Tiffany Sunday

Author | Poet | TEDx Presenter

Dyslexia

Announcing the Release of How Dyslexics Will Rule the Future by Tiffany Sunday

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Creativity is the Last Competitive Edge Against the Machines

Artificial intelligence and automation are transforming every aspect of our world. Tiffany Sunday’s, ground-breaking new book, How Dyslexics Will Rule the Future, asserts the last competitive edge against the machines is human creativity.

In the book, Sunday examines the impact of artificial intelligence and automation on employment, the global economy, and society. Sunday condenses research and dozens of interviews into a convincing narrative about the future of work and new job opportunities for creative, problem-solving professionals.

Advanced digital systems and platforms are creating a homogenous mindset. Companies are seeking professionals, who are dyslexic and neurodiverse, to utilize their natural problem-solving, spatial reasoning and pattern finding abilities. Many of the challenges encountered by individuals who think differently are mitigated by software applications and tech devices designed to assist with reading and writing. With all of these advances in technology, bias and obsolete perceptions remain in the workplace.

Sunday challenges readers to embrace a paradigm shift in a new way of thinking about neurodiversity and creativity while shattering the definition of literacy.

Filled with thought-provoking insights about AI and automation, workplace strategies, and lifestyle insights, this book is a must-read for dyslexic professionals, especially HR teams and hiring managers.

Do We Need Famous People to Generate Dyslexia Awareness?

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An email conversation was the inspiration for this post. A friend of mine in the U.K. is developing a presentation for dyslexia awareness week and including a slide about famous dyslexics.

In the past, the slide would have slipped by without a thought as I have included images of famous dyslexics in my presentations.

Today, was different.  I could not get past the slide as I thought about our presentations and how we include famous dyslexics to generate awareness.

We Need Everyone’s Voice

I am forever grateful for the famous individuals who have spoken about their dyslexia. Their voice was critically important five or ten years ago, to help build awareness. We needed them to educate the world about our intelligence, and that dyslexics could succeed.

Something was different today.  I kept thinking about all the dozens of professionals with dyslexia I have interviewed or who have sent emails asking for advice.

Conversations from conferences in the U.S. and U.K floated through my mind as I recalled their job success stories and workplace frustrations.

Everyday Dyslexics Are Heros

As I prepare for the release of my next book, How Dyslexics Will Rule the Future, I made a decision.  Starting today, I will talk about the unsung dyslexia heroes in their jobs. Oftentimes, these individuals develop on-the-fly workarounds, and adapt to the ever-changing work environment, while using their dyslexia talents to solve complex problems or create something new.

I think about the chemist who uses his visual-spatial skills to develop new methods for refining crude oil. The researcher, who utilizes her big-picture thinking to solve client problems. Or the micro-entrepreneur in Africa, who is starting a school for dyslexic students.  I think about my friend Skip Howard, who is a co-founder of Spacee, an amazing startup that designs spatial spaces.

There are millions of dyslexics, every day, in every profession, in every corner of the world, doing amazing work. Quietly, often without help and support.

Call to Action for All of Us

Keep these thoughts in mind as you write October Awareness blogs, articles, and social media posts.

As a community, let’s focus on our strengths, especially in the areas of creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking.  By 2020 these skills are projected to be ranked in the top ten most in-demand skills.

For educators, think about the future and incorporate innovative learning techniques and assistive technology to help all students with dyslexia.  Instead of fixing us, provide tools, software apps, and strategies to mitigate our dyslexia pain points.

Tips for Human Resource Team Members and Managers

Think about how you can support your dyslexic employees.  Generally, our request list is short, here are five of the most frequently mentioned accommodations.

  1. A laptop loaded with accessibility features including audio software to read documents or audio dictate text.
  2. Grammarly!! I’ve exchanged messages with one of the co-founders of Grammarly, and there are workarounds for using the software outside company firewalls.
  3. Quiet workspace with access to a whiteboard, table, and cube for folders.
  4. Unlimited supply of Post-It Notes, Sharpies, and journals.
  5. Mentor and support. It’s 2018; dyslexic employees should, without fear, be able to ask for tech and management support. (All employees should have the freedom to ask for support.)

October arrives in 19 days.  Let’s think about where we need to focus our efforts for driving change.

Our dyslexia roadblocks, challenges, and struggles make us stronger as we gain three of the most valued human traits – tenacity, perseverance, and determination. These traits cannot be taught.

Our talents, creativity, and different way of viewing the world is a competitive edge.  What defines us, is not our challenges.  Instead, I ask the world to define dyslexics by how we use our talents and strengths, each, and every day.

This post is dedicated to the global dyslexic community.

Tiffany Sunday Featured Interview on the Codpast

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This past April, I spoke at the British Dyslexia Association International Conference and met Sean Douglas the creator of The Codpast.  Sean and I discussed how the rapid acceleration of advanced technologies are creating new job opportunities for dyslexics.

The video created by Sean, Bitzy, and the CodPast team is amazing and summaries many aspects of my new book How Dyslexics Will Rule the Future. 

Again, a million thanks to Sean, Bitzy and the CodPast team!

Tiffany Sunday Speaking at 2018 British Dyslexia Association Conference in Telford, U.K. on April 14

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Tiffany SundayTiffany Sunday is presenting at the 2018 British Dyslexia Association International Conference in Telford, U.K. on Saturday, April 14, 2018.

The title of her presentation is How Dyslexics Will Rule the Future.

