Turning an illness into an asset

From Carol Archer

Thank you for your note below concerning the genesis for e-ticketing. Mr. Evans account is accurate in the sense that he was literally the programmer, the code-writer. However, it was Morris Air President David Neeleman who created the idea, format and concept of what we know today as e-ticketing, singularly funded Open Skies and was its founder and CEO. Further, it could best be described that Mr. Neeleman directed Mr. Evans to produce in literal code. David then lead the acquisition of Morris Air by Southwest and the rest, as they say, is history.

I hope this clarifies things.

From Ann ADHD, Little Rock, AR

I am a professional and single mother, and after being called to meet with the teacher (again) last week about my son's ADHD and trouble in class, reading your article really helped to remind me that he is a smart boy. He may struggle in a traditional classroom, but that does not limit his chances for success.

From alexander stein

dear mr. evans ~

your correspondence regarding my article in fsb online on ad/hd in the workplace has been forwarded to me. my editors and i take factual accuracy very seriously, and so appreciate your having taken the time to advise of a potential error. although we have determined that, in this instance, the article can stand as is, i want to thank you for your close attention; mistakes can happen.

i also certainly hope you'll find other beneficial elements to my column. if so, please feel free to submit your thoughts and comments at the link provided for readers' responses online.

yours,
alexander stein, phd, lp, ncpsya
psychoanalyst
columnist — fortune small business

From Dave Evans

David Neeleman did not write/develop a new electronic ticketing system (or any system for that matter) ­ check your facts.

Dave Evans

From J Brilliant Brooklyn, NY

I enjoyed reading about the support and success that Foyer has in his life and business. The link between our personality characteristics and how they manifest in our businesses is very interesting and I like this Alexander Stein column.

I did not know that ADHD is known a disease. And to me labeling someone's life circumstances as disastrous is unnecessarily judgmental.

From Ross, Brooklyn, New York

Fascinating and insightful piece that provokes us to ponder — the way Michael Lewis' MONEYBALL does — the potential utility of those with ADHD and the market Advantage a business can attain if those with the condition are properly positioned and supported. This is the second of Stein's columns I've read that offers a rewarding new perspective. Looking forward to the next.

From Dr. Lara Honos-Webb, Walnut Creek, CA

In reading the article on turning an illness into an asset, I was struck by how the article didn't go far enough. I make the case in my forthcoming book, The Gift of Adult ADD that the "disorder" known as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder may present advantages in the current business climate.

Global changes may create a world that is a good match for the symptoms of ADD. The world is changing so fast that the workplace of the future will bear little resemblance to the workplace of today. As Thomas Friedman, author of the groundbreaking The World is Flat (2006), said dryly on MSNBC’s Tim Russert Show, “I don’t know what parents are worried about. Raising kids today is like training them for the Olympics. The only difference is they don’t know which sport they’ll be playing.” The industrial revolution –which led to a culture in which a person could expect to spend a lifetime in one company or specialty – is over. We’re in the digital age now, and innovation is the coin of the realm in terms of job success. The buzzwords of today are inventiveness, adaptability, and creativity – the very gifts of ADD.

This is good news for the ADD child now an adult. The defiance of an ADD child can transform into self-reliance as an adult, leading to both new ways of looking at the world and new solutions to old problems. An ADD child’s impulsiveness can also be a great asset for an adult – particularly for those adults who have to synthesize information from many different disciplines and apply what they know in the real world. Similarly, an ADD child’s hyperactivity can translate into the high energy required to keep up with a constant influx of information and ever-changing technologies. Even the low tolerance for boredom that got the ADD child into trouble in school can be useful as an adult – a perpetual quest for excitement can keep an adult on the leading edge of the ever-changing digital world. In fact, ADD adults may be perfectly suited to succeed in the culture emerging from technological innovation and globalization.

Sincerely,

Dr. Lara Honos-Webb, author of the Gift of ADHD
http://www.visionarysoul.com