The Journey

Walgreen's Leads the Way

2008-08-17T16:43:00.001-05:00

Walgreens, the nation's largest drugstore chain, is leading the way in enhancing hiring of people with disabilities. On June 14, 2007, the company opened a new distribution center in Anderson, North Carolina equipped with technology and management training to facilitate hiring and retaining people with disabilities. The center has touch screens for the vision-impaired, flexible workstations, wheelchair ramps and elevators. All workers receive disability awareness training, and managers go through a special program run by the University of North Carolina on supporting disabled employees.

For the past year, the distribution center has staffed approximately 400 people, almost 40% of who have a disclosed disability. The center’s creation is not about empathy and is not subjected to lower performance expectations. Each team member is expected to perform at same level regardless of whether or not he or she has a disability.

In fact, the distribution center has shown the positive contribution people with disabilities can make to companies. The center is Walgreen’s most efficient distribution center in the United States and has been a tremendous success that the company is opening a new center in Windsor, Connecticut later this year.

The following is a clip about the Anderson, N.C. center featured on NBC’s Nightly News with Brian Williams:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=B2akb4v2cUQ

To learn more about the distribution center in Anderson, North Carolina or to consider employment opportunities with the company – visit www.Walgreensoutreach.com. The website is designed to be accessible by people with sensory, physical and cognitive disabilities

Thanks, Walgreens, for being an example and leading the way.
________________________________________________________________
Video:
For Julia Turner, who was born with Down syndrome, a full-time job might seem out of reach, but not here, at Walgreens’ first-of-its-kind Southeastern distribution center.
“I have found what I want, and I’m satisfied,” Turner said as she scanned boxes at the center, which officially opened June 14.

The drugstore chain’s plan is to hire an 800-person workforce that is one-third disabled, but it is ahead of that goal, reporting that 42 percent of the 250 people it has hired so far have a physical or cognitive disability.

Tommy Watson has Asperger syndrome, sometimes known as “high-functioning autism,” which makes him developmentally disabled in some ways but also fuels a startling facility with computers. When anyone has a computer problem at Walgreens’ Anderson center, they call Watson.

“It’s amazing,” he said.

The outreach is the brainchild of Randy Lewis, Walgreens’ senior vice president of distribution and logistics, whose 19-year-old son, Austin, has autism.
“Austin’s gift to me was to look past the disability to see a person,” Lewis said. It is a philosophy that many businesses have been slow to embrace

For Walgreens, the outreach is no charity. Disabled workers must meet the same performance standards as their non-disabled colleagues, Lewis said, and the company expects its new distribution center to be fully as efficient and cost-effective as its traditional facilities.

Lewis said the Walgreens program gives hope to the parents of disabled children, who he said often wonder “what would happen after I’m gone. Can I live one day longer than my child?”

Watson’s mother, Dianne Lipper, said Walgreens has answered that question.
“I don’t have to have that worry anymore,” she said. “He’s going to be [taken] care of here. As long as he performs his job and does his best for Walgreens, he’s got a home.”

U.S. Federal Government Hiring

2008-05-21T07:33:00.001-05:00

Article for With-TV
___________
U.S. Federal Government Hiring
Buzzing in the Workplace

Note to Readers: Article below focuses on U.S. Federal Government hiring of people with disabilities. If you are a reader from outside the U.S. and have interesting information to share regarding your government’s hiring of people with disabilities, please feel free to contact me.

In January 2008, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released a report on the federal employment of people with disabilities*. Overall, the EEOC concluded that the federal government employs fewer people with disabilities now than it has at any point during the last 20 years. The EEOC’s finding is troubling for the following reasons:

· The federal government has a mandate to be a model employer in the hiring and advancing individuals with disabilities.
· During the past 20 years, significant technological advancements afford people with disabilities a greater opportunity to work.
· The Office of Disability Employment Policy, a division of the U.S. Labor Department, indicates that roughly half of individuals with disabilities in the United States are unemployed (note: the office cautions the statistic may vary based on definition of disability and data source).

The EEOC made several recommendations for improving efforts to hire and retain individuals with disabilities. These recommendations include:

· Establishment of numerical goals for hiring individuals with disabilities on an annual basis.
· Ensuring procedures that make agencies and officials accountable for reaching goals and verifying that goals are obtained.

The initial implication of the EEOC’s findings has been a surge in commitment among federal government leaders to re-focus efforts on hiring people with disabilities. While a commitment from leaders is a great start, a push from our community will help.

If you are seeking employment, consider reaching out to your local congressional representative about potential opportunities.
· If you aren’t sure who your Senator is, click on the following link: http://www.senate.gov/. On the top right side of your browsers select your state.
· If you aren’t sure who serves your district in the House of Representatives, click on the following link: http://www.house.gov/. On the top left side of your browser, type in your zip code and click “search”.

When contacting your local representative about potential employment opportunities, be sure to mention in the course of your conversation the EEOC’s report on federal hiring of people with disabilities. By networking with your representatives now, you may be able to reap the benefits of future efforts by the federal government to hire people with disabilities.

Feel free to contact me with your questions or thoughts…remmettroy@gmail.com.

