When The Pictures Don’t Line Up

A guide for managers with team members with learning differences

She was so great in the interview
Clients love him
She’s a great manager
He’s going to run the company one day
 
But…
 
His time management is lacking
She makes careless error
He can’t seem to focus
 
If this sounds like one of your team members, you’ve probably wondered if they’re just lazy or disorganized. But if their performance and perceived intelligence don’t line up, they could have an undisclosed learning difference.

 

Learning differences are neurologically based processing differences that, at a fundamental level, interfere with the development of skills such as reading, writing and math. Adults with learning differences can experience challenges with higher-level skills such as organization, time planning, abstract reasoning, long or short-term memory and attention.
 
While considerably studied in early childhood education, learning differences have not been adequately examined in adulthood, especially in the workplace.
 
As a manager, it is essential to understand how to work with employees with learning differences to maximize their value on your team and avoid assumptions of laziness or a lack of motivation.

A study of 300 business leaders found that 40 percent of them self-identified as dyslexic. This is four times the rate of the general population. This study is one of many that highlight the connection between learning differences and financial success. Some examples include Corcoran Group founder Barbra Corcoran, business magnate Richard Branson, Ikea founder Ingvar Kamprad and Charles Schwab. 
 
While learning differences do pose specific challenges, generally, those with learning differences have above average emotional intelligence, which makes these individuals  great at managing others and establishing a sense of interconnectedness at the office. Your team members with learning differences may also have a knack for creativity, big ideas and narrative reasoning.

As a manager, you may find that your team members with learning differences need accommodations that others don’t – and you may be surprised to learn how simple and inexpensive many accommodations are.
 
These tools will not only help those who need the extra support, but can benefit all team members. Once they are in place, you will find that your team will operate more effectively and efficiently.
 
Simple accommodations are:
 

 
Learning differences are often referred to as “hidden disabilities” because they are not readily apparent and can be misinterpreted as laziness or a lack of motivation. If you are a manager with a team member who is displaying significant strengths in specific areas, but not others, it’s important to have an open dialogue about a path forward. When managers and employees work together to capitalize on strengths and provide accommodations for differences, both the company and the individual prospers.