Columbia University Graduate
School of Business. “I was fairly
well recruited, but you go through
that and there’s an unknown if
[cerebral palsy] will be an issue.
Talk is cheap, and you can have
conversations that seem to be going well, but until you get the offer,
it’s a terrifying experience because
you don’t know if your disability
will prevent you from getting [it].”
Once Donovan chose Merrill
Lynch, he noticed that “people
don’t care if you’re blue or what
have you. If you’re bringing in dollars, it’s not going to matter who
you are.”
The most difficult part of having
a disability is not the disability but
“overcoming the disability brand,”
adds Donovan.
“There’s a brand that says that
disability doesn’t equal quality,”
explains Donovan. “If you’re disabled or have a mental condition in
any way, [people think] you’re not
going to be able to deliver what you
need to deliver.”
That perception is the result
of doctors saying they can fix a
disability—and if they do, the person is successful. The implication
Show People With
Disabilities on Web Site
100%
100%
80
60
40
20
0
66%
With
24%
Source: DiversityInc
*Bottom quarter of 317 respondents
is that the disability is preventing
success, he says.
“Now people like me are saying
walking is nice but … the biggest
challenge I face is to change that
radioactive brand into something
incredibly positive,” says Donovan.
“That means changing the viewpoints of my colleagues and changing the perceptions that disability
doesn’t equal quality.”
HERE ARE SIX TIPS
FROM THE TOP 50
Executives at Top 50 companies, especially those on the Top
10 Companies for People With
Disabilities list, develop internal
employee networks and programs
designed to help companies
accommodate employees with
disabilities, destroy stereotypes
and create a culture that welcomes
everyone. They’re tackling issues
from the on-boarding process to
