Neurodiversity in Business Conference Reflections
Joanne Feaster
VA for non-profits/purpose-led businesses | Autistic | PDA | Bipolar type 2 | Mental Health & Neurodiversity Champion
The theme was collaborating for impact, and although the challenging external global environment was acknowledged, there was much positivity about progress made to date and some clear visions on the key factors needed now to ensure neuro-inclusion becomes understood and embedded as a mainstay of good business practice.
I have compiled an executive summary of my key takeaways, as there was so much content. Those who want to read in more detail can do so, but the summary will hopefully give you some valuable pointers for anyone short on time. I’d love to know if you are collaborating already, and what impact that has. Or, if you’ve been inspired to collaborate, what are you planning on doing?
These notes cover the sessions I attended, which were the main plenary sessions:
For those who didn’t see my post at the end of the day, the highlight for me, in addition to all this information absorbed, was meeting Dan Harris’ son, #TJM The Joshie Man. He stole the show by confidently taking to the stage to grab a drink of water after delivering flowers to host Char Bailey.
Executive Summary
Key statements
Workplace considerations
Inclusiveness is valuable and scalable, not charity, and has concrete value. Workplaces must be designed more human-centred and personalised. Personalisation will be the significant shift and the key to progress now and in the future. Everyone should have everything tailored to remove any barriers and optimise their performance. Person-centred is where you can be yourself, have conversations, and be curious meaningfully and impactfully.
To see positive changes, it always starts with how. Instead of focusing on why we can't do something, we need to focus on how we rectify and remove unnecessary barriers. Collaboration between businesses and researchers can be vital here to evidence the impact of neuro-inclusion and demonstrate how it can be achieved, so that it can be replicated in different ways. First, you'll need to create the impact, then share what you are doing internally (and externally) via multiple means of communication. Having numerous means for people to communicate or listen helps to build participation and trust.
A moral imperative isn't sufficient for those who disagree. As a community, we must review our language and shift to adapting, adjusting, and reframing to a new external reality. Neuro-inclusion must be embedded within existing strategies, policies and structures rather than being seen as ‘another add-on’. We need to use the language of leaders – framing the conversation to improve productivity and increase retention, demonstrating the benefits to the business of inclusive practices and seeking to design inclusive spaces. Understanding and supporting sensory processing and cognitive wellbeing can improve performance for everyone.
Leadership (strategic) and bottom-up input are key. Everyone, at all levels, needs psychological safety to share and operate differently. We must create space for leaders to share stories. It can't be a tick box. We must bring lived experience into every business area. Inclusion must be part of everyday life, not a one-off. Simply having a policy and words is not enough. We need to reassure people to make them confident about sharing how they have achieved their successes, happy to identify barriers they have overcome, and, therefore, encourage others to request what they need. To do that, businesses must demonstrate that they mean what they say. The more people are reassured, the more they can advocate for themselves. Confidence is central, and that's brilliant because we can change confidence. We need to enable everyone to improve their confidence.
Managers are the linchpin, critical, and need support. They can also be neurodivergent and may have their preferences and communication styles. It is about giving individuals a choice. There are lots of different options we can use to accommodate preferences. We can unlock people's potential by putting solutions in place and removing barriers.
We must question whether everyone must have the same skills and accommodate spiky profiles. Can we have career paths where people don't become people managers? Businesses must consider what skills they need in roles and how their systems support achieving that. Judge outcomes, not processes, and approach with curiosity rather than judgment. Different methods often have brilliance behind them. As anxiety is a common thread that is present for neurodivergent individuals, recognise what anxiety is and how it can present, as the best ideas are frequently trapped inside anxious minds.
Employers need to focus on creating an environment that builds self-awareness for individuals. Then, employees can start saying yes to things that are better aligned with their needs, and those experiences can compound positively.
Allyship is essential. Can you be the ally, or find such an ally in your organisation? As an ND community, we need to be allies and collaborate with other marginalised communities.
Language and labels
Words are powerful, and their meanings change over time. Categorisation can give some categories more value than others, and they are used to allocate resources. One of the key considerations now is, “Who misses out ... The most ... And why ... And again?” Labels are tools, but they can be used for good and bad, depending on who uses them. Sometimes, a label can be empowering and affirming. We need to add some nuance to the conversation about labels. We need to understand their purpose and assess whether it's helpful to use them.
