TED Residency
Susan Robinson: How I fail at being disabled
Filmed:
Readability: 4.2
1,458,794 views
Born with a genetic visual impairment that has no correction or cure, Susan Robinson is legally blind (or partially sighted, as she prefers it) and entitled to a label she hates: "disabled." In this funny and personal talk, she digs at our hidden biases by explaining five ways she flips expectations of disability upside down.
Susan Robinson - Business executive, entrepreneur
Susan Robinson is a business leader, inspirational speaker, blogger, entrepreneur and TED Resident. And she is legally blind. Full bio
Susan Robinson is a business leader, inspirational speaker, blogger, entrepreneur and TED Resident. And she is legally blind. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:14
I'd like to introduce you to my mom.
0
2640
2120
00:19
(Laughter)
1
7040
1856
00:20
I'm guessing that's not what you expected,
2
8920
3096
00:24
and it's not what I expected either,
3
12040
1976
00:26
and thank goodness I realized
that an Asian man was not my mom
that an Asian man was not my mom
4
14040
4456
00:30
before I hugged him,
5
18520
2096
00:32
because that would have been so awkward.
6
20640
2720
00:36
Recognizing people
isn't one of my strengths
isn't one of my strengths
7
24800
3056
00:39
due to a genetic visual impairment
that has no correction or cure.
that has no correction or cure.
8
27880
4855
00:44
As a result, I am legally blind,
9
32759
2937
00:47
though I prefer "partially sighted"
because it's more optimistic.
because it's more optimistic.
10
35720
3696
00:51
(Laughter)
11
39440
1616
00:53
And I'm entitled to the label "disabled."
12
41080
3840
00:58
I hate the word disabled
when it's used to describe people.
when it's used to describe people.
13
46600
3400
01:03
It detonates a mindset of less than
14
51120
3440
01:07
that utterly disregards capacity,
15
55360
2896
01:10
ability, potential,
16
58280
1840
01:12
instead prioritizing brokenness
17
60920
3120
01:16
and lack.
18
64800
1200
01:19
The perspective can be overt.
19
67520
2240
01:23
What can't he do for himself
that I'm going to have to do for him?
that I'm going to have to do for him?
20
71320
3120
01:27
She'll probably need some accommodation
21
75640
2096
01:29
that no other employee
at this business needs.
at this business needs.
22
77760
2640
01:33
Sometimes, the hidden bias
23
81600
2600
01:37
is so sweetly conveyed.
24
85120
1720
01:40
"Wow, Susan,
25
88440
1800
01:43
look at everything you've done
in your career and your life.
in your career and your life.
26
91000
3680
01:47
How did you do all of that
and be visually impaired?"
and be visually impaired?"
27
95480
4376
01:51
(Laughter)
28
99880
4576
01:56
I fail at being disabled.
29
104480
2816
01:59
(Laughter)
30
107320
1376
02:00
So in the spirit of incentivizing
the rampant failure
the rampant failure
31
108720
3336
02:04
of people all over the world
32
112080
2296
02:06
and enticing the so-called normal
to just give it a rest already,
to just give it a rest already,
33
114400
5536
02:11
here are five tips
34
119960
1936
02:13
to fail at being disabled.
35
121920
3040
02:18
Tip one:
36
126120
1416
02:19
know your superpowers.
37
127560
1479
02:21
The best team I ever led in my career
38
129639
2777
02:24
was based on superpowers,
39
132440
2016
02:26
and we even gave ourselves
fancy-pantsy titles
fancy-pantsy titles
40
134480
2656
02:29
like "the Pillar of Masterly Acumen."
41
137160
3080
02:33
"The Biscuit Butterer."
42
141600
1856
02:35
(Laughter)
43
143480
1616
02:37
"The Voice of Reason."
44
145120
1240
02:39
Because we relied on our strengths,
45
147360
2776
02:42
our best strengths,
46
150160
2256
02:44
we achieved tremendous outcomes.
