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DON’T FIX WEAKNESSES When he was 12, he fell o his bike while delivering newspapers
and su ered a compound fracture of his le arm. He said the bone
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 was set improperly, leaving him unable to fully extend his le arm,
bought a house for his parents, and now they don’t criticize him palm up. He couldn’t play a guitar and later had di culty at drive-
anymore about his talking. through restaurants reaching out to receive change – with his palm
“ ere is a place for people who want to be the center of facing down.
attention,” Rendall said. “What makes us weird also makes us But when he was in Australia, where he said they drive on the
wonderful. What makes us weak also makes us strong.” le side of the road and cars are equipped with the steering wheel
Many highly talented, brilliant, creative people think they’re on the right side, the rst thing he did was head for a drive-through
not, because the thing they were good at in school wasn’t valued restaurant. He extended his right hand for the change. “It worked,”
or was actually stigmatized, Rendall said, alluding to his own Rendall said. “I hadn’t changed the person, I changed the place.
childhood. Don’t change who you are.”
He noted that 50 percent of U.S. millionaires have dyslexia, even To be the best at some things, you have to be the worst at other
though only 10 percent of the general population has that problem. things. “Maximize what matters, minimize what doesn’t,” he said.
Millionaires overcame the disorder. As an example of someone with Stop doing things that are not helping your organization. When
dyslexia, he mentioned Paul Orfalea, who founded Kinkos. you were a student in school, if you paid someone to do your work,
“ ey don’t have broken brains – they have di erent brains,” that’s called cheating. In business, paying someone to do something
Rendall said. is the best strategy for success, he said.
Stressing his point, Rendall said, “You couldn’t have advantages “Partner with people who are strong where you are weak,”
without disadvantages. You couldn’t have ability without disability. Rendall said. “Sometimes the people we need the most, we like the
We succeed because of our weaknesses, not in spite of them.” least. Organizations exist to make people’s strengths e ective and
He recommended exaggerating weaknesses instead of their weaknesses irrelevant.”
eliminating them. In that way, we would think and act di erently E orts have been made throughout history to straighten the
about ourselves, about our children, our spouse or partner and leaning tower of Pisa. It’s a good thing they never succeeded,
employees. We would have an appreciation of things we didn’t because that famous landmark is a boon to Pisa’s economy, Rendall
appreciate before. noted. “We live in a world that loves to straighten things up and
Regarding your own weaknesses, he said, “Don’t modify – straighten things out. But, it’s the tilt that leads to value.”
amplify.” Rendall recalled a quote from the author e e cummings: “We
He told of a repetitive so ware job that requires workers to do do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside
the same thing over and over. People with autism were hired. ey us something is valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our trust,
had hyper-focus and a competitive advantage that others saw as a sacred to our touch.”
weakness, Rendall said.
“Don’t try to t in – nd the right t,” he said. “I found where David Rendall can be reached at: dave@drendall.com or (919) 222-
I t.” 6295.

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