Context is important. Everyone is entitled to use language that is comfortable for them. However, a lack of consensus on language can impact the level of awareness. The intent behind the language is more important. In-fighting about language can be counter-productive and exclusionary.
It’s important to consider who is safe to use labels, who they liberate, and what the future will call those labels. We must also consider those who cannot get a diagnosis/label. Dangers also occur when over-focusing on a label and expecting everyone with that label to respond similarly. How can we circumvent the whole label discussion and lower the barriers for people to express what they need without disclosing a label?
So many systems rely on labels and try to simplify the complex, which harms us. We pathologise things for some people, and that is problematic. You don't get identified or supported if you're not classically anything (a specific diagnosis). To do this right, we must think about what we want. Pandora's box has been opened, and we can't go back; there's too much information already out there. We have the responsibility to build a safe place to go. What does that look like?
The broader context impacting individuals and businesses – education, health, and social care
The education system is making our neurodivergent children sick, so we need to support teachers to break the rules. Teachers need to be trained, and not in a silo-based way. We must get the right children to the right people (specialists) at the right time for adequate support. We need to not train in boxes and not work in siloes. However, now is the first time we have the same language in education, health and social care, so it is a time of opportunity for change.
Too many parents, specifically women, are having to take time out of work to manage difficulties that neurodivergent children are experiencing. In terms of leadership, that is a real issue. Disproportionately, parents and women leave the workplace at a significant stage in their careers. We need to think about who we are losing and why.
My questions for the future beyond the conference remit
Collaborating for Impact – Corporate Partners
Wells Fargo was the conference headline sponsor, and JP Morgan Chase was the inclusion sponsor. These are two powerhouses of the financial services world, and it was great to hear their representatives speak with passion and enthusiasm for neuro-inclusion. We also heard how they have embedded neuro-inclusion in their organisations and the many benefits of this for individual employees and the businesses.
Tom Norrish of JP Morgan Chase advised that we may “need to expand what good looks like” and, crucially, play to our strengths. He made a statement that was repeated by many others throughout the day: “Neurodiversity is a fact; neuro-inclusion is a choice”.
Stephen DeStefani, of Wells Fargo, said that traditional workplace norms reward sameness, a legacy design flaw driven by a lack of understanding of cognitive differences. Now we know better. He spoke passionately about their collaboration with the University of Connecticut - a corporate and academic partnership – whereby they funded and developed a free workshop for businesses, to remove the often-perceived financial barrier to neuro-inclusion.
Stephen and Judy Reilly (University of Connecticut) highlighted that the workshop represented the how, the vehicle for education and change. The university converted the Wells Fargo model of excellence into a workshop to train other companies in how to do it, with a one-day workshop and follow-up check-ins. Action focused on changing their practices. They have educated 65 Fortune 500 companies so far. A workshop will soon be held for 20 of London's largest financial services companies.
They aim to prove that inclusiveness is valuable and scalable, not charity, and has concrete value. Stephen confirmed that inaction is the enemy of progress. Wells Fargo has embedded neuro-inclusion into its DNA. He posed a key question: “What will you do to shift from passive awareness to action?”
Tom, Stephen, Judy and Alex Hedlund (of NiB) then joined host Char Bailey for a panel discussion. Key factors for enabling neuro-inclusion noted were:
Calls To Action by the panellists for collaboration for impact were:
Judy: We need evidence-based knowledge to convince companies of what they should be doing. Let researchers come in, how does what you're doing change and have an impact? We need to convince those with decision-making authority. Trust and collaboration between companies and researchers can achieve this.
Stephen: This is about workplace transformation, so we must start executing and celebrating the results.
Char: Noted that among the delegates, the people of colour could be counted on one hand. She wants to see more and is on a mission to change that. She urged everyone to find and look for those who aren't at the table.
Tom: Our experience is not the experience; everyone experiences differently, so step back.
Alex: Open heart, open mind and open mouth – we need to talk about it and normalise the conversation.
Collaborating for Impact – Community Partners
Professor Nancy Doyle (Birkbeck and founder of Genius Within), Atif Choudhury (Diversity & Ability), Char Bailey (Birmingham Pride), and Chris Quickfall (Cognassist) joined Dan Harris (NiB) in a panel discussion.