Rob
* The Federal Government defines people with disabilities per codes on the Office of Personnel Management’s Standard Form. The coded disabilities are as follows: deafness, blindness, missing extremities, partial paralysis, complete paralysis, convulsive disorders, mental retardation, mental illness, and distortion of limb and/or spine.
** Sources: http://www.dol.gov/odep/faqs/working.htm, http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/report/pwtd.html.

Extended Time on GMAT

2008-05-16T12:37:00.003-05:00

Wow – time passes quickly! I can’t believe it has two months since I posted on this blog. Consistent blogging is a skill and I admire those of you who are able to maintain your blogs daily.

Since my last blog, I took the GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test) and did much better than I expected. I received extended time on the test, which really helped as I know I could not have competed fairly with my peers without the additional time.

Why do I get additional time on my test if I only have a hearing loss?

When I was three years old, I was identified with a moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss. Age three is considered a late diagnosis and therefore I was delayed in the formation of auditory skills needed for the development of perceptual organization and processing skills. As a result, the speed at which I process information is slower than my hearing peers. Therefore, my ability to perform on time-crunch exams is affected.

Throughout my education years in grammar school, high school, and college – accommodations have been made available to me to so I could have the opportunity to be educated in curriculums developed for hearing students. Accommodations afforded to me were as follows:
o Alternative Testing Services (i.e. taking test in room by myself with a proctor)
o Extended time on course exams
o 50% Additional Time on Standardize Tests
o Note taking Services
o Preferential Seating Recommendation Services

I had to provide extensive documentation in order to get extended time. The documents I provided include:
o Audiograms (a document that shows hearing levels for certain sounds) of my hearing loss from initial diagnosis to date
o Psychological Examinations performed by doctors over the course of my life
o Audiological and Speech Language Evaluation

The intent of providing the documentation was to show that I have had a disability over the course of my life and that it has limited my perceptual organization and process skills. While I have these skills, they don’t perform at same rate as hearing people, but that doesn’t mean I’m slow ;).

Revealing Experiences

2008-03-02T22:44:00.000-06:00

I drove by my grammar school the other night and had a flashback to second grade (note: I went to an all hearing school and was the only student who wore hearing aids). I remember my dad and I met with my second grade teacher, Ms. Reiser, before school on the first day of the school year. My mom and dad had packed a plastic baggie with batteries, back-up hearing aids, and an air-puff tool (not sure what it is called!). My dad and Ms. Reiser wanted to make sure I knew to go to her should I have problems with my hearing aids. I remember feeling shy and embarassed as my dad gave Ms. Reiser the bag of goodies.

Another flashback I had was around the same time in my life (second or third grade) and I was waiting in line to go to the bathroom with other kids in our class. I remember someone behind me was curious about my hearing aids. He kept touching one of my aids. Upon his touch, I shooke my head and turning away. I looked on the floor or moved somewhere else in line.

These memories reveal how I was really insecure about my hearing impairment at an early age. Although my mom used to to tell me my hearing aids were like glasses, clearly I didn't feel that way. I didn't like being the odd one out wearing instruments that no one else wore. I certainly didn't feel cool having hearing aids -- never decorated them or wore them in a color other than tan.

I'm going to make a list of things that were a challenge for me as a result of my impariment (or as a result of my being insecure about my hearing impairement). This will be my next post.

2008-02-14T23:08:00.000-06:00

Below is my article for WithTV posted on February 14th:

Several weeks back I wrote about different ways one can identify whether or not a firm is truly committed to hiring people with disabilities. One factor I mentioned was to consider whether or not a firm has an Employee Resource Group for people with disabilities, as the group tends to facilitate and improve employee engagement on disability issues.

If you watched the Super Bowl, you may have learned of one such employee group called EnAble. EnAble is a group within PepsiCo that supports diversity and the inclusion of persons with different abilities.

EnAble created a commercial for the Super Bowl that was performed entirely in sign language and contained subtitles. The spot was created by and features PepsiCo employees who are members of EnAble. The ad is an attempt to demonstrate PepsiCo’s commitment to diversity by airing the first ad using ASL and subtitles only on a national broadcasting network (there was no sound at all).

According to PepsiCo, "this is one way we can give back through what we call Performance with Purpose. It's part of a larger effort to make PepsiCo the defining corporation of the 21st century. By bringing the world an ad performed by deaf employees in ASL, we feel like we've already scored the upset on Super Bowl Sunday."

While the ad may have produced mix feeling among members of our community, one fact remains true -- without a group like EnAble we may never have seen such an ad played during the Super Bowl. Additionally, EnAble opened the door for dialogue about the media’s level of engagement on disability issues, and raises awareness on the importance of corporate hiring practices to include hiring people with disabilities.

If you didn’t catch the ad, check it out below:
(see post Bob's House -- Pepsi's new Super Bowl Ad -- January 27th)

Description of Ad:
Two guys in a pickup truck (one’s drinking a Pepsi) are headed to a Super Bowl party hosted by their friend Bob, but they stop on the darkened upper-middle-class street after neither one remembers which house is his.

The two spend a bit of time arguing before the driver gets an idea and repeatedly honks the horn. House lights begin to pop on as they slowly work through the neighborhood, honking along the way.