47
152440
2200
02:48
The trait that prevents me
from recognizing my mom
from recognizing my mom
48
156640
3296
02:51
allows me to smoothly adapt,
49
159960
2856
02:54
to quickly absorb and accurately process
an exhausting volume of cues,
an exhausting volume of cues,
50
162840
5816
03:00
tease out what's important,
51
168680
1896
03:02
determine multiple processes or potentials
for any situation that I'm in,
for any situation that I'm in,
52
170600
5056
03:07
and then select the one
that makes the most sense,
that makes the most sense,
53
175680
2960
03:11
all in a matter of seconds.
54
179680
1480
03:14
I see what other people do not.
55
182240
3000
03:18
Some people think that's a superpower,
56
186040
1810
03:20
but my real superpowers
57
188800
1520
03:23
are ricocheting off of glass walls --
58
191320
2096
03:25
(Laughter)
59
193440
1496
03:26
and letting my friends
walk around with kale in their teeth.
walk around with kale in their teeth.
60
194960
3136
03:30
(Laughter)
61
198120
3296
03:33
It's true. Don't have lunch with me,
62
201440
2520
03:37
or dinner.
63
205320
1200
03:39
Tip two: be supremely skilled,
64
207760
3976
03:43
supremely skilled at getting it wrong.
65
211760
2440
03:47
It is important to be
as equally confident in your superpowers
as equally confident in your superpowers
66
215480
3776
03:51
as you are in you FUBARs.
67
219280
2280
03:54
That's "effed up beyond all recognition"
68
222640
2536
03:57
for you millennials.
69
225200
1216
03:58
(Laughter)
70
226440
1456
03:59
Here's a good example.
71
227920
1200
04:02
It is not a great idea to say,
72
230240
3896
04:06
"Don't worry, everything in here
is too small for me to see"
is too small for me to see"
73
234160
3760
04:10
when you accidentally
walk into the men's room --
walk into the men's room --
74
238960
3776
04:14
(Laughter)
75
242760
5896
04:20
at one of the world's
largest sporting arenas --
largest sporting arenas --
76
248680
4296
04:25
(Laughter)
77
253000
2736
04:27
or anywhere.
78
255760
2096
04:29
I really wish that one wasn't true.
79
257880
2120
04:33
I'm serious. It is better to just walk out
and let them think you're drunk.
and let them think you're drunk.
80
261720
4456
04:38
(Laughter)
81
266200
1896
04:40
Tip three: know that everyone
is disabled in some way,
is disabled in some way,
82
268120
4040
04:45
like when you have a cold
and you can't smell
and you can't smell
83
273080
2296
04:47
and you realize that the milk
that you splashed in your coffee was sour
that you splashed in your coffee was sour
84
275400
3376
04:50
only after you've tasted it.
85
278800
1960
04:53
Very recently, a woman
walked up to me frantic.
walked up to me frantic.
86
281920
3376
04:57
She could not find
the bakery she was looking for.
the bakery she was looking for.
87
285320
2680
05:00
As I motioned in the direction
I thought she should go,
I thought she should go,
88
288880
2616
05:03
saying, "There are no stores
on this side of the street
on this side of the street
89
291520
2936
05:06
so your best bet is to cross --"
90
294480
2016
05:08
"Oh my goodness," she interrupted.
91
296520
3376
05:11
"There it is.
92
299920
1816
05:13
All I needed was another set of eyes."
93
301760
2896
05:16
(Laughter)
94
304680
5336
05:22
I just let her have it.
95
310040
1280
05:24
I would have said that, you know,
96
312920
3176
05:28
being logical and paying attention
97
316120
2696
05:30
and staying calm
would have done the trick,
would have done the trick,
98
318840
2936
05:33
but who am I?
99
321800
1200
05:36
Tip four: point out
the disability in others.
the disability in others.
