me increasingly frustrated and increasingly less confident and confused. I got tested in 2010 and sure enough, I was diagnosed with dyslexia, it was a friend who suggested it. The Diagnosis was a very liberating and emotional experience, I now knew I was not stupid and the diagnosis explained who I was, why I had done things I had and why I felt less worth than others.

This is where my life radically changed, at 44 I quit my role, started my business, Duggystone, then chose to complete a Masters Degree at Coventry University. I know it’s totally bonkers thing to do, the rationale for these what most would say made absolutely no sense (remember I was giving up a highly paid job with health care, pension & company car, to nothing). I was fortunate my wife supported me and chose to switch her plans to provide for the family whilst I took a complete change of direction.

I will be eternally grateful to her for that.

My reason for doing what I did was simple, I had experienced first hand what a lot of other people were experiencing and like me probably unaware and living life feeling less worthy than everyone else and even worse than that not being their true self and maximising their abilities and opportunities. The general public, education and employers have a misconception of the condition the abilities of the individuals. It’s a misguided paradigm that focuses on the negative, in some cases is dismissed as even being a real “thing” even though since it first being noted back in the 1800’s stacks of research, books, data and exceptional individuals who are dyslexic.  My view is very simple,15% of the population are not aligned to the other 85%, so education, systems, assessment for jobs, are based to fit the majority. We hold in high regard academic ability and all our systems in education and in the corporate world are controlled and written by academics.
My mission therefore since 2010 has been a simple one and my mantra is until it’s completed

“To Change the Perception of Dyslexia In the UK”… let’s start with the UK.

It’s not been an easy road or path to follow but I don’t ask for an easy path I ask for the strength and determination to succeed.

How am I doing this you may ask well I take every opportunity to educate and give my points to that end.be I used my experience, my research “Are Dyslexics Predisposed Entrepreneurs”  to conduct the following activities.

1. A Presenter on Radio Warwickshire
2. Podcaster
3. Public speaker
4. A columnist for this magazine

If you had told me in 2009 I would have been doing what I am now I would have laughed.

My views on dyslexia are, it is classified as a disability it is also classified as a learning difficulty.I say NO stop it please stop it this is so negative, what it is saying simply is

“Dyslexics are not like the majority”

I will challenge anyone to change their thinking, look through different lenses at dyslexia as a positive. Dyslexics generally have amazing positive skills, They make great leaders, problem solvers, innovators, have empathy for others and basically see the world differently.

This is why over 30% of entrepreneurs are dyslexic, they make perfect business owners, seeking out new ways of doing things, new product and service.

It is my belief in the current global markets, Brexit and other changes across the world, there is a need for more UK-based innovative companies, dyslexic people that are classed as disabled yet may just hold the key and ability to enable the UK to prosper in an ever-changing world.

I’ll be bringing you more information more views and my sole aim is to help dyslexics to have self-belief and for non-dyslexics to understand us and the condition more.

Ill leave you with my 3 top tips for dyslexic individuals

1. Use technology, dyslexics can forget let’s say appointment, so use a smartphone to update appointments in a calendar and importantly get these to alert prior to the time or date.
2. Find a quiet place to work on important things, because dyslexics struggle to concentrate if disturbed or work in noisy environments.
3. Ask for help, I know that I will have made mistakes in this document, so I’ll get someone to proofread it for me (perception again if it’s wrong people may think I am not intelligent). So a massive shout out to my dad John Pickstone for stepping up and doing this for me.

I hope you enjoyed the read I appreciate you taking the time to read it through. If you want to connect or give me feedback (not spelling error’s though !) go to my website www.duggystone.com and fill out a contact form and I’ll reply as soon as I can.

Till next time

International Dyslexic Superhero!