Tiffany will discuss the five strengths of dyslexia, how advanced technologies are creating new employment opportunities and career strategies for dyslexic students,  professionals, and corporate human resource managers.

Her talk is based on Tiffany’s upcoming new book How Dyslexics Will Rule the Future due out in Summer of 2018.

Tiffany frequently speaks at national conferences and conducts corporate workshops.

Why A Book Must Be On Everyone’s Holiday Gift List

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In case you are wondering, this is not a blog post listing the top ten business books to read for the holidays.  Nope, this post is different. It’s about the importance of stories and reading.

As an author, I am always asking people what books they like to read.  With two new books slated for publication in 2018, I need to know my market.

I can peg a person’s response to their facial expression.  It’s that frustrated look, “Why would I read a book now, I’m out of school.”  Or “Oh, she’s going to recommend another boring business book. Ugh.” Insert eye rolling emoji.

The majority of the responses all include, “I don’t have time to read because…” We spend hundreds of hours each week reading blog posts, text messages, FB posts etc.  Ironically, we read blog posts about which books successful people are reading.

The book list is unimportant.

What matters most is that these leaders schedule time to read.

The thought leaders, we admire, read a wide range of books including novels, history, biographies and business leadership.  All books contain stories even non-fiction which highlights case studies. We remember stories, we relate to stories, and use stories to help us navigate our jobs, personal relationships, challenges, and events in our lives.

Without these stories, we have a limited mental library to retrieve examples for guidance. Since the beginning of mankind, we’ve used stories to build communities, pass down information, and form bonds needed for survival.

Today is no different.  We need stories; we need this foundation.  Purchasing a book for yourself and everyone on your holiday list is important.

Reading is the gateway to society. If a child does not read by the age of seven, they are at risk of missing the gateway.  Once the opportunity passes, it is extremely difficult to gain access.

The ability read (insert assistive technology if needed to help with reading) is the second most important skill humans’ must possess.  The ability to communicate is first.

As you build your holiday shopping list, take the time to visit your local bookstore or Amazon.  Think about the stories you crave to read.  What problem are you mentally seeking to solve? Go to the library; walk through the quiet aisles glancing at the titles. What book catches your eye?

Better yet, go to the children’s section look at the stories.  Last month, I discovered while walking through Barnes and Noble – What Do You Do With An Idea by Kobi Yamada.  I absolutely love the book and believe everyone should read it.

Books, regardless how you read them are important, they provide us with a rich depth of stories that we use daily to solve problems.  Even non-fiction has a place because we gain knowledge and a different perspective.

Included in this post are images of the current books I am reading.  I will be stopping by Half Price Books and Barnes & Noble to purchase gifts.

Remember – reading by the fireplace is a great way to unplug and enjoy the holidays!

Why October Dyslexia Awareness Month is Important

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Dyslexia is invisible. 

We cannot see how the unique wiring impacts each individual nor can we see the brilliance that lies beneath the surface of misspelled words, word retrieval misfires, and slow reading times.

The invisibility creates a false sense of reality. On the surface, a student’s learning abilities may appear to be sufficient, when in fact the student is struggling in every class.  The student becomes increasing disengaged as they do not understand the material given to them nor can they complete their class assignments.

Being behind your peers, unable to read, write or spell, I believe is one of the most stressful feelings you can have as a student.  We receive questions and inquires on why our work is not completed.  We don’t know why; therefore, we are unable to provide an answer which only creates more frustration.

I remember, as if it was yesterday, being in second grade overwhelmed and frustrated.  I was two grade levels behind my peers and could barely spell the simplest of words. My handwriting was all over the page which compounded the problem.  Even to this day, I can recall the emotions I felt and how I knew at a gut level, something was wrong.

In third grade, my teacher was a graduate student obtaining her dyslexia/reading specialist certificate.  She recommended that I be tested for dyslexia. Finally, a name was given to my frustrations.  I was relieved to know it was not my fault.

Teachers and educators can profoundly change their students’ lives in many ways.  Every time, I write and speak on the topic of dyslexia, I mention to two teachers who forever changed my life – Mrs. King and Dr. Wakefield.  They understood the importance of testing students for dyslexia.

They Understood that Awareness is Everything for a Dyslexic Student. 

For millions of students and adults who are still undiagnosed, awareness is the difference between receiving help or not.  The difference between gaining the essential intervention that can help them achieve their full potential or a lifetime of frustration without ever knowing why.

Only when we have awareness can we solve a problem or assist a student who needs intervention and accommodations.  Without awareness and testing, students will continue to encounter learning challenges.

Dyslexia is unique in that it is invisible, brilliant, and frustrating all at the same time.  Digital tools designed for individuals with dyslexia help reduce many of the language processing frustrations we encounter every day.  I think about how much spell check has changed my life and provided an independence from constantly asking peers how to spell words.

Today, we have handheld devices that can read to us, check the dictionary meaning and scan notes.  We have access to multiple software programs that perform a range of tasks from checking for dyslexia mistakes to the audio dictation of reports, emails, and digital messages.  Each day new software and technologies are launched designed to help us.

We must have awareness first, testing second for progress to occur.

Only then, can these amazing technologies be used to their full potential and reduce the learning challenges encountered by dyslexics.  October is Dyslexia Awareness Month in the United States. Each and every day I work to increase the awareness, ensure all students are tested and receive the accommodations they need to reach their full potential.

This blog post also appeared on Scanning Pens.com website.