By Lee Sunlay
As society’s understanding of neurodiversity grows, so does its visibility in the workplace, and then so, too, must the manager and the executive’s understanding of neurodiversity deepen.
Over the past decade, I’ve had the privilege of working with many neurodivergent individuals, guiding them through career transitions and helping them realise their full potential.
My introduction to neurodivergent coaching began over ten years ago when approached by the co-founder (a psychiatrist) of the coaching business I worked for regarding career coaching for autistic young people. At the time, resources for neurodivergent individuals existed mainly in schools – but when it came to transitioning from school to the workforce, support was scarce. The co-founder – whose child is autistic – wanted to create options for not only her child, but others who needed support making the transition to the world of work. Her professional background and lived experience made for an excellent adjunct, and together we developed a tailored career coaching program, adjusting existing methods to meet the unique needs of autistic young people. In this particular case, it involved simplifying language, incorporating visual aids, and considering sensory sensitivities.
Since then, my understanding has expanded beyond autism to a greater share of the spectrum of neurodiversity – and I now take great pleasure in helping other career coaches to deepen their understanding of neurodivergence, including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other neurodiversities. Perhaps the first thing to understand, though, when embarking on such a program is that neurodiversity is not just static sets of traits; they colour an individual’s interactions, whether they are a young professional or an experienced executive – and, whatever you know about a particular condition, be it autism, ADHD, or dyslexia, you know nothing of the individual, not until you’ve taken the time to understand them as an individual with unique strengths, abilities and needs.
Addressing Neurodivergent Needs
With this in mind, to effectively support neurodivergent employees, it is crucial to do your research. Understanding the various conditions and how they manifest allows leaders to ask informed questions like, “How can we best support you?” This approach helps create an environment where employees feel understood and valued without the pressure to disclose their neurodivergence.
A manager’s potential is often measured by the breadth and the diversity of the teams they can lead. In this light neurotypical leaders should look at this as an opportunity to expand their capabilities – because in truth the actions required to effectively lead and support neurodivergent team members are no different to those required for good leadership more generally: do your homework, ask questions, tailor your approach for the people you serve. In doing so, you’ll not only enhance their careers but also help to enrich our workplaces with diverse perspectives and talents.
Lee Sunlay is an experienced career practitioner, facilitator, and program manager with over 15 years’ experience across government employment services and private career programs in both Australia and the UK. She is the Director of Coaching Services at Two Point Zero as well as Directioneering’s Neurodiversity Consulting Lead .
At Directioneering we believe that every change is a chance to find new meaning in our careers and to continue them with renewed purpose. For this reason, we produced our report into neurodiversity in the workplace – an introduction and a guide for managers as to how they can effectively lead and support the careers of their neurodivergent employees. You can download a copy of the report HERE
