Krysalis Christmas 2022: Britain’s Got Neuro Talent! - IT security wiz, David Wozny…
David Wozny was one of the UK's top advisers called on to ensure bank and police authority IT systems are safeguarded against glitches and hacker attacks.
And we are delighted now to welcome him as the first super-skilled star in our 2022 Britain's Got Neuro Talent (BGNT) campaign celebrating neurodiversity in the UK's workplaces.
David was 45 when a severe acquired brain injury (ABI) in 2015 almost ended his career – but for his prevailing passion for protecting vulnerable IT users, as he reveals now in our BGNT Q&A…
I found it hard to explain that, whilst I was physically unimpaired and able to converse reasonably well, an 'invisible force' held me back. 
Former IT security consultant, David Wozny
What type of work did you do before your injury?
I was a freelance (self-employed) IT security consultant in a specialist area related to 'applied cryptography' [1].
I had a good handle on how to apply crypto for practical uses, namely CIA: Confidentiality (encryption), Integrity (tamper proof), and Authentication (login).
The work was about understanding and exploring customer requirements, developing technical solutions, and managing people/situations.
I typically worked for large organisations. My most frequent customer types [2] were banks and police forces.
What is your injury?
I was riding my bicycle when I was hit from behind by a car and crashed into the windscreen with my head. Thankfully I was wearing my bicycle helmet.
My physical injuries were relatively light: broken cheekbones and ribs. The principal damage to my brain resulted in a four-week coma [3].
Upon hospital discharge, I looked pretty much the same, but I felt different from my former self.
Was work discussed as part of your early rehabilitation journey?
I was dismissive of the premise of returning to my previous work for at least 20 months after my 'injury event'.
However, 12 months after my injury, I recognised that I needed to "do stuff" and embarked upon voluntary work. I now view this as the beginning of my recovery journey [4].
I thoroughly enjoyed these roles, which included charity shop storeroom duties [5] and royal voluntary service [6], befriending tasks. They gave me a useful daily purpose.
But, nearly two years post-injury, I was approached by a former customer seeking some IT security consultancy [7].
They had asked about my availability several times, and each time, my answer had been, 'No, I'm not ready.' I feel certain that my vocational rehabilitation gave me the positive mindset to accept the last offer.
I found that a little of my technical skillset had been lost, but I did need a little patience on cognitive matters, and I also became tired by midday.
I continued employment for a further two years before the daily, early onset of tiredness meant that I needed to retire.
What work do you do now?
I'm now a volunteer, working in several strands:
- I'm a 'tech buddy' [8] with a local charity for the elderly
- I do 'password management talks' [9] at local community centres
- I have a befriending role at the NHS rehabilitation hospital [10], where I made significant recovery progress
- I'm a 'quizmaster' [11] at my mother's care home and hope, in time, to do this at other care homes too
I consider volunteering a win-win exercise whereby both the giver and receiver have much to gain.
What is good about working?
My voluntary work:
- Gave me a daily purpose; in other words - a reason to get up and go out
- Provided me with evidence that I had utility; in other words - I could still 'do stuff.'
- Enabled me to meet up with and engage with new folk
- Boosted my feelings of self-worth purely from helping others
Why does the work you do matter?
I've learned that I get far more satisfaction now from the simple altruistic aspects of volunteering than any of my past professional roles.
'I think I was previously overly focussed on matters such as 'deliverables'. It's probably taken my injury to understand that nothing is more precious, important, or interesting than 'people'.'
What does your work mean to you?
See: 'No. 5. What is good about working?'! Plus, from a self-awareness perspective, it gives me a feeling of 'normality'.
Disclosure: finding the courage
Talking to others about our needs can be challenging. Do you have any suggestions that might help?
I found that keeping a diary [12] gave me a yardstick of progress. When inevitable blips occurred, having a diary enabled me to compare myself to how I was, say, a month or so ago, allowing me to see the bigger picture.
Getting advice regarding coping strategies might be helpful. Out of, say, five suggestions, perhaps only one will work, but that ONE will turn out to have immense benefits to you.
Note-taking to overcome my memory problems and rest/sleep periods during the day to combat tiredness were my key enablers.
'I feel it's important to be open-minded to try different things. It's certainly not defeatist to rely upon coping strategies in life.'
Shared understanding: building knowledge
Neurological conditions are hard to understand. What would you like the workplace to know about your own experiences? What has helped and what has not?
I found it hard to explain to anyone that whilst I was physically unimpaired and able to converse reasonably well, there was an "invisible force" that held me back.
I think it might be mutually beneficial for any employer to engage with the employee on a human level (such as asking about family life), as well as the 'work level'.
Working together: collaboration
There has been a shift towards workplace inclusion for people living with additional needs. What are your thoughts on this? Is enough happening? Could we do more – if so, what?
It's not a theme I'm familiar with, so I've no thoughts on this.
Hope: being open to the possibilities
What would you say to others living with a neurological condition who are struggling at work or who would like to work?
'For many folks (including me), the idea of returning to work can be extremely intimidating. It's a life area where post-ABI limitations may be exposed.'
I was cautious not to over-extend myself. And it should be borne in mind that progress may likely be non-linear (not a straight line).
Three good days might be followed by a 'rubbish' one; it doesn't mean that you've returned to square one again - bumps along the way should be expected.
What would be your key message to the workplace and employers around supporting people with neurological conditions?
Recognise the need, in many cases, to show patience by easing folks back into work gently.
However, also understand that an employee may not be intellectually challenged. They will often respond better to being engaged in a manner akin to before their ABI.
*Find out more about David's inspiring ABI rehabilitation journey via his website I Needed To Be Needed, the references below, or here: Learning to love life again after brain injury
Britain’s Got Neuro Talent!
Meet the neuro stars!
More BGNT showstoppers…
Discover more about 'highly desirable' neuro talent and some of the latest facts and figures around disability employment and workplace accessibility issues in our BGNT launch report: Britain's Got Neuro Talent! (krysalisconsultancy.co.uk)
And join us back here soon when we welcome another of the leading lights in our 2022 Britain's Got Neuro Talent line-up...
- David Wozny - Brain Injury - I Needed To Be Needed
- John McDonald - John McDonald – Disability Specialist (eagleswingsconsultancy.co.uk)
- Anne Rickets - Who we are - Global Brain Injury Awareness (globalbia.org)
- Tim Richens - Tim Richens | Regain the brain
You can follow all our 12-day Krysalis Christmas 2022 BGNT postings here or via our social media channels right up to Christmas Day!
Recently on talking heads ...
We are passionate about neurological rehabilitation; our neuro OT blog has been designed to help us share our collective wisdom to influence, educate and spark moments of discussion and reflection.
If you are interested in, or have been affected by brain injury, if you are passionate about occupational therapy, brain injury and neurological rehabilitation you are very welcome… come on in and join us!
References