The current DEI situation was discussed, considering changes instigated in the US. The impact felt on the neurodivergent (ND) community was mixed, with more noticeable changes in businesses that depend more on US-based financing. The immediate effect was not being felt as severely in the ND community (yet) as in other marginalised communities, and there was a call on the ND community to be allies to friends in other marginalised communities, for example, black and brown and LGBTQIA+ who are struggling.
Therefore, there was acknowledgement that we are currently digging in for a struggle already here for many. The current impact level mainly depends on individual experiences and individuals’ and organisations' privileges. We must fight back against a rollback of what has been hard-fought for decades.
This has also resulted in a significant shift in how we need to maintain participation. Organisations are finding it hard to operate independent neuro-inclusion programs. As a community, we must change our approach, review our language, and shift to adapting, adjusting, and reframing to a new external reality.
Emergent trends for 2025
Nancy confirmed that the whole world of work is changing. Our work and education structure is fit for the Industrial Revolution. Transition and change are painful. Everyone feels scared. People look for strong and decisive leadership. We must fight the things we value so we can hold on to them. A more human-centred design of workplaces is required. It's a big job.
Chris suggested personalisation will be the significant shift and the key to progress. Everyone should have everything tailored to optimise their performance, with barriers removed to improve performance. Personalisation and a person-centred approach were themes that would recur throughout many of the panel discussions.
Atif highlighted the discussion about labels he would be having later with Amanda Kirby about the future of neurodiversity. He posed several questions for us to ask ourselves about those labels: Who is safe to use labels? Who is liberated by them? What will the future call those labels? How will those trends impact those in school? Going back to Char’s earlier point about the demographics of delegates attending today, he felt there was much work to do because this conference is in London, where 62% of people are of colour, yet that wasn’t reflected in the demographics of the delegates present.
Char was seeing a lot of personal liberation. The world has been on fire. COVID meant people have had a lot of time to reflect. People are stepping into being their whole, full selves. We must be more accepting. People are fighting back against the injustices in the world. As an ND community, we need to excel at collaborating with other marginalised groups. We need more openness and understanding.
People, Culture & Processes Panel
Caroline Buchanan (Mondelez), Tristan Lavender (Philips Neurodiversity Network), Kay Sargent (HOK), Lisa Smyth (Everway) joined a panel chaired by Robert Annis (NiB and Business Psychologist). This was an interesting discussion because it was acknowledged that businesses and their people often come from completely different starting points.
On the one hand, many businesses have no idea about neurodivergence and will claim that they don’t have any neurodivergent people within their large organisations. Only by educating them about neurodivergence, and creating space for them to learn for themselves, do they start to understand it, see it in themselves or others, and consider how they can effect positive changes. A massive education effort is needed for many.
On the other hand, those who have already embraced neuro-inclusion are shifting their approach to making accommodations more easily accessible by making them available to all, such as all software options. This way, there is no stigma or need for labels or separate processes for individuals to access what will help them. It can be cost-effective for businesses and remove barriers for individuals.
There was a consensus that external consultants, and/or employees / Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), need to use the language of leaders – framing the conversation in terms of improving productivity and increasing retention, demonstrating the benefits to the business of inclusive practices and seeking to design-in inclusive spaces where possible for the physical environment. It was also suggested that embedding neuro-inclusion initiatives in existing policies, strategies and initiatives was more likely to be successful and adopted by leaders and middle managers, rather than trying to add an extra layer on top and creating silo programs.
How can leaders embed neuro-inclusion into business strategy, so that it is not tokenistic?
Lisa from Everway suggested that we create space for leaders to share stories. It can't be a tick box. We must bring lived experience into every business area through ERGs and Advisory Councils. It must be part of everyday life, not a one-off.
Kay from HOK commented that our sensory intelligence is poor, so we guess about everyone else. She gave an excellent example from a client space she had visited: name plates indicated the person’s name and 4-5 things they needed individually to function well. Even a stranger could quickly know how to deal with various individuals, that is, their communication and work preferences.
Caroline from Mondelez highlighted their one-page profile, which creates that safe space as everyone shares it.
Tristan from Philips commented that these ‘work with me manuals' examples given by Kay and Caroline were valuable, as they circumvent the whole label discussion and lower the barriers for people to express what they need without needing to disclose a label. He also stressed that we shouldn't underestimate how difficult it is for leaders to be open and that we need to create psychological safety for them. The higher they go, the bigger the stigma and barrier, the bigger the risk. We need to make that safe space, so they can find the language to discuss openly.
