MIND Strengths to Lead

Leadership is an invitation to greatness that we extend to others.

HERE'S A CHALLENGE: how prepared are you to learn from outliers? 

I'm not simply talking about those who “think outside the box”. I'm referring to those who are not, and never will be, in the box at all. The ones who don’t fit conventional patterns, who see the world differently, and who challenge our assumptions of what’s normal.

If leadership is truly an invitation to greatness that we extend to others, then we must ask: do we have the Mind Strength to lead?

Context: Dyslexia

My thoughts on Mind Strengths are inspired by Drs. Brock and Fernette Eide’s book The Dyslexic Advantage: Unlocking the Hidden Potential of the Dyslexic Brain.

Systemically, dyslexics are outliers – in school and in society. Growing up, my dyslexic brother was considered dumb because he could not read like the rest of us kids. Today, it would be politically incorrect to call anyone that. Disadvantaged, maybe, but not dumb or stupid or a numbskull. I'm unsure if we live in more enlightened times, or if we've simply developed less harsh language to dump people into categories that differ from our sense of normal. 

The key point that the book reveals is how dyslexic thinkers approach problems differently - and how those differences are often sources of strength, not limitation.

Most of us work in teams — individuals with different thought processes, different ways of interpreting the same situation, and different paths to a solution.

So what if we approached those differences not from a conflict resolution mindset, but from a let’s use those differences mindset?

To make us stronger. Smarter. Better.

The MIND Strength Model

The Eides’ research identifies four cognitive strengths in dyslexic thinkers - a framework they call MIND Strength.

I believe this framework also describes what great leaders do.

M – Material Reasoning

Understanding and working with the physical world - how things move, fit, and function.
Think engineers, mechanics, or logisticians.
Leaders with M-strengths see tangible systems. They turn ideas into working models - warehouses that flow, supply chains that function, processes that hold.

I – Interconnected Reasoning

Spotting patterns and linking ideas that others miss.
Think musicians, designers, or systems thinkers.
Leaders with I-strengths connect the dots between people, processes, and ideas to create something bigger than the sum of its parts.

N – Narrative Reasoning

Using stories to make sense of the world.
Think marketers, communicators, or coaches.
Leaders with N-strengths help others see meaning. They build shared purpose through story.

D – Dynamic Reasoning

Making decisions in uncertainty and predicting what comes next.
Think entrepreneurs, strategists, or logisticians.
Leaders with D-strengths are comfortable with ambiguity. They move forward even when the map isn’t clear.

The Mind Strength to Lead

No one is ever assured of greatness.

Leadership is a journey, not a guarantee. It’s the dialogue between inviter and invited -between those who extend the invitation to greatness and those who accept it.

We don’t all think the same way. And that’s not a problem to solve.
It’s a strength to lead with.

I'll wrap up with a simple leadership toolkit below to apply to your own leadership practice:

MIND STRENGTH LEADERSHIP TOOLKIT