Global Entrepreneurship Week: why Dyslexic Thinking gives entrepreneurs the edge.
Kate Griggs
LinkedIn Top Voice | #DyslexicThinking Expert & Speaker | Made By Dyslexia Founder/CEO | Best Selling Author |Podcast Host @Lessons In Dyslexic Thinking | Instructor @ LinkedIn Learning & University of Dyslexic Thinking
It’s Global Entrepreneurship Week – a week where the world celebrates and empowers entrepreneurs in every country and community across the world.
Dyslexic Thinking, and the ability to think differently, has allowed dyslexic entrepreneurs to disrupt markets, solve problems and offer customers a better service in whatever industry they enter. Whether it’s Richard Branson offering customers a better way to fly Virgin , Ingvar Kamprad making affordable, well-designed, furniture available to all 宜家 or Barbara Corcoran disrupting the New York Real Estate market The Corcoran Group .
Last year, Dyslexic Thinking entered the dictionary as a noun, defined as:
This different way of thinking gives dyslexics a significant advantage when it comes to starting new businesses, creating new products or services, and building and leading teams.
40 per cent of self-made millionaires are dyslexic, according to research from the BBC. That’s certainly true on the BBC ’s flagship show for entrepreneurs, Dragon’s Den. In a previous series, 40 per cent of the panel were Made By Dyslexia: Peter Jones and Theo Paphitis . While on the show’s US counterpart, Shark Tank ABC , more than 50 per cent of the panel were Made By Dyslexia: Kevin O'Leary , Daymond John and Barbara Corcoran.
Many entrepreneurs find that while they struggled in the narrow confines of the classroom, they thrive in the real world, where their Dyslexic Thinking allows them to play to their strengths.
Watch Barbara Corcoran explain the freedom becoming an entrepreneur gave her, in our podcast ‘Lessons In Dyslexic Thinking’:
Making a Difference
Being an entrepreneur is not just about building a successful business and having financial success. Social entrepreneurs do amazing things to make the world a better place too. It’s this Dyslexic Thinking and entrepreneurial skill set that is helping me and my team to build Made By Dyslexia .
Plus, intrapreneurs, people with an entrepreneurial mindset who work within organisations, use their Dyslexic Thinking to push businesses forward, too.
So why do dyslexics make such good entrepreneurs?
Here are 5 reasons why dyslexics make great entrepreneurs:
1. Dyslexics think differently – the Dyslexic Thinking skill of Imagining
Dyslexic brains process information differently. We are naturally creative, good at problem solving and talented communicators. Our heightened abilities in areas like Visualisation and Reasoning skills alongside our natural entrepreneurial traits, bring a fresh and intuitive perspective. We use these skills to dream big, imagine new solutions and innovate in ways that others couldn’t conceive possible.
Watch Richard explain why imagination is key to building a business from scratch, from our podcast ‘Lessons In Dyslexic Thinking’:
Dyslexic minds may be restricted by our school system, where standardised testing creates standardised thinking. But in the world of business, where thinking differently gives you a competitive edge, we focus on our strengths and flourish.
That’s because creative thinking comes naturally to dyslexics. It helps us to approach old problems in new ways. Being unconventional in a same-same market helps us to disrupt industries and give customers an alternative.
And these skills are now highly valued in many other workplaces too. As AI evolves to take over many workplace tasks, it can’t replace the soft skills that every organisation needs like innovation, lateral thinking, complex problem solving and interpersonal skills – and these are Dyslexic Thinking skills.
2. Dyslexics see the bigger picture & keep it simple – the Dyslexic Thinking skill of Reasoning
There’s plenty of complexity in building your own business. However, dyslexics are brilliant at using their enhanced Reasoning skills to keep it simple.
This in turn can help them to be bold and act fast, capitalising on opportunity.
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Nick Jones, founder of Soho House & Co says:
As well as being able to simplify things, they have the ability to see the bigger picture and visualise how a product, project or business is going to come together, as Barbara Corcoran describes in our Lessons In Dyslexic Thinking podcast below:
3. Dyslexics are great explainers and storytellers – the Dyslexic Thinking skill of Communicating
While it may be hard to cope with mountains of paperwork, dyslexics have an enhanced ability to create clear messages, simplify the narrative and sell the vision.
IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad used his Dyslexic Thinking to create some interesting innovations. Take the unique names of IKEA’s furniture, for example. Having started IKEA as a mail-order sales business, his products were identified by individual codes. As many dyslexics would, he struggled to remember the numbers. So he decided to create a new system, naming each set of furniture after memorable Swedish names and places. The system has been used ever since and is renowned around the world.
Then consider the distinct assembly instructions for IKEA products. They are all pictures, no words. For a dyslexic who sees the world in a visual way, that makes perfect sense. It also became an iconic part of IKEA’s appeal.
4. Dyslexics are passionate and curious – the Dyslexic Thinking skill of Exploring
Dyslexics are curious and questioning, building businesses that are fuelled by our passion and curiosity. We explore ideas in an energetic and constant way. And when it comes to customer experience, we are often motivated to go the extra mile.
As Nick Jones, Founder and CEO of Soho House explains:
Dyslexics have a unique ability to explore and visualise outcomes, which can include multiple possibilities or multiple perspectives in business. They can imagine how a certain scenario will pan out, spot gaps and opportunities that others may miss.
5. Dyslexics are “people” people – the Dyslexic Thinking skill of Connecting
Another skill that sets dyslexic entrepreneurs apart is their ability to motivate, lead and inspire people. This is born out of our strong Connecting skills and heightened emotional intelligence.
Watch Barbara Corcoran explain why empathy is her secret weapon in our Lessons In Dyslexic Thinking podcast:
Being aware of our weaknesses and the need to focus on our strengths, we also become expert delegators.
Watch Richard Branson explain why surrounding yourself with great people is vital, in our Lessons In Dyslexic Thinking podcast:
By having this greater understanding of ourselves and others, we’re able to create brilliant teams to grow companies faster.
Dyslexic Thinking isn’t just a skill set that’s harnessed by entrepreneurs. Large-scale global organisations are realising that the skills that dyslexics are hard-wired with are the skills they can turbo-charge their businesses with. Which is why many feel NOW is the time to empower Dyslexic Thinking in their organisation.
It’s easy to create the conditions where Dyslexic Thinkers thrive when you learn how. That’s why we’ve created free training, which is available to every business, big and small, on LinkedIn Learning.
The training takes just 1 hour to complete and is available in 25 languages. In just 60 minutes, you can learn how to empower the Dyslexic Thinking skills that will move you and your business forward.
It will help every dyslexic to feel empowered to use their valuable Dyslexic Thinking skills, in their own business (as an entrepreneur), in an organisation (as an intrapreneur) and give tips on how to advocate for yourself. Plus, it will help employers to create a culture where Dyslexic Thinking and innovation thrives.
You can access it for free on the LinkedIn for Learning platform here: www.dhirubhai.net/learning/empowering-dyslexic-thinking-at-work
From overwhelmed to success: Ethical Entrepreneurs building business that are profitable, ethical, and aligned with who they truly are. Exponential Coach - Author - Speaker
1 年As a dyslexic all my life did struggled with academia, especially school. Still managed to get a Master's degree, though. No, as an Exponential Coach and entrepreneur I have found my freedom. Is my mission to help others. Thank you for sharing this article, and others. Truly immersive reading.
Founder / Inventor "I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” An Albert Einstein quote that best describes me,
1 年Professor Joe Little this will be of interest to you.
Better Tomorrow
1 年Great read
new methods and products to train for READING
1 年Awesome article, what can I say, thanks so very much for sharing!
Special Learning Needs Expert| Researcher| Doctoral Student| TRCN Certified
1 年Reading your article on #dyslexia, #dyslexicthinking and #entrepreneurs inspired me. Though, I am not dyslexic, I do advocacy on dyslexia due to my dyslexic daughter. Thank you for putting this together. Please, I have posted the unabridged version of the article on some of my social media. Thank you Kate Griggs for the well-thought article.