Gill Mulroe explains what a dyslexia diagnosis later in life has meant to her.
Monday 27 May 2024
Gill is Head of Sustainability and a Climate Commissioner and was diagnosed with dyslexia in her early 40s. She explains what a diagnosis later in life has meant to her.
"My diagnosis gave me a lot to unpack. I felt I could have done more; I could have been more if I had received the understanding and support that my neurodiversity needed earlier on in my life. I am doing my career the other way round. I now have the drive and ambition because I finally understand myself and am more in tune with how I learn and how I tick. I am a work in progress and every day I feel like I am living my best life."
You work in a fascinating sector, tell us a bit about your profession.
I work in the sustainability sector and my focus is on finding ways to reduce our impact on the environment and promote sustainable practices. My career started in the resource and waste sector, which has historically been male dominated. I was only the 25th female to become a fellow of the resource and waste sector, but there is a growing recognition of the need for greater diversity and inclusion in this sector.
Over the years I have become more interested in sustainability, and I started to learn about the pressing environmental challenges we face via an IEMA course many years ago. This motivated me to pursue a career in this field and contribute towards creating a more sustainable future. I became a chartered environmentalist a few years ago.
Dyslexia also comes with strengths. While I have had to develop strategies to manage it, my role is ideally suited to a dyslexic person. The sustainability field values and needs diverse perspectives, and requires innovative thinking, analytical thinking, and great strategists, which aligns well with the strengths that dyslexic individuals often possess.
I have been challenging the many groups who have formed to look at green skills for the future about how they include the skill sets of dyslexic thinkers to ensure that we are capturing skills outside of the neurotypical mindset.
I see the same people in the same groups, with similar views, repeating the same conversations, while the future of this planet hangs in the balance. We need dyslexic thinkers; it is so frustrating! The future of the earth and accountability of its future is everyone’s responsibility, we should all have a say in how that evolves and be included.
Climate Commissioner – what does that mean?
My role as a climate commissioner involves advocating for climate change. I work closely with various stakeholders, including government agencies, businesses, and community organisations, to develop and implement initiatives that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Importantly for me is the opportunity to understand and learn more about and from the vulnerable communities that will be impacted most by climate change due to floods, drought, and increased costs, so that we can be effective in our communication to drive positive change and enhance climate resilience, so no one is left behind.
How does your dyslexia impact you on a day-to-day basis?
I face certain challenges in my day-to-day work. For example, meetings later in the day are a problem for me as I can be processing information from earlier in the day, so I will struggle to find the right word for something, or I interrupt people. I do need to sit in quiet spaces, and I can struggle when people are all talking at once. My communication style is quite different if I am overloaded. I have learnt to be open about who I am and honest with people around me; it avoids judgement and can create the most amazing allies.
The same voices were speaking for the majority, and this group ensures that everyone has an opportunity to have their voice heard.
In your experience, what do you see as the benefits of embracing neurodiversity within the workplace?
It fosters a culture of inclusion, where individuals with different neurodivergent traits can contribute their unique perspectives and skills. This diversity of thought and approach can lead to increased innovation, problem-solving, and creativity. It also helps create a supportive and understanding work environment where all employees can thrive.
There is a lack of training and awareness for managers and people are often worried to say the wrong things. We should have more open conversations and learn more about what challenges us, so that companies can put in place policies and implement changes to support us.
We now have Elevating Voices, which is a group made up of large and small-scale organisations, both council and independents and was born to address the lack of diversity in the waste sector.
What is the most important change we should be making in relation to sustainability in our places of work?
This is my own personal preference, but for me the most important change is the adoption of a circular economy approach. This means moving away from the traditional linear model of take-make-dispose and instead designing products and systems that minimise waste, maximise resource efficiency, avoid waste, and promote reuse, repurpose, and repair.
By embracing circularity, we can reduce the environmental impact of our operations, conserve resources, and create a more sustainable and resilient workplace. I am passionate about this due to future resource scarcity and uncertainty.
What would your message be to your younger self?
If I could go back and talk to my younger self, I would say, “Embrace your differences and believe in your abilities. Your unique perspective and strengths will lead you to great accomplishments.