Fortune Magazine Explores Dyslexia: An Unlikely Steppingstone to Success

By Joan Leotta

Since the 1930s, readers have come to rely on Fortune magazine for in-depth financial news. It may come as a surprise, then, that Fortune's editors chose to focus on company executives who grew up with dyslexia. Yet, as the 13 May cover story on "Overcoming Dyslexia" reveals, many of these executives report that their dyslexia, and the different worldview it provided, was actually a steppingstone to success.

Why Dyslexia in Fortune?

Betsy Morris, the Fortune staff writer responsible for the article, developed the idea based on her own experience with her son, who was diagnosed with dyslexia. This relatively common type of learning disability affects reading, spelling, and writing skills but can also interfere with mathematical abilities, auditory processing, organizational skills, and memory.

Seeking to encourage her son, Morris began to clip out articles on CEOs with any reference to dyslexia in their profiles. "Because of my interest, I built up quite a file," she reports. "And when I had a critical mass, I brought it forward as a story idea."

Fortune editors were very much in favor of the story. Says Executive Editor Joe Nocera, "We knew that this article, an uplifting story, would be a great role model story that would appeal to a wide audience, larger than our usual audience."

Morris notes, "We felt that by the time people [who have dyslexia] reach employers, they often have developed a lot of coping mechanisms." She maintains that an article such as hers could not only help others with dyslexia find positive role models, but also "raise the awareness of employers and the general public that people often . . . go about their work in different styles. This awareness that there may be many ways to do something and that sometimes it may be necessary to explain things in more than one way [is a critical lesson] for teachers and employers."

Unsought Spotlight

Finding executives willing to expose their experiences with dyslexia was not always easy. Some who supported the idea of the article but were hesitant to share their own stories instead provided referrals to other executives. Says Morris, "I think that they could feel instinctively where I was coming form and that I wanted this to be a positive article. Most eventually did talk with me—even some who were reluctant at first."

Charles Schwab, founder of the financial firm that bears his name, had already demonstrated extensive involvement in dyslexia awareness. He established a foundation that assists dyslexics to take advantage of their different brain wiring, helping to encourage their creativity and boost self-confidence. He also often speaks on dyslexia to groups of children and parents, and has received awards for this work.

However, John Chambers, Cisco Systems CEO, was one of those who were initially hesitant. "This is very painful to talk about, even today," says Chambers. "The only reason I am talking about it is 100% for the kids and their parents." As CEO, he says, "You don't want people to see your weaknesses."

Until about five years ago, Chambers kept his dyslexia a secret. But at a Cisco Bring Your Children to Work Day, a little girl prompted him to share his story. The girl was struggling to ask a question before a crowd of 500 kids and parents, but she couldn't get the words out. "I have a learning disability," she said tearfully. Right there on the stage, Chambers revealed his own struggle with the same condition.

Creativity: A Common Side Effect

As she researched the story for Fortune, Morris found that many of her interviewees attributed at least a part of their success to their ability to see the world in a distinctive way. When reading became too burdensome, they sought other ways to gather information. She found that, as a result of their condition, many had a creative spark, a skill at finding unique solutions to problems. For example, Bill Dreyer, an inventor and a biologist at Caltech, revealed that he thinks in vivid 3-D color pictures instead of words. He described his ability to see pictures in his mind of a machine he planned to build, although he could not describe it. "I had trouble explaining what I saw, so I simply built it," he said.

Overcoming Dyslexia

While there is no cure for dyslexia, people who overcome this condition develop successful coping mechanisms. For example, short and simple slide presentations, common to the boardroom, are a great communication tool for the dyslexic executive.

Individual attention and coaching seem to help children with dyslexia stay focused on learning. And, because dyslexics tend to interact with the world a bit differently than others, the condition provides parents an opportunity to celebrate their child's uniqueness. Of course, parents should always praise their children's individuality, but with dyslexics, Morris underscores that need and warns, "Prisons are full of folks who cannot read."

But with the proper encouragement, success can be achieved. Craig McCaw, a pioneer in the cellular communications industry and one of the executives profiled in the article, says, "People are either defeated by [dyslexia] or they become much more tenacious."

Article edited by Mary-Louise Piner.