100
324240
3760
05:41
This one is best reserved --
very important note --
very important note --
101
329080
2416
05:43
this one is best reserved
for people you know well,
for people you know well,
102
331520
2696
05:46
because random strangers
typically don't appreciate
typically don't appreciate
103
334240
3560
05:50
teachable moments.
104
338720
1200
05:52
A few years ago, my parents and I
went to see the Rockettes,
went to see the Rockettes,
105
340840
3656
05:56
Radio City's high-kicking dancers.
106
344520
2880
06:00
I leaned over to my dad.
107
348040
1560
06:02
"The two Rockettes on the left
aren't kicking in a straight line."
aren't kicking in a straight line."
108
350760
3680
06:07
"Yes, they are."
109
355800
1200
06:09
"No, they're not."
110
357800
1200
06:12
"Yes, they are, and how do you know?
111
360120
1736
06:13
You can't see."
112
361880
1200
06:15
But I know what
a straight line looks like.
a straight line looks like.
113
363880
2960
06:19
I had snapped a picture
during our back and forth
during our back and forth
114
367880
2656
06:22
and presented him the evidence
that proved I was right.
that proved I was right.
115
370560
3240
06:26
He looked at the picture.
116
374840
1240
06:28
I leaned in further.
117
376840
1320
06:30
"Who's disabled now?"
118
378840
1240
06:34
Tip five: pursue audacious goals.
119
382520
3320
06:38
Flip expectation upside down
120
386520
2416
06:40
and shove limitation off a cliff
to meet its demise.
to meet its demise.
121
388960
4120
06:45
There is a college football linebacker
122
393920
2016
06:47
who blitzes, tackles, recovers fumbles
123
395960
3256
06:51
while having one hand.
124
399240
1360
06:53
There is a teacher
who successfully transfers knowledge
who successfully transfers knowledge
125
401480
3136
06:56
and inspires countless students
126
404640
2200
06:59
while living with Down syndrome.
127
407720
1640
07:02
And for me,
128
410280
1200
07:04
on my long list,
129
412240
1896
07:06
to cycle from Kathmandu, Nepal,
to Darjeeling, India
to Darjeeling, India
130
414160
3856
07:10
on the backseat
of a bicycle built for two.
of a bicycle built for two.
131
418040
2360
07:13
It will be an exciting 620-mile adventure,
132
421800
4816
07:18
and I'm sure I will have
the blurry photos to show for it.
the blurry photos to show for it.
133
426640
3656
07:22
(Laughter)
134
430320
1816
07:24
Oh, before we go on,
I forgot to introduce you to my mom.
I forgot to introduce you to my mom.
135
432160
3296
07:27
I need to do that.
136
435480
1200
07:30
And here she is,
137
438360
1376
07:31
as she would appear to me
138
439760
2056
07:33
if I were looking through a crowd
of people looking for her.
of people looking for her.
139
441840
2840
07:37
Or is that an Asian man?
140
445800
1560
07:40
Thank you.
141
448840
1216
07:42
(Applause)
142
450080
4200
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Susan Robinson - Business executive, entrepreneurSusan Robinson is a business leader, inspirational speaker, blogger, entrepreneur and TED Resident. And she is legally blind.
Why you should listen
In 1992 Susan Robinson was diagnosed with a genetic visual impairment (Stargardt's disease). Unable to pursue her dream of becoming an orthopedic surgeon, she chose an alternate career path in organizational leadership.
Robinson has a successful professional background including leadership roles in the non-profit, corporate pharma and government sectors. She drives organizational turnarounds and new program/function start-ups with a focus on long-term, sustainable growth. She builds strong stakeholder relationships and is a transparent and direct communicator.
Robinson is a high-energy public speaker who masterfully blends her professional and personal experiences to shift thinking, elevate potential and inspire action. She deftly folds together serious issues and great humor, allowing audiences to access difficult topics with openness, confidence and objectivity.
Robinson is also an accomplished Argentine tango dancer, cyclist and yogi.
Susan Robinson | Speaker | TED.com