They stop at the only house that remains dark and the driver declares, “That’s it!”
“Yeah, ya think?” the passenger replies sarcastically.

They walk up and ring Bob’s doorbell, prompting Bob’s foyer light to flash three times. Bob lets the pair in, and the passenger gives a quick “Sorry” to a puzzled neighbor before walking inside.

Bob's House -- Pepsi's new Super Bowl Ad

2008-01-27T18:48:00.001-06:00

EnAble a group within PepsiCo which supports diversity and the inclusion of persons with different abilities. Check out the ad - very clever.

A True Commitment to Hiring people with Disabilities

2008-01-21T23:08:00.001-06:00

Most companies in corporate America have statements regarding their equal employment policy. It often goes something like this:

“Our Equal Employment policy is to identify, attract, retain, and advance the most qualified persons, without regard to their race, religion, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, or veteran's status.”

While most companies have policies such as the one above, not all demonstrate a commitment to hiring people with disabilities. From my professional experience, I have yet to meet another individual in the consulting industry who has a visible disability (with the exception of people who wear glasses). This is within my firm and well as within several major Fortune 500 corporations (but bear in mind I haven’t met everyone in the firm).

Why is hiring and retaining people with disabilities so important for a company?
Diversity contributes to a company’s strength. The combination of unique skills, abilities, experiences and backgrounds creates an environment that produces extraordinary results. People with disabilities are an important component of fostering diversity and often bring an outside of the box thinking with them to their job since it is a way of thinking necessary for living with a disability every day.

How do I know if a company is committed to hiring people with disabilities?
When evaluating if a company is committed to hiring people with disabilities, consider the following:

Does the company partner with organizations focusing on disability? Relationships with organizations focusing on disability are a clear indication that a company is interested in recruiting people with disabilities. Partnerships serve as an avenue for a corporation to recruit talent within a pool of people with disabilities.
Does the company offer disability training and resources? Sensitizing employees to the capabilities of people with disabilities and the issues they face is critical. A company that offers employees diversity training on how to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities typically indicates a company’s commitment to ensure employment for people with disabilities is successful.
Does the firm have an Employee Resources Group or Task-Force geared specifically for people with disabilities? An Employee Resource Groups and/or a Task-Force facilitate and improve employee engagement on disability issues. Employee groups for employees with disabilities can help a company provide amenities to make people with disabilities feel welcome. These groups exist to help employees maximize opportunities to network and develop their careers, and to strengthen the company’s recruitment, retention, leadership development, and outreach for people with disabilities.

If you are a person with a disability, consider evaluating companies based on the above when exploring employment opportunities. If you are a supporter of people with disabilities and are currently employed, consider evaluating whether or not your firm does any of the above. If your firm doesn’t, consider challenging your firm to demonstrate its true commitment to hiring people with disabilities.

Feel free to email me with your thoughts or questions.

Love

2007-12-06T22:39:00.001-06:00

Love is like a mustard seed;
planted by God
and watered by men

- Muda Saint Michael

There is only one happiness in life,
to love and be loved.

- George Sand –

Winter Moonlight

The snow, so peaceful and serene,
caressed by the soft moonlight,
gave magical feelings to the night.

The soft blue glow,
the lovers' words that then did flow,
their lips closer and closer
until, locked in the throes
of a passionate embrace,
he decided to express his feelings,
to keep her safe.

He whispered softly,
his words like music to her ears,
"I Love You,"
and her response the same,
heard like the gentle breeze,
"And I, love you, forever."

That was the night they promised
to be together through everything,
each to care for the other when old and gray
A lovers' pact
the most likely to last.

- Krista J. Mikula –

Reclaiming my gift

2007-11-12T22:16:00.000-06:00

Wow, it has been a while since I've posted. Work has been keeping me busy and so ordinary.

Each day I wake up realizing that my day is going to be the same routine. I shower, dress, eat, walk to the train, ride the train, exit the train, walk into my office building, swipe my key card on the card reader, ride the elevator to the 25th floor, log onto my computer, check my email, work eight to nine hours, log off my computer, exit my office building, ride the train to my health club, work out, walk home, eat, and go to bed. Funny part is that I didn’t expect this lifestyle to seem so mundane – especially at age 24.

When I graduated from the college, I felt I was ready to conquer corporate America. I had secured my job several months prior to graduation as a marketing consultant and it seemed my career was on track. However, two and a half years after graduating, I’ve come to appreciate that the work is not the sum of who I am, but rather a part of the equation. I’ve successfully focused on the work aspect, but I’ve neglected everything else.

I moved home and I still haven’t moved out. I keep planning to do it and the benefits of saving money are phenomenal, but there has to be a time when I have to move on. I’m merely delaying my own development and probably delaying my mom’s development as a single woman as well. I’m sure I annoy her from time to time ;)

I’m still single and it seems as people around me fall in love, fall out of love, move through different loving relationships, grow from love. Yet, I remain single – which for a long time I was very happy with – but now I can’t help but want to understand companionship and feel like I don’t know how. What is it like to be loved to the core by someone else?

I’ve been planning to go to graduate school. Seems like I’m always studying for the GMAT. I tell myself I will study next month, and then the month after, and the month after. Two years of delaying taking the exam is turning me into the guy who says he’s going to graduate school – but not walking the talk.

