Leadership Focus: ABILITIES not Disabilities!

Part 1 of a 3 part Leadership Focus series.

Being a parent to two boys with developmental disabilities has given me first hand experience to many amazing talents and the superior intelligence they both possess. One thing that always sticks out in my mind is how often people are unaware that autism is not an intellectual disorder. On the contrary, individuals on the autism spectrum have historically been some of our greatest thinkers and innovators.

Let me give you an example of the breathtaking intellect I am privy to on a daily basis:

The Ninjago Episode

My step-son, 10, loves “Ninjago.” If you have a 10- year-old boy, you know what I speak of. So, in search of a way to interact with my son that engages him, I decided to propose him the following activity: “How about we film our own versions of Ninjago episodes using your own Lego sets?” “Sure!” he quickly replied.

The arrangement was, I film while he moved the Lego pieces, produced the sound effects and did the ‘voice-over’ of the characters. So, he gets out all of his Ninjago Lego pieces and “Action!” We begin filming. Well as I am filming, my son makes all of his own sound effects, and I begin to notice that his dialogue (the script) between the Lego pieces had context and meaning to it.

So, I say “cut.” And ask him, “Did you write this script?” and he replied, “No, I memorized the dialogue from the cartoon.” Oh okay, so, skeptical of his claim, I later review my video of the episode we filmed and watched the episode of Ninjago he claimed to have had memorized, and….. after comparing the two, I sat there, thinking, “My God, he did memorize every single word, expression, sound effect, and movement of the Lego pieces.

We filmed a second episode, and again, virtually a 10 year old carbon copy of the Ninjago episode.

Disability or Ability?

This ‘ability’ may be rare you might think. Perhaps it’s one of those stories you have seen on “Ripley’s” or even Discovery Channel. The reality is that this is more common and has been more common throughout our history than most are aware of. How many of you have seen “A Beautiful Mind?” If you have, how many of you knew that story before the movie came out?

Our society, has shaped our frame of thought about disabilities in a way that the very utterance of that word paints images of wheel chairs, crutches, and physical ailments, and leads our hearts down a path of sorrow and despair. How can we focus on one’s abilities when our minds and hearts are bombarded by images and emotions to the contrary?

The leadership, in both the private and public sectors have a responsibility to inaugurate a paradigm shift in thought, reaction and most importantly, engagement with persons with disabilities. HOW?

Picasso Einstein has put together 5 steps for Leaders in identifying a refreshed view of ‘abilities.’

How do You Define “ABILITIES?”

If everyone were to adhere to a strict abidance to our generic definition of abilities, Jon Nash (The subject of “A Beautiful Mind.”) would have been quickly placed in confinement based on his ‘disabilities.’ Instead he enjoyed the free reign of midnight blackboard scribbles at Princeton University. Nash’s psycho-social challenges were no doubt worrisome to all those around him, and those who loved him the most. But many chose to focus on his abilities, and love him through his disabilities (if you will). Thanks to those people, we have the gift of the Nash Equilibrium that impacts our lives today through the Stock Exchange.

So, back to the question; how do you define abilities? Is it empirically tied to one’s ability to function socially? Or is your definition of abilities detached from the nuances of individuality and focused on what one can offer, and less focused on what one cannot?

Picasso Einstein’s Definition:

ABILITIES (U-bi-li-tees) – Performance potential based on internal, external and environmental factors that have been molded to lend themselves to the exploration of possibilities instead of limitations.

“Gauge the Engagement” | How do You Gauge “ABILITIES?”

First and foremost, engaging anyone in ways you are not familiar with or accustomed to, is in itself a challenge. I work often with at-risk youth as well, and the engagement approach is quite customized and acute. Demographics such as, ethnicity, culture, economy, age, gender, and environments play a role in one’s ability to engage, and ability to be engaged.

So, engaging ones’ abilities cannot be defined by simply asking, “What can you do?” Why not? Because individuals, internally, place limitations on their own abilities, so therefore, the answer to that question in itself will be subjective (skewed if you will).

When engaging persons with disabilities here are a few questions I like to ask, in the order that it is listed. This will assist you in properly and accurately ‘gauging the engagement.’

• Tell me four things you love to do?

How often do you do the things you love? And with whom?

• Tell me two things you hate to do?
• Do you ever do things you hate to do? Give me an example when? Why?
• What things would you say, are things you will never be able to do?
• What things do you say you can’t do now, but aspire to do one day?

Questions to Identify 5 KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators):

1. Motivation

• What excites him/her and leads to performance?
• What qualities of an activity engage his/her interest?
• How does he/she engage with others?

2. Deterrents

• What disengages performance?
• What qualities of activities dilute interest?
• What qualities about others disengage performance?

3. Self-perceived abilities

• Abilities as obstacles (what things can never be done)
• Abilities as empowerment (what things have the possibility of being done now or near future)
• Abilities on-demand (what things are done on ‘need’ basis only)

4. Self-perceived limitations

• Insight on his/her perception of own disabilities
• Reasons why some disabilities seem insurmountable
• Reasons why some disabilities seem conquerable

5. Support systems

• Where/when/how does the person perform the most?
• Where/when/how does the person perform the least?
• With whom does the person perform the most/least?

These first two steps will help you begin your journey towards a true engagement of abilities, and a distancing from the emphasis on ones’ disabilities. In Part 2, I will discuss “What Performance means to a person with disabilities” & “When Independence drives, abilities get in the driver’s seat.”

- See more at: http://www.aboutleaders.com/leadership-focus-abilities-not-disabilities/#sthash.b1iv0P4b.dpuf