A moral imperative isn't sufficient for those who disagree. Businesses want to optimise what they get from their people, so we must focus on improving everyone's working lives. Understanding and supporting sensory processing and cognitive wellbeing can improve performance for everyone. Building an inclusive organisation will make you more successful; that is a fact. We need to approach businesses and business leaders this way.
Charlie Hart’s Q&A
Having followed Charlie, also known as Ausome Charlie, for some time on social media, this was another insightful session. Delegates could draw on Charlie’s ‘double rainbow’ intersectional lens (LGBTQIA+ and Autistic), alongside a 20-year background in HR analytics.
I asked a question in this session: “What do you think the impact will be on neurodivergent children and young people facing such difficulties with education currently? My concern is that we will create these neuro-inclusive business spaces, but that the potential neurodivergent employees of the future could be gatekept from entry due to unusual routes through education and a lack of formal qualifications.”
Charlie acknowledged the severe challenges many face, undoubtedly impacting young people now. However, reassuringly, Charlie felt that the world of work is increasingly shifting to what people can do and what skills and experience they can demonstrate. Therefore, the reliance on formal educational qualifications is likely to lessen. The value of different and diverse thinkers should increasingly be recognised.
Neuro-inclusion in 30 years? Prof Amanda Kirby and Atif Chaudry Q&A
Prof Amanda Kirby (Do-It Solutions) and Atif Choudhury (Diversity & Ability) held a Q&A session that examined the language, labels, and categories used in the past and present, and considered how we will define ourselves going forward. This was a thought-provoking session, with several searching questions posed to the delegates gathered.
Amanda was clear that words are powerful, and their meanings change over time. Categorisation can give some categories more value than others, and they are used to allocate resources. One of the key considerations now is, “Who misses out ... The most ... And why ... And again?” It is worth repeating Amanda’s non-exhaustive list here:
Amanda argued that the current system isn’t working. She said we must get the right kids to the right people at the right time. We can't use the medical model and screen for all conditions. We must use the cheapest resource: parents, and we need to train teachers.
Atif said the conversation is about participation. Do we believe it will eventually trickle down by doing it ourselves (only certain people participating)? We have a school-to-prison pipeline now; it isn't full of middle-class kids. Class level matters. Whilst those in middle-class families may be suffering too, the extent of the future damage done to the children and young people is severe, because they have no financial or other privileged safety net. It was acknowledged that the consequences impact the individuals but are also a cost to society.
Today's liberation and insight are tomorrow's prison. But just because time will move on, we can't ignore it. What do we need to do?
Amanda - we need to not train in boxes and not work in siloes. You don't get identified or supported if you're not classically anything (a specific diagnosis). However, now is the first time we have the same language in education, health and social care. We must have better communication. The most significant risk is departments holding their budgets tightly and being unprepared to share.
Atif advised that we move at the speed of trust, which can be 6 seconds or 60 years. We need to recognise why people won't talk about this. We need education, not necessarily just about neurodivergence. Why is it not safe for some people to talk about their diagnosis? What does the brave new world of neurodiversity look like?
So many systems rely on labels, so how do we move forward? Trying to simplify the complex harms us. We pathologise things for some people, and that is problematic. To do this right, we must think about what we want. Pandora's box has been opened, and we can't go back; there's too much information already out there. We have the responsibility to build a safe place to go. What does that look like?
Empowerment and Leadership Panel
Tania Martin (PegSquared), Theo Smith (Neurodiversity at Work), Jacqui Wallis (Genius Within), and Onyinye Udokporo (Neurodiversity consultant and content creator) were next up for a panel discussion about empowerment and leadership.
We need to see the journey and the barriers that successful people have overcome. Currently, we may only see success without realising the journey they have been on. There was a feeling that it was more likely to happen within smaller businesses or specific teams within larger organisations. To achieve this more widely, we need to create psychologically safe places so people are prepared to share their journeys, and to create space where individuals can express what they need, sharing their strengths and challenges.
Simply having a policy and words is not enough. We need to reassure people to make them confident about sharing how they have achieved their successes, happy to identify barriers they have overcome, and, therefore, encourage others to request what they need. To do that, businesses must demonstrate that they mean what they say. The more people are reassured, the more they can advocate for themselves.
