You are in Control of Your Own Story

Yesterday I got told that my year was "scrambled".

"What does that mean"? I said.

(Being autistic, one of my favourite breakfasts vividly flashed through my mind... but I know by now that I need to check-in what others mean.)

It appears that being scrambled, means non-focused, dis-organised, muddled.

The irony...

To my autistic mind, "focus", "organisation", "structure", "clarity" are words of joy.

Roughly a year ago, I got my new role as Accessibility Go To Market Manager at Microsoft. This was a brand-new role and I am still pretty much the only person with such a role at Microsoft.

Autistically, I have to re-write... I was not "given" this role. I earned and deserved it.

Very rapidly, people were telling me what I was supposed to do.

I have noticed that neuro-majorities like doing that, and then as a neuro-minority, you are left with figuring out not just what they mean... but more importantly why... Because sometimes, let's face it... there are many motives.

Again... knowing that

if you do not define what your own story is going to be... others are going to write it for you...

Defining my "arena"... My role needed to have meaning and purpose.

Accessibility has no purpose or meaning, if it does not bridge the disability divide.

OK, done. What does that mean?

3 focus areas:

Technology. Connecting us with the field to ensure that our technology is accessible by design (and where it could be improved)

Talent Development. There are so many divides in this area, starting with the lack of awareness of how technology can help remove some of the many barriers people with disabilities face.

Workplace Culture. Possibly one of the key barriers that people with disabilities face. If we do not get that one right, we will fail.

You are my audience. Whether you have seen me addressing this or not... I know that I have.

Via LinkedIn alone, I have connected about technology and accessibility with millions of people. I was part of the Department of Work and Pension collaboration, training thousands of work-coaches on accessibility fundamentals. I presented on our journey and created a pack to help employers go through their journey of disability confidence.

There is more... but that is not the story today. I am not defending myself here,

I will get to the end of my life knowing that I have shown up in my arena.

I am the author of my story. We are the authors of our stories.

In the arena, the seats will be filled with

• SHAME. "You are not enough" or "Who do you think you are?"
• SCARCITY. "What am I doing that is original? What am I contributing?"
• COMPARISON.

These are reserved seats, and so they should, because

Vulnerability is key to creativity

and by all means...

(critics) be there. I see you, I hear you, and I am going to show up anyway.

I defined how I am writing my story.

There is also a great seat for you:

Be that person who loves us despite the imperfections, who cleans us up and values us for our courage and creativity, knowing and encouraging us, that we are going to go back in the arena and write the story.