Want to become an accountant? We cover everything you need to know about this diverse profession so you can take your first steps into the finance sector.
Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines neurodiversity as “individual differences in brain functioning regarded as normal variations within the human population.” The term might be a relatively recent arrival to the corporate world, but neurodivergent leaders are not. Consider Richard Branson, head of the sprawling multinational brand known as Virgin Group.
As a young student, Richard struggled to read because of his dyslexia, a condition that affects the brain’s ability to identify speech sounds and how they relate to the written word. Experts had studied the condition since the late 1800s, but their research hadn’t found its way into the school system. As a result, classmates and teachers tended to view dyslexic kids as dim-witted or lazy. Richard endured frequent beatings from his teachers for his “poor classwork.”
Richard’s dyslexia made for a challenging education, but he came to see his neurodivergence as a wellspring of paradigm-shifting ideas and business smarts. As a student, he managed by learning.