As the CEO of one of the world’s most valuable companies, John Chambers of Cisco not intend to ever share the fact that he had a learning disability growing up.
But his attitude changed during an event for Take Your Children to Work Day. Chambers was speaking to about 500 employees and their kids when a young girl raised her hand to ask a question. She was unable to get the words out and broke down into tears. Chambers walked off the stage to talk to her. She told the powerful CEO that she had dyslexia.
“I was immediately transported back to that classroom in West Virginia,” Chambers recalls. “My heart went out to her. When she tearfully stammered that she had a learning disability, I told her that I did, too.” Chambers then told the girl that he used to have problems asking questions. He also explained how he learned to manage dyslexia.
Chambers didn’t realize his wireless microphone was still on as he was talking to the girl. He had inadvertently revealed his secret to the company and the world. He wondered, Had he shared too much?
When Chambers returned home that evening, he had several dozen voice messages and emails from employees who wanted to thank him for sharing his story. They told Chambers that he had inspired and connected with them in a way he never had before. John Chambers had learned “the power of admitting my vulnerabilities and sharing my own story.”
As Chambers began to talk about dyslexia more openly, he realized that what he had perceived as a weakness was actually the source of his greatest strength. In a world of increasing complexity, his brain was wired to visualize vast amounts of data, draw connections at a faster pace and see around corners that would help Cisco survive and thrive through five significant economic downturns and market transitions.
** Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2018/12/13/how-ciscos-former-ceo-turned-a-secret-disability-into-his-greatest-strength/#1bddeb6763ac
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