Fb's Steve Hatch on dyslexia and variety of ideas
We have come a long way since the term dyslexia was coined over 130 years ago by Rudolf Berlin, a German ophthalmologist and professor who observed some of his patients' difficulties reading when they had no problems with their eyesight.
Today the NHS estimates that at least one in ten of us has dyslexia. It is defined as a genetic difference that affects an individual's ability to learn and process information. This means that he usually struggles with tasks like reading and spelling, but excels at problem solving and communication. Despite great advances in our understanding of the condition, there is still a stigma attached to it as many people go undiagnosed in school or feel unable to discuss it in the workplace.
Growing up in Hampshire in the 80s, Steve Hatch was one of the lucky people who was diagnosed with dyslexia fairly early on, but that didn't mean things were easy for him during his school days. "As with many things, small gaps can turn into very large gaps over time if there isn't an early correction step," he says. “While my reading ability was always quite strong, my writing ability wasn't and over time it created quite a barrier that, to be honest, I really don't face, and that meant I found school a struggle. ”
Realizing his strengths lay in creativity and communication, Hatch pursued a career in advertising after graduating from high school. He started as a trainee account manager at a regional agency in 1988 before eventually working his way up to CEO of MEC (which has since partnered with Maxus to form Wavemaker). He was named Regional Director of Facebook in the UK and Ireland in 2013 before being promoted to his current position as Vice President of Northern Europe in 2016.
I'm very proud to be dyslexic – I'd say in the right context it's a real superpower