Psychological safety is complicated. Confidence is a big issue. Confidence and empowerment come from a place of privilege, e.g., a white woman expressing a need likely to be believed, whereas a black woman may not be believed without evidence. Leaders must investigate all corners of their organisations and ensure everyone has the tools to be confident. It is being able to ask for support and accommodations held in positive regard, e.g., not getting eye rolls from managers or colleagues. Confidence is central, and that's brilliant because we can change confidence. We need to enable everyone to improve their confidence.
The notion of what it “looks like” to be neurodivergent is a particular issue. Leaders need to accept that neurodivergence isn't visible. You can't look at anyone and determine whether they're neurodivergent.
Theo was very passionate that we must stop thinking about the why and what, and start thinking about the how. Yet because of global challenges, we are being forced back in that direction. To see positive changes, it always starts with how. Instead of focusing on why we can't do something, we need to focus on how we rectify and remove unnecessary barriers.
Other panellists pointed out that we can't assume everyone knows the ‘what and why’, as many don't know the basics. Theo accepts that and does not ignore that environment, but has to focus his energy on ‘the how’ to effect change.
Individuals often don't want to be othered or singled out, so how do we support individuals while focusing on team success?
About normalising the neurodiversity conversation. We must be open and honest - what are individual preferences, rather than having ways of working determined and dictated by leaders and managers. For example, asking what a team’s personal preferences are can be a catalyst for leaders to lead differently, by understanding where their team is at, rather than making assumptions.
Managers are the linchpin, critical, and need support. They can also be neurodivergent and may have their preferences and communication styles. It is about giving individuals a choice. There are lots of different options we can use to accommodate preferences. We can unlock people's potential by putting solutions in place and removing barriers.
The suggestion for individuals was to start advocating positively for their needs rather than going cap in hand. For example, I will need X to get the best performance out of me. We shouldn't be begging to show up as the best version of ourselves. We need to encourage leaders to be open to people stating their needs.
Career trajectory doesn't have to lead to people management.
When looking at our teams, we must acknowledge that not everyone can become a manager of people. Individual skills and excellence should be recognised. We need to consider people's journeys and how to support their ambitions. Coaching often works well, both individually and in groups. There are lots of things companies can put in place to accelerate progress. An ERG alone isn't sufficient; they need support because it is hard emotional work to process all that.
It was noted that there are some backgrounds where cultural expectations can play a part. For example, not being a people manager is viewed very negatively (e.g., by Nigerian parents).
The performance management system is fatally flawed because it looks for well-rounded individuals, which doesn't match up with spiky profiles. We need to question whether everyone must have the same skills. Can we have career paths where people don't become managers or accidental managers? Businesses need to consider what skills they need in roles and how the systems they have in place support achieving that.
Parental experiences in the workplace
Theo highlighted the issue of parental experience in the workplace. Too many parents, specifically women, are having to take time out of work to manage difficulties that neurodivergent children are experiencing. Parents are leaving their roles to cope with a child not being supported in school.
In terms of leadership, that is a real issue. Disproportionately, parents and women leave the workplace at a significant stage in their careers. He felt we were being railroaded into this unthinkingly. Therefore, we may not have neurodivergent leaders who represent us (as parents). It is a critical point now. We need to think about who we are losing and why. It might be external factors that we're not even thinking about.
Allies and demonstrating inclusive business models
Allies are key. We must get the rest of the population on board; we need that majority. Find an ally in a leadership position.
Jacqui from Genius Within highlighted their organisation as an example of an inclusive business. Most employees are neurodivergent, and the company is deliberately built on models of inclusive practice: clean language, drama triangle, and practices to help everyone understand each other and develop good intentions. That's the basis of their consultancy work. Nancy Doyle's book on neurodivergent leaders has many different voices talking about their experiences and is a practical workbook.
To empower people, we must role model what we expect others to do, demonstrating and proving psychological safety. It was also pointed out that for people to feel that safety, it might have to be someone who ‘looks like them’ to get them over the line to trust that it will be safe for them. Having multiple means for people to communicate or listen helps to build participation and trust.
Looking Beyond the Label
Dr Mine Conkbayir MBE (Early Years author, researcher, and consultant), Nat Fletcher (there as an individual, works for The King’s Trust), Marcia Brissett-Bailey (Re-Think Learning), Tumi Sotire (The Black Dyspraxic), Alex Partridge (Podcast Host, author and speaker), and Alex Hedlund (NiB) held a panel discussion considering the impact of labels and how we can look beyond them.