And probably the most important thing that I’ve neglected is the development of me. Being hearing impaired strengthens me, but can shrivel my confidence as well. One step forward can sometimes be two steps back. These last two years have been most challenging as I’ve become a student with a hearing impairment to an employee with an impairment. I encounter new situations and questions about disability and I don't always know how to deal with them. I do the the best I can.

Although it is hard to always remember and be thankful of my disability, I know being hearing impaired is a gift. It helps me embrace my differences, to see more positives in life, to constructively acknowledge my weaknesses, to move forward as a productive and reflective human being. Being hearing impaired matures me.

After two and half years, the journey continues. It is time for me to evolve and endure…using my gift…this blog helps me get there.

Stress Management

2007-10-14T13:53:00.001-05:00

A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?" Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g. The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it.""If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. "In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on.""As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden.""So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can.""Relax; pick them up later after you've rested. Life is short. Enjoy it!"

Float

2007-10-10T11:25:00.000-05:00

Email, email, email
One after the other
Inbox is flooding
I’m drowning

Freestyle and butterfly
One step forward, three steps back
Inbox is flooding
I’m drowning

Deletion and delete
Folders are my inner tube
Move what I keep
I’m drowning

Now turned on my back
Going with the stream
Inbox in flooding
I float

Change

2007-10-04T16:40:00.000-05:00

"To me success means effectiveness in the world, that I am able to carry my ideas and values into the world -- that I am able to change it in positive ways."

Maxine Hong Kingston

Disclosing a Disability to Your Employer

2007-10-03T09:26:00.000-05:00

Recently, my friend asked me if I discussed my hearing impairment with my employer when I was first hired and if I need any accommodations at work. His questions were interesting because I have a visible disability and therefore I don’t have the option to disclose my hearing impairment. If you see my hearing aids, you know I’m hearing impaired.

However, I do have the option not to discuss my hearing impairment. I did choose not to talk about my disability during the interview process. I’m not sure whether or not being disabled had any bearing when my application was evaluated, but I wanted to be hired based on my qualifications. For me, not discussing my disability allowed me to speak of my merits, and helps me believe I was not hired out of empathy.

Only one can decide whether and how much information to share regarding his or her disability. For residents of the United States, the following facts are good to know:

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, a person with a disability can choose to disclose his or her disability at any time. Disclosure can take place during the interview process, upon a job offer, or anytime after beginning a job.
Although one is not required to disclose his or her disability under the law, one should disclose his or her disability in order to request reasonable accommodations or to receive protection under the law. Telling an employer about a disability is a safe way to gain proper protection under the law.
It is likely that one will have difficulty being protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act if one discloses a disability right before being fired. Employers are most likely to be responsive to a disclosure done in good faith rather than done as a last-ditch effort to keep a job.
No one can force an individual to disclose or discuss a disability if he or she doesn’t want to. If an employer brings up the topic and one does not want to talk about his or her disability – he or she does not have to.

I knew as long as I had a phone in which I could increase the volume, I would most likely not need to request any accommodations. The first thing I checked when I moved into my cube was my phone. The receiver had volume amplification control. As a result, I’ve refrained from discussing my disability with my manager. He has never brought the topic up with me. So far, my performance at my company has been solid and I’ve not had any issues interacting with clients on the phone.

What do you think?

Should I have a conversation with my manager regarding my disability despite not having any issues on the job and not foreseeing any potential issues in the future?
Have you disclosed your disability with your employer, and if so, how’d you go about doing it?

Feel free to respond via posting a comment or email me at remmettroy@gmail.com.

Stream Thoughts

2007-10-02T12:49:00.000-05:00

Know what you’re worth
Demonstrate your value
Don’t be afraid to speak up
Praise in public, criticize in private

Cognizant of change
Hard worker
Show your respect
Seize opportunities

Months pass, you’ve worked hard
Seize opportunities
Collaborative team player
Speak up

Others promotions inspire you
And anger you too
Sleepless nights
Borderline – opportunity and exploitation

Demand your fair treatment
You’ve worked hard too
Circle under your eyes
Borderline – opportunity and exploitation

You hear their laughs
Gleam in their eyes
You wonder why
You know their fight

Borderline – opportunity and exploitation
Exploitation
Know what you’re worth
Display your value
Demand change

Moving Forward

2007-09-19T20:58:00.000-05:00

Diversity is a creative opportunity for the American media to reflect the totality of the U.S. viewing audience. While great strides have been made to increase the presence of people of different genders, races, and sexual orientations in television programming – there still lags an area where much improvement is needed. Today’s national media outputs fail to appropriately include people with disabilities. As a young male with a hearing impairment, I find this very disappointing.

With-TV will change the journalistic climate. By displaying credible and honest faces of people with disabilities to the American viewing audience on its cable network, With-TV will demonstrate the intelligence, talent, and skill many people with disabilities have. With-TV will help show that people with special needs can succeed and make positive contributions to our society.

Your support of With-TV is greatly appreciated. Please visit with www.withtv.typepad.com.

Careers -- where were people with disabilities?

