Job interviews are a special kind of hell.

You burn so much energy trying to remember to just be yourself.

Even though you’ve never been anyone else but you.

I wasn’t interviewing for a job. 

I was sitting at my desk at home on a Zoom call.

Interviewing to be a volunteer teaching English remotely.

But still, I was nervous. 

I’d spent weeks looking for the right volunteering opportunity. 

Nothing too time consuming but something that made a difference.

Within 2 minutes of the interview, I settled in and relaxed.

But I had to tell the Director of the literacy center that I was a horrible student. 

Throughout school, I was consistently below average, failing or flailing. 

She laughed like she’s heard a version of that line before. 

And then said - “Don’t worry, it’s people like you that often make the best teachers”. 

Awwwwwww! 

Even though I’d been consulting in legal services for years, teaching English was intimidating. 

Just because I can speak it doesn’t mean I can teach it. 

Just like wearing a leather bomber jacket doesn't mean I can fly combat missions.

THE LESSON PLAN

With dyslexia, your past is always in earshot, reminding you of your prickly relationship with education.

For someone who’d spent more time receiving help than giving it, the idea of teaching was a stretch.

But this place was dialed in. 

They know volunteers don’t have a ton of time so lessons are pre-packaged. 

Which for a dyslexic before AI, that was the equivalent of someone handing you the answers before the test.

Still, lesson plans don't teach themselves. 

I had to show up (remotely), organize my thoughts, and make communication and grammar fun to adults whose first language was Spanish.

That's when I discovered things I didn't know I could do.

First lesson. 

Everyone learns differently, which sounds obvious until you're responsible for making sure all members in the Zoom understand past tense.

I started adjusting on the fly. Slowing down for some, adding universal humor to keep others engaged, checking in to make sure no one was lost in the back of the digital room.

It worked, as long as I made it about them and not the lesson plan.

By week five, attendance doubled.

Not because I was some brilliant teacher. Because I was paying attention and adapting.

Making sure people left smiling, even when they got things wrong.

EXERCISE, CHOCOLATE, SEX 

And here's what nobody tells you about helping others:

It expands your confidence.

In fact, neuroscience shows that helping others triggers the same oxytocin and dopamine release as exercise, chocolate, or sex - flooding your system with chemicals that reduce stress and boost mood.

Your nervous system is designed to reward you for being useful to others.

So the confidence boost…it’s not magic. 

It's you experiencing yourself differently, as the person who has answers instead of needing them.

After spending years on the receiving end of help, (accommodations, extra time, workarounds), the role reversal hits hard.

But the real shift isn't the hormones. 

It's what you learn about yourself while being useful to others in a low-pressure environment. 

But let’s be crystal clear. 

This playbook isn’t limited to balding gray haired dudes teaching English remotely to South Americans during COVID!

This science-backed confidence building can be used anywhere by anyone with a heartbeat and a smile. 

It's helping a coworker figure out software. Showing a neighbor's kid how to structure a presentation. Answering a stranger's question in the grocery store.

You're already doing versions of this; now let’s connect the dots. 

BEHIND THE SCENES

Here's what happens in those moments:

Someone needs help:

You figure out what they actually need (not just what they're asking for).

You explain it in a way that makes sense to them.

You adjust when you see it's not landing.

Those aren't just nice gestures, you’re showing:

• Empathy: research shows people who demonstrate it perform 40% higher in coaching, engaging others and decision-making
  

• Adaptability: knowing when to shift your approach in real time
  

• Communication: translating complex ideas into language that clicks 
  

• Emotional Intelligence: studies show it accounts for two out of three essential skills for effective performance across industries

Empathy | Adaptability | Communication | Emotional Intelligence

Now, here's what research proves about these Capabilities:

• They consistently separate high performers from everyone else
  

• They're what gets people promoted while others stay stuck
  

• They're valued more than technical skills for leadership positions. Meaning that, the ability to read a room beats knowing Excel formulas. Understanding what someone needs beats being the smartest person there
  

• They open doors regardless of your industry, experience or job title. The fact that you can put these into practice is a big deal

By using what you‘ve already got, you can open doors to better positions, more income, career pivots and new opportunities you didn't know existed.

5 MINUTES TO CONFIDENCE 

If you're dyslexic, you chronically under sell yourself….

Which is why you miss these game-changing strengths right under your nose. 

To you, they’re second nature and unimpressive. 

But that’s where you’re wrong.

Research shows these 4 capabilities:

• Are the #1 predictor of workplace performance
  

• People who have them earn an average of $29,000 more per year
  

• And……..90% of top performers score high in these skills
  

Making yourself useful to someone in as little as 5 minutes builds confidence.

The trick is….

Paying attention when it's happening.

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