1988 - Writer Christopher Nolan, Unable to Move or Speak, Wins the Whitbread Prize.
"Embrace life’s challenges and personal limitations, persevere through adversity, innovate and reinvent so you can contribute, set new standards for change, diversity and equality"
👏 Happy Friday!
On this day, January 19, 1988, disabled author Christopher Nolan, who could not move or speak because of an accident at birth, won the prestigious Whitbread Book of the Year prize. The prize brought Nolan acclaim at age 23 as the youngest recipient at the time. His memoir stood out among over 100 contenders because of its poetic style and insight into the mind of a disabled person. At the age of 11, Nolan was prescribed a new drug, Lioresal, which allowed him to move one muscle in his neck, and he started to type using a rubber-tipped spike attached to a headband. Nolan’s remarkable achievement showcases his exceptional talent as a writer and serves as a powerful reminder of the indomitable human spirit. It goes beyond the literary world, inspiring people with disabilities to achieve greatness and make an impact in their chosen fields. This triumph challenges societal notions about disability, emphasising the importance of true inclusivity and equal opportunities for all.
✅ In his acceptance speech at Whitbread’s London Headquarters, read by his mother, Nolan said: “I want to shout with joy. My heart is full of gratitude. You all must realise that history is now in the making. Crippled man has taken his place on the world's literary stage.” Nolan refused to equate his physical limits with being limited in purpose or impact and embraced life’s challenges and personal limitations. His unwavering determination to overcome adversity and achieve his goals serves as a reminder of the importance of perseverance when facing adversity. He reinvented the concept of contribution, finding new and innovative ways to make his mark on the literary world. Christopher Nolan served as a powerful source of change leadership inspiration when he set new standards for diversity, equity and inclusivity. Reinvent How You Contribute to Change.
“Embrace life’s challenges and personal limitations, persevere through adversity, innovate and reinvent so you can contribute, set new standards for change, diversity, equity and inclusivity”
👉 As leaders of change, we must put people first, and our objective is to provide employees with a positive change transition experience. Not only does a DEI organisation drive better business results, but they are also more innovative. They help attract better and more talented employees, improving brand reputation. A DEI environment can be a great foundation for successful change implementation.
Diversity Helps Change: Diverse views, perspectives, open and honest discussion, where everyone can effectively contribute, leads to better change solutions and acceptance.
Equity Helps Change: Shaping and implementing a change that has equity considerations, and does not disadvantage any individual or group, will make it more palatable to the employees.
Inclusion Helps Change: Employees will feel engaged and more willing to become involved in the change design and implementation. They will feel that they are able to ask questions that might otherwise develop as resistance, questions that provide invaluable feedback and could even improve the change approach.
Have a fantastic weekend with the ones you love and care for, enjoy some fresh air, exercise, eat, drink and be happy.
Further Reading: Change Management Behaviour - Leadership of Change Volume 6
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Peter F Gallagher is a Change Management Global Thought Leader, Guru, Expert, International Speaker, Author and Leadership Alignment Coach.
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