2007-09-18T19:56:00.000-05:00

I recently attended a career fair at the University of Wisconsin - Madison on behalf of my firm. Each year we go to schools across the United States to recruit college graduates. This is my second year recruiting at UW-Madison -- specifically at the Business School's career fair.

I met a lot of strong potential candidates at the fair. However, as a person with a hearing impairment who wears hearing aids, I don't recall seeing any person -- neither recruiters nor students -- with a visible disability at the fair. It is very possible that I was the only one.

Shouldn't this be different?
Shouldn't the school's McBurney disability center be encouraging people with special needs to attend the fair?

Desire, Dare, You

2007-09-12T12:02:00.000-05:00

"Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything".
Napoleon Hill

"Inherent in every intention and desire is the mechanics for its fulfillment...intention and desire have infinite power. And when we introduce an intention in the fertile ground of pure potentiality, we put the infinite power to work for us".
Deepak Chopra

"All glory comes from daring to begin".
Eugene F. Ware

Stay true to the desires of your heart and dare to be you, exactly the way you are. As you dare to begin to be you, you will find the key to the infinite happiness that lies only within you.

Rob

Emily's hearing aids

2007-09-09T11:40:00.001-05:00

Emily got red hearing aids! Watch her as she receives her hearing aids for the first time and how it enhances her hearing experience. Go Emily!

Tan

2007-09-06T22:49:00.000-05:00

My hearing aids are tan. They are not a brownish-red tan commonly associated with changed skin color after prolonged exposure to the sun, nor are they a yellowish tan similar to the color of sandy beaches on a sunny day along a waterfront. Rather, my hearing aids are a tan that imitates the color of Caucasian skin.

I wear behind-the-ear hearing aids and need a way in which sound can be carried from the instruments into my ears -- my ear molds serve this purpose. My ear molds are a clear plastic with a hint of pinkish-tan. My ear molds are not the faint pink fashionably (and perhaps arguably) considered the new black, nor is it a deep pink similar to the color of my grandma’s lipstick. Rather, the pinkish-tan attempts to represent the color of my inner ear canal.

Does something seem wrong with this picture? Audiologists and I – knowingly or unknowingly -- attempt to diminish the visibility of my disability by trying to make my hearing aids blend in with my current body anatomy. But, why?

Historically, the condition of having a disability was considered tragic in a society in which people were expected to be perfect. Having a disability or family member with a disability was perceived as a weakness. As a result, many people with special needs were institutionalized and a race began to create instruments that minimize or get rid of any visible special need. My hearing aids are a product of this historic era.

My hearing aids are also a reflection of the embarrassment elderly people feel when they begin losing their hearing. Because they once had their hearing in youth, many of them see a hearing loss as a sign of weakness and aging. Therefore, they seek out instruments that fit in the ear canal or are minimally visible when worn.

It wasn’t until several years ago when I began to see hearing aids become out in different colors. I’m currently in the process of getting new hearing aids and asked my audiologist about colored hearing aids. I was thinking about red, blue, or silver – any color other than tan. He asked me, “What is in it for you -- would you be making a statement?” I wasn’t sure how to answer. It could be a statement … or it could be just for fun.

What would your answer have been? Feel free to post a comment or send me an email at remmettroy@gmail.com

Fostering Stigmas

2007-08-26T21:33:00.000-05:00

As a hearing aid wearer since age three, I’ve often received mailings from hearing aid manufacturers and clinics regarding special offers. Recently, I’ve been receiving mailings from one specific organization (which I will not name here) with a preferred customer discount coupon to buy new hearing aids from them.

While the value of the coupon is significant -- $1,500 to be exact – the messaging of the letter has been somewhat of a turnoff. In each mailing the organization bolds and underlines the following sentence: “This allows the hearing instrument to be smaller, less noticeable – and definitely more comfortable.”

The key words above are “smaller” and “less noticeable”. In each mailing I receive this organization speaks to new hearing aids being smaller, less noticeable, blending in with skin color, better than ‘old fashion’ hearing aids, discreet looking, in the canal, etc…

I realize there may be a stigma associated with wearing hearing aids among individuals who lose hearing in old age, but what message does this send to younger folks who are long time hearing aid wearers like me? Does it suggest that wearing hearing aids is abnormal or embarrassing? I think it is great that technology is advancing, but do these letters really help us move beyond any stigma? Or do these letters foster the stigma?

Little River Band - Cool Change LIVE with John Farnham

2007-08-26T21:28:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite songs -- and an inspiration for moving forward in a positive direction...a direction of change.

Bold Statements from A Life Worth Living

2007-08-19T19:01:00.000-05:00

A life worth living.
All life is precious.
We are all created equal.
My life is worth living.
I am unique.
I am beautiful.
I am happy.
I am not suffering.
I am not a mistake.
I am part of the Creator’s grand plan.
I am God’s will.
Disabilities are natural.
People with Disabilities are not broken and they don’t need to be fixed.
I have 47 chromosomes but it is not a genetic weakness.
I may be slow at some things but I am not stupid.
Don’t measure my worth by my IQ.
Look for my ability not my disability.
My therapist says I am doing well because I AM!
I will walk and talk and blow your socks off.
I might be a grocery bagger. Is that OK with you?
I am stubborn . I get that trait from my mom and dad.
I will not spit or bite.
I’m huggable and kissable.
The truth is I am lovable.
My love is unconditional. Is yours?
I am special and it has nothing to do with having Down Syndrome.
You say I look “normal”. I AM NORMAL!
Don’t try to measure my worth. I’m priceless.

