To mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities (3 December 2024), Forterra’s Martin Smithurst shares how he has transformed what many see as a disability—dyslexia—into a driving force behind his remarkable career success.
Forty-year-old Martin was diagnosed in the mid-90s while at school, and although his experience with dyslexia is a daily challenge it has also shaped his career in unexpected ways. He describes the common difficulties faced by those with dyslexia—mispronouncing names, struggling with written communication, and the anxiety of public speaking. Yet, rather than allowing these challenges to hold him back, Martin has used them as fuel for growth and innovation in his role at Forterra which plays to his design skills and practical mindset.
“I’ve always known that I wasn’t destined to be an English teacher,” Martin jokes. Instead, he channelled his talents into a degree in architecture, and later an MSc in Structural Engineering.
“Dyslexia is more widely known about now than it was in the 90s, so people are a lot more understanding of the struggle which helps. Forterra is very supportive; I work with a great crew who have learned to interpret my common typos or are happy to discuss with me when an email doesn’t quite make sense.”
One of Martin’s most memorable moments occurred during a conference where he mistakenly displayed the word “impotent” instead of “important” on a large screen in front of 400 senior managers.
“You can’t let it get in the way; it has affected my confidence at times but you have to push through it and find ways of managing. For me, that means relying on spell check and memorising presentations, as well as developing a thick skin to accept colleague feedback as constructive rather than criticism.”
“Dyslexia has always been my worst enemy and my best friend at the same time,” he says. He encourages everyone to look for hidden talents within their colleagues and embrace the diversity of skills and perspectives that strengthen our teams.
Adam Smith, Commercial Director says, “At Forterra, we believe that everyone has unique strengths to offer. Martin’s journey is a shining example of how support, understanding, and a commitment to inclusion can help individuals not just survive but thrive in their careers.”
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