The idea of neurodiversity or the knowledge that each person has a unique mind is not just conceptual but also a movement that seeks to promote acceptance and understanding of these differences as well as an appreciation of the value they bring to society and the workplace. Although the discussion of neurodiversity in business is still relatively young, it is at a unique juncture in time.
We start to really grasp how the brain affects everything we do, including our careers, as our knowledge and diagnosis of conditions like autism, ADHD, OCD, anxiety, and depression advance.
Employee resource groups that address neurodiversity are becoming more and more popular as more parents, caregivers, and recently self-diagnosed team members realise the value and relevance of neurodiversity in the workplace.
Why should leaders and managers take the time to understand this idea?
Companies that are able to adapt, develop, and keep up with the speed of digitalisation will be the ones that prosper in 2024. This calls for a team that will think creatively, is open to learning new things, and is not scared to fail.
The greatest approach to help your team create that kind of environment could perhaps be to have a thorough understanding of their brains, to understand their motivations and what drives people to learn, and to provide them with the psychological security to venture beyond their comfort zones.
Leaders who put in the effort to get to know and care for their team members will probably reap rewards in the form of innovative ideas, a shift in company culture, and a more agile way of doing things.
“I did not have a degree in neuropsychology nor did I have the lived experience of being autistic myself,” admitted Tara May, CEO of Aspiritech, a QA and data services company with a team almost entirely composed of autistic adults. She admitted that she was nervous about taking over as CEO of an organisation with almost exclusively autistic employees. “I did, however, have the openness to hear what my colleagues had to say and absorb it. They taught me how to lead people more effectively, not just those who are autistic.”
Based on Tara May’s experiences, here are five ways to embrace neurodiversity in your team:
- Consider opening up conversations about mental health
Studies have indicated that there is a higher likelihood of mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression among those with neurodivergent diseases. For a variety of reasons, having a neurodivergent condition can have a direct impact on mental health.
Therefore, employers can address the disparity in access to care by establishing employee resource groups, making mental health a regular topic of discussion among leadership (thereby eliminating the stigma), and providing all workers with high-quality, all-inclusive mental health benefits.
- Recognise your stress tolerance
If you are an organisation’s leader, you might want to think about conducting a quick poll at the beginning of each day. “How is stress impacting your day today?” It might be among the most creative and straightforward things a leader can do to encourage their group.
As a manager, wouldn’t you want to know if your staff was being impacted by stress at work or at home? What obstacles could you eliminate for them? How could you help them perform at their highest level? What’s a crucial first step in learning what’s going through your teammates’ minds?
- Show flexibility in making accommodations
The term “accommodation” can sometimes evoke fear, and it should be our goal to dispel that idea. Simple and affordable accommodations are possible. Giving someone permission to use headphones while working is an example of sensory accommodation. Giving written directions is an additional step.
In the community of neurodiversity, we frequently refer to these as success criteria. Everybody has a specific manner of working that enables them to reach their maximum potential. We ought to locate those for our teammates as well.
- Consider your communication requirements
In your team, there will be individuals who learn best by hearing. Some people learn better with images than with words; while some team members will benefit from some alone time to consider change and decide how to react to it, others must process ideas aloud.
And some others will benefit from bullet-point summaries of action items, others will need meetings recorded. You may assist your team in identifying and implementing the changes your business requires by taking into account these demands as well as the variety of ways individuals learn, communicate, and process information.
- Take into account your own requirements
Although it may seem a bit paradoxical, taking a moment to consider your own needs as a leader could help you identify what others might find useful. For instance, Tara May claimed that she is most productive in the morning and that she loses productivity quickly in the late afternoon. She stated: “I block out time in the afternoon to catch up on Slack and email messages to allow myself the space and time to decompress from calls, which take a lot more energy for me.”
Examine your personal success elements for a moment. When you extend grace and understanding to yourself, you’ll be far more inclined to do the same for people around you.
Teams will need to adapt to the digital age by 2024. Understanding your team’s cognitive processes and knowing how to foster an environment where everyone can succeed is essential if you want them to change, innovate, and perform well. Accept and value neurodiversity on the job, and you’ll see your team succeed.
(Tashia Bernardus)