“Just when you think you have learned what you need to know in life someone truly special comes into it and shows just how much more there is.”

From: A Life Worth Living on YouTube. My dream is for the world to see that all children are blessings, even children with Down syndrome. Down syndrome is one of the most common genetic anomalies in the world. It is time that the public is made more aware of this. I want the world to understand that every child, whether they have a disability or not, deserves equal opportunities to grow and develop. Children with Down syndrome are more similar than different when compared with other children. I want to change the world one person at a time so that everyone can see that people with Down syndrome have a life worth living.

Here is my first article for With-TV

2007-08-09T09:25:00.000-05:00

Managing Perception is Key to Success

Buzzing in the Workplace
By: Rob Roy

While some might still consider me ‘fresh’ in the workplace, the past couple years have provided me with wisdom that has left horizontal impressions on my forehead! The growth I’ve experienced was most evident to me when I met a group of new hires who recently began working at my firm. I recognized the gleam of enthusiasm and anticipation in their eyes and the innocence of their smiles – a familiar look I know I had two years ago.

If I could share my nugget of wisdom with the new hires, I would tell them the following: managing perception is key to success.

What do I mean? How people perceive you in the office and how confident you feel about your contribution to your team ultimately impact the substance of work you receive as well as the availability of opportunities that can advance your career. With substantial work and solid opportunities, you are well equipped to demonstrate potential that (I hope) will lead to a promotion.

So, how to begin managing perception? (Obviously, it is easier said then done.) The following five tips have worked well for me and my co-workers:

Praise in public and criticize constructively in private. When a peer does well leading a team meeting or presentation, congratulate them on doing a good job. If an organizational process has improved, commend the person in charge of leading the change. When feeling disgruntled because of a policy change or the printer doesn’t print correctly, leave the criticism for you to discuss with your manager. Avoid raising any criticism in front of a large group.

Act engaged at all times. Ask good questions - even if you think you know the answer – and follow-up with additional insight or observation on what you learned. Active participation shows you are not a silent observer and that you are engaged in the content of your job. Be wary though – peers often recognize and dislike excessive participation. Don’t go overboard!

Always know the next step. Understand the different responsibilities between your current and any future position you desire. Seek out opportunities to demonstrate capability for tasks that are part of the next job. Perform these responsibilities well and utilize peers for guidance and direction when uncertain about how to approach the tasks.

Work on ad hoc projects or participate on a task force. Extra points are usually earned when you participate on a task force or ad hoc project outside the scope of your day to day responsibilities. However, it is important to be proactive about finding a project or task force as it typically doesn’t drop in your lap. You could participate on anything as big as a team devoted to positively impacting how your company is structured to as little as creating a committee that plans out-of-office social events.

Record, record, and … yes, record. Keep a documented log of your project work and a description of your contribution to each project. Focus on contributions that positively impact the business. Share the log when moving to a new team or transitioning to a new manager to demonstrate your experience and manage your new leader’s expectations. Also, reference this list – strategically, of course – when approaching your performance review to ensure the scope of your accomplishments are captured in your review.

Cheers to all you new hires that are beginning your careers and best of luck! May you strategically manage perception and have a year filled with success!

Positive Discrimination

2007-08-08T15:21:00.000-05:00

Nice article, Victoria. Love how you provide an alternative perspective on having a disability. It's not a tragic event or pitfall in one's life...that is for sure.

Rob

Being tetraplegic isn't a lifestyle choice
By Victoria Bringell
August 8, 2007

Becoming tetraplegic isn’t a lifestyle choice I would necessarily recommend. It’s not exactly a bed of roses. On the other hand, it would be a mistake to think that having a disability is always a problem. Every cloud has a silver lining and disability is no exception. Indeed, us crips do enjoy certain advantages over all you able-bodied people.

For a start, having a mobility impairment is incredibly helpful at weddings, parties and any other function where society may expect you to dance – but you don’t want to do so. A wheelchair provides the perfect excuse not to get onto the dance floor and make a fool of yourself. (Indeed, I feel my presence at these events fulfils an important social need, as anyone who similarly wishes to avoid public humiliation can insist they are deep in conversation with me whenever someone encourages them to get up and dance.)

Then there are situations when being a wheelchair user like myself can save you money. Generally speaking, disability is an expensive business. You may need to buy specialist equipment, make alterations to your property and spend more on travel arrangements. But looking on the bright side, certain theatres do offer generous discounts.

At the Royal Opera House, tickets can cost up to £180, yet I can obtain a wheelchair space with an excellent view of the stage for as little as £15. It’s most satisfying to look around at the other ‘patrons’ nearby, knowing I’ve only paid a fraction of what they have for the same quality of seat!

The National Theatre is another venue where it’s financially beneficial to be disabled. Tickets for a wheelchair user and one companion at the National are always £10-12. What’s more, I discovered a few weeks ago that the National has a policy of automatically refunding wheelchair-users if they find they cannot make a performance after all. Unfortunately, I had to work late on the same evening I was meant to be seeing the play Philistines. When I rang the box office to find out if they could sell my tickets to someone else, I was told that would be impossible as the play wasn’t sold out – but as I was a wheelchair user they would reimburse me anyway.

