Dyslexic in Business

Ok so I am Dyslexic (incase you didn't realise!) and I am in business! (Derr)

So this is my account of the trubles and joys of be Dyslexic within businesses.

From school I went to colleage..... not the easyest thing to do for me....(at this point my dyslexia was bad I had a reading and writing age of 10 and 11).
I kept with the family theme of Engineering, and went to a general engineering course.

After 2 years I failed! No big surprise there, but I did lern a lot, I found that things like advanced maths, Micro electronics and CAD where my strong points and Material propertties, European studdies where not!

So I decided to get a job as education was not for me.

I got my first full time job as a timber delivery driver.
Well not the most enspiring job but it payed the bills....
After about 6 months I was looking for a career and not a job.
At this point the old Transport Manager had left, so I was offered the job.

Not quite knowing what it was about and how to do it, I gave it a go.
I fell into the roll very well, with the dyslexic trate behind me I could visulise how deliveries looked when loaded and where places are throughout the South East UK.

Deliveries wher ontime and sometimes early...

Things went well for the next 6 months, but I wanted more!

I felt that I needed some admin experiance behind me so I decided to get a more admin baced job....

I joined a civil engineering company responciable for maintaining the M25..... after 3 months of trying to get my head around doing paperwork I made my own system of dealing with paper work;
First thing in the morning I would check my emails... respond and action if nessasary.
Then I would see what I had left over from the last work day and finish it off.
I would then check to see if there was any new paper work.........

You get the idea! But I did have a check list printed out and sitting on my desk.

After a few months the dyslexic side cam out in me... I was not that intrested in doing the same thing day after day..... So after a talk with my Manager I was now incharge of the fleet vehicles.
An area which I know and love.

I did that job for 5 years!
But that being said, I was very good at it (I'm not big headded!) but as I strugle with words and putting them across correctly I was underminded and over looked my my new bosses.

Things started to slip and the questions and problems that where ment to be asked to me where asked to my boss who in turn asked me.

This really showed me that people do NOT really have an understanding of Dyslexia!
A lot of people assume it is just spelling.
*This is not the case, it's spelling, gramer, getting the right words for the contects, Confidence, speaking, and a lot more.

Speaking as someone who has struggled to get into business I constantly have to remind people about my dyslexia! and they just get annoyed when my dyslexia plays up.

It can be embarasing when you have to ask how to spell words, don't know what things mean etc... I even struggle with people's actencents.

But I think that if you have to say you are Dyslexic then you should explain a little more about your dyslexia and how it affects you!

Or if you speak to your HR department and get the people in your office a training session to explain more about Dyslexia and how it affects people in offices.

**You do NOT have to give your name**

But do remember, if you are Dyslexic you should not be discrimanated against it!
Also remember that these famous people are Dyslexic:
Tom Cruise
Orlando Bloom
Steve Jobs
Walt Disney
Thomas Edison
General George Patton
Keira Knightley
Leonardo da Vinci
Richard Branson
Henry Ford
Theo Paphitis

And my personal favorite
Eddie Izzard

Randon Car Talk

Ok, soooo....

Well as my profile says I'm into my cars in a big way!
Over the years I have had a real appreation for cars, I started out with a Austin Rover Metro 1.3
It was to say the least... Awesome! Such a fun car to drive. A very basic car but it handled well and it was comfy.
Then I moved over to the Austin Rover Mistro.... Urm.... it was Red! The only good bit about that car! Not worth the £100 :(

I went a little up market after that.... MK2 Astra 1.6 Yeh! another fun, fun car!
Very cheap plastic interior but it again handled well. I did put this car through it paces and it held well. There was a misterious rattle that, still to this day I have no idea what it was!

After that I had a Citroen ZX 1.4 it was GREEEEEN! :) A real comfy car... everything else was ok and passable. I did like the styling on it.... it was different without being ugly.

Not much change as I went into a Renault Megan.... nearly exactly the same as the ZX..... just Renault..... and immobiliser problems!

Then I had a sensiable streek and went for a MK2 Ford Mondeo 2.0 LX Saloon..... Wow! All I can say! Everything was thought about when they designed it.

I of corse went back to being a kid again and brought an Alfa Romeo 145 1.8T-Spark.....
Such a lovely nippy car, good acceleration. Handeling was ok.... not the best but not the worst.
BUT I am 6"1 and so I was too tall for it.

Now currently I have a Ford Cougar V6...... I am compleatly taken with this car.
Most bits where taken from the Mondeo MK2 ST23 (? I think ?) and make better!
The power down put is brilliant, the handeling is brilliant! Even more so now the wheels have been changed.

So, as I fell in love with the Cougar, I decided to join a Cougar forum..... Hmmm!!
I joined my first forum .net (not going to say the rest!)

There, as there are in the world, was a couple of idots on there which meant they split from the main forum...... I can see why, not worth the hassel..... but saying that there where a few good members.

So I joined another Cougar forum.... www.southcoastcougars.com
The members on there are such a community. Everyone is so friendly and helpful.
I have really got into the spirit of things and felt welcome.

Joing the Cougar forum about 9-10 months ago I am still on there posting away! But the Admin team decided to make me a Moderator.... Woo hoo!!

As a proper geek I love my car and most Fords, and so I am trying to orginise a meet for all the generations of the Cougar, the Capri and Probe.

We shall see how that gets on.....


Didz