Thanks to my disability, I often gain an insight into the kinder side of people’s natures. I travel regularly to work by train and on most journeys at least one fellow passenger will ask me if I want a hand. Frequently it’s two or three. I’m always touched when a commuter offers help, especially on a Monday morning when they are probably stressed about work or in a hurry to get to the office on time.

I remember on one occasion, as the train pulled into the station, a scrawny youth leant over towards me. He looked like the kind of young man who collects ASBOs in the same way others collect stamps. I was therefore slightly taken aback when he enquired, “Do you have someone looking after you? Do you want me to get you off the train?”. That will teach me to judge people by their appearance! At a time when we are bombarded by news stories about crime, anti-social behaviour and the apparent breakdown of communities, my disability enables me to witness plentiful examples of people’s thoughtfulness and concern for others.

Using a wheelchair sometimes gives you access to places which are normally out of bounds to the public. Stately homes are notoriously wheelchair-unfriendly buildings, with numerous steps up to their front doors, but increasing numbers of them do have an alternative entrance suitable for disabled visitors. At Radley House in Warwickshire, for example, disabled tourists enter via the private wing and use the same door as the family who own the estate.

I’m a naturally curious person (which is probably why I became a journalist) and I relish these chances to glimpse “behind the scenes”. On one occasion, I even managed to give a couple of American tourists a scare during a school trip to Hampton Court Palace.

In those days, Hampton Court cleverly hid the lift for disabled visitors behind artificial walls covered with beautiful, elaborate tapestries. (For all I know, this could still be the case – I haven’t been back to Hampton Court since).

Two middle-aged American women just happened to be studying a tapestry when suddenly it started moving to one side. As the steward and I emerged from the lift, we were confronted by two very startled faces. “Golly,” exclaimed one of the unnerved women. “We thought there was a ghost!”

Sometimes, I admit, a wheelchair brings you special treatment. At Buckingham Palace, wheelchair-using tourists enter through a gate at the front of the building and then have the pleasure of going through the famous arch. In contrast, tourists on legs have to use a much-less-exciting side door. Another time, when I was looking around St George’s Chapel, Windsor, one of the stewards beckoned me over and proceeded to show me the Bible that the Queen uses during services. It’s normally kept locked away in a drawer near where she sits, hidden from public view.

Undoubtedly, the most memorable example of positive discrimination I’ve received was my access to the lying-in-state of the Queen Mother’s body five years ago. As the conventional route into Westminster Hall involved steps, crips were allowed in the back way. While everyone else had to queue for up to 10 hours, I was able to nip in and out in under 10 minutes. It’s possibly the only time in my life when my wheelchair has proved to be a major time-saving device.

It seems to me that a disability significantly increases your chances of meeting famous people, especially members of the royal family. (The republicans among you may not regard this as a positive thing, but whatever your views on the monarchy, it is interesting to meet these people). So far, I’ve met the Queen, Princess Diana and the Duchess of York, directly as a result of being disabled. (I should point out that I met Fergie after her divorce so I suppose she wasn’t technically a “royal” at that time).

My disability has also brought me into contact with Stephen Hawking, Tanni Grey-Thompson and Jimmy Savile. I’ll leave it up to you to decide which of those encounters I relished the most.
Finally, it cannot be denied that my disability has given me opportunities that I would never have experienced otherwise. More than once in my life I’ve been asked to play the role of “token crip”. Back in 1998, Cambridge University held an exhibition to mark the 50th anniversary of women being awarded degrees.

Fifty female Cambridge graduates were chosen and photographic portraits of them displayed in the Cambridge Arts Theatre. The organisers must have decided that one of the women should be visibly disabled and, for some reason, I was nominated.

Consequently – alongside the portraits of distinguished women like Dame Margaret Anstee (the first woman to head a UN peace-keeping mission), actress Eleanor Bron, scientist Jocelyn Bell Burnell, writer Margaret Drabble and psychologist Dr Penelope Leach – there appeared a picture of me. To have my name mentioned among so many accomplished and eminent women was both surreal and comical. Never before have I felt such an imposter. At the gala evening I even had people coming up to me asking for my autograph. This is funny in itself but what makes it even funnier is the fact that I can’t hold a pen. I had tremendous difficulty keeping a straight face as I explained to them that an autograph posed rather a tricky challenge…

From: http://www.newstatesman.com/200708080002
About: Victoria Brignell works as a radio producer with the BBC. After reading classics at Downing College, Cambridge, she undertook journalism training at Cardiff University. She lives in West London and is 30 years old and is a tetraplegic wheelchair-user.

Contributor to With-TV

2007-08-07T13:27:00.001-05:00

I'm now contributing to With-TV. I'll be writing on workplace issues and trends and am calling my contribution Buzzing in the Workplace. Issues and trends could be both disability and non-disability related. When relevant, I’ll incorporate my own workplace experiences in the column -- although I will make sure the opinions are mine and not represenative of my employer. Also, I'll post my articles here as well.

Here is my bio for With-TV:

Rob Roy - is an Analyst for the Nielsen Company, a leading provider of marketing information and business media services, where he advises clients on new product innovation and execution strategies. A native of Chicago, Rob received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison . When not working, Rob likes to ride his bike, hang out at the beach with his dog, and spend time wondering what is Buzzing in the Workplace.

Exciting stuff!

Attitude

2007-08-06T13:43:00.000-05:00

Things are only the way in which we perceive them to be...thanks for the perspective, Charles, in that we ultimately impact how we perceive the world in which we live. We are in charge of our attitudes!!

Rob

Attitude
By: Charles Swindoff

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than success, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company...a church...a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play in the one string we have, and this is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...We are in charge of our Attitudes."

Flourish

2007-07-29T22:46:00.000-05:00

If we realize our potential ... if we sieze the moment ... if we take advantage of opportunities ... if we see our possibilities ... we can flourish.

New isn't Always Great

2007-07-18T20:57:00.000-05:00

Today I was fitted with new hearing aids. We often think that getting something ‘brand new’ is positive. Who could go wrong with a new car, computer, watch, cell phone that contains the most up-to-date technology, right? Not always the case – although my new hearing aids have the most current technology – I’m struggling to like them.

About six years ago I moved from analog to digital hearing aids. Basically the difference (as I understand it) is that analog is primarily amplification of sound; whereas, digital is smarter in terms of controlling and amplifying different noises. Digital amplifies important sound such as speech while depressing unimportant background noise. The goal is a better hearing experience.

My transition from analog to digital was very hard. I tried different hearing instruments but couldn’t find any that worked for me. My Audiologist would fit different hearing aids at levels the manufacturer said was appropriate based on my hearing loss, but I felt like I could not hear anything. Dealing with the transition was much agony and the result of many splitting headaches.

Today I expected the sounds from digital to digital to be roughly the same. I imagined the transition from one to the other would be minimal. However, once again I find that it is difficult. I started to get a headache and my sister commented on how ‘out of it’ I was. I ended up putting my old hearing aids back on and am planning on returning to my audiologist to see if we can figure out how to make the new ones work better for me.

It is amazing how changing something that is fundamental to our existence (in my case -- hearing aids) can affect how we perceive the world. I suppose each headache is a growing experience and the transition from one type of hearing aid to the next will allow me to learn to express how I hear – but, man, it is a challenge I do sometimes wish I didn’t have to bear.

Welcome to The Journey Where the Truth Evolves and Endures

2007-07-17T21:45:00.000-05:00

While many people’s wildest dreams are to own a home, meet a celebrity, win a makeover or an extravagant trip – my dream is to advance the presence of all people with disabilities in the workplace and in society.

Why is this dream? … I am a young man with a hearing impairment.
When I was growing up, my mom laid me down to sleep and I prayed to God before removing my hearing aids. Each night I’d ask God to restore my hearing so I could hear “normally” like other kids. The next morning I’d wake up talking out loud hoping to hear my voice, hopeful that God granted my wish and that a miracle transformed my ears overnight. I’d hope I would no longer have to wear hearing aids.

However, God didn’t restore my hearing and my perspective on life has changed. I no longer pray for my hearing to be restored, but rather I recognize meaning exists to my reality. My abilities allow me to succeed as a person with a disability despite the physical, social and societal limitations I encounter. I was successfully raised in a hearing environment with the help of hearing aids, I graduated from high school and college, and I am now employed with a marketing firm in downtown Chicago.

How I am working to achieve my dream? … I live my dream everyday by advancing my presence in the workplace and in society.
As one of fifty-three million Americans with a disability and as one of six hundred million individuals living with a disability globally – I know I am lucky! Many people with disabilities have not been as fortunate as myself and continue to live in social isolation, are often subjected to stereotypes and misconceptions, and still experience discrimination – even with passage of disability civil laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act.

I don’t take my successes for granted and I live my life in a way that is representative of my dream. Each day, I work to advance my career goals and I grow my social networks. I foster positive interactions with people encouraging them to look beyond my disability and to recognize me for my abilities.

How can you help? … Help me empower people and impact society through stories.
The media and entertainment industry is limited in its accurate portrayal of people with disabilities. Insufficient and inaccurate information builds attitudinal barriers and perpetuates somewhat negative interactions between people with and without disabilities. People with disabilities too often are viewed based merely on their limitations and people without disabilities are ambivalent on how to positively interact with those who have limitations.

Yet, many individuals like myself have achieved extraordinary accomplishments while overcoming barriers resulting from our disabilities. We reveal the possibilities that exist for all people with disabilities. Our determination and faith in ourselves helped us overcome expectations placed on us by others because of our disability.Please let me share your stories of living with a disability and help me celebrate your extraordinary successes while overcoming your limitations.

Check out this blog often! This blog will serve as a source for inspiration to learn about people who achieve great things in spite of their disability. I'll also recount my own personal experiences about living with a disability. And, if you have questions about disabilities you want me to look into -- I'll do the research.

Through sharing stories, we can learn accurate information about specific disabilities and challenge ourselves to look beyond people’s limitations and embrace diversity. Welcome to the journey where we explore truth and watch it evolve creating a better world for all -- one that is inclusive of all.