What does a person-focused approach look like?
Mine confirmed that throughout her career, pre-diagnosis, she was accommodated. Nobody judged her, and they let her do what she wanted to get the best out of her. She acknowledged that she was lucky she didn't need the label of ADHD to receive that person-centred support. She had always had supportive people around me. When she thrived, her students thrived. This approach worked before neurodiversity was even a thing, by meeting people where they are. Mine also confirmed that she often had to break the rules to meet students’ needs, but she did that instinctively. From Mine’s perspective, the education system is making our neurodivergent children sick, so we need to support teachers to break the rules.
Nat related their personal experience of having a job working as a teaching assistant in a secondary SEND school, and when they were struggling, they were advised, “We have other autistic members of staff and they don’t struggle”, so they had to put up with the barriers they were facing. This demonstrates the dangers when over-focusing on a label and expecting everyone who has that label to respond in the same way, even by those who you would expect would have had training to understand those labels. By contrast, Nat’s experience had been much more positive after moving jobs “My manager now just trusts me. They haven't had any particular training, but they're flexible and accommodating, trusting employees to get the job done in their way.”
Marcia contrasted experiences at school, which tend to be focused on what you can't do, with the workplace, which tends to come from a strengths-based approach. Person-centred is where you can be yourself, have conversations, and be curious meaningfully and impactfully. It may lead to having difficult conversations, but it is possible to come through that.
Timu suggested that we allow the label to define the content, rather than the content being key. Labels don't allow for the variation and complexity of individuals. Labels are a tool, but they can be used for good and bad, depending on who uses them. Sometimes a label can be empowering and affirming. We need to put some nuance into the conversation about labels. We need to understand the purpose of labels and assess whether it's helpful to use the label. It’s most important to lead with love.
Alex thinks ADHD is a terrible label, not a description of his experience or all those he has heard through his podcast. Alex believes that it is anxiety that stitches us all together. Anxiety is triggered because we feel different, and we are different (though there is nothing wrong with that). A commonality of the neurodivergent community is the feeling of being different. Negative comments from others about our behaviour and reactions compound over a lifetime, meaning that we are fearful of rejection. Spending so much time pretending means we can lack self-awareness, and whilst in the short term that can feel good, we end up not knowing who we are.
How do you build self-awareness? Employers need to focus on creating an environment that builds self-awareness for individuals. Then, employees can start saying yes to things that are better aligned with their needs, and those experiences can compound positively.
The importance of language and intersectionality
We have to be very culturally mindful of language. We can't tell people what they can or can't use, but we need to remain open-minded to have these conversations about language. We don't want to have in-fighting about language.
Context is important. Everyone is entitled to use language that is comfortable for them. However, a lack of consensus on language can impact the level of awareness, e.g. dyspraxia and DCD.
Alex feels that you must pick your battles. The intent behind the language is more important.
Marcia explained that her intersections are complex. For example, she is a woman, black, and dyslexic, and they are all part of her. She had to learn to love all these aspects of herself. The biases are real, so we have to have difficult conversations. She felt she had to show up; she had no choice but to be herself.
Temu highlighted that stigma can be bi-directional. For example, he might not experience stigma in the workplace, but he might do so among family and friends. In the workplace, we need to think about celebrating the intersections, for example, during Neurodiversity Celebration Week, celebrating black history within that. When political and social issues affect a marginalised group, don't be afraid to ask if someone is ok, and by doing so, recognise their intersectionality. Temu suggested using intersectionality to examine marginalisation and privilege, which can include everyone. Individuals are complex, and we all have a combination of privileges and marginalisation/challenges.
Nat confirmed that, from looking at EDI within different organisations, it had become apparent that many organisations only have one EDI person/role. Therefore, those organisations should be mindful that they will always have one perspective with their individual lens. This is why collaboration is so vital in the EDI space. If you want a culture of openness, it must start with someone; them being open will encourage others to be open or give people someone to turn to/someone visible. Self-advocacy is key. Nat has experienced this by being open and having others within the organisation feel comfortable confiding their experiences or seeking advice.
Temu suggested that we must create psychological safety, where people aren't afraid to get things wrong. Instead, we can learn from our failures. This will allow employees to learn together as a community to become more inclusive.
Alex highlighted that labels and diagnoses encompass a complex set of experiences for each individual. Employees must be able to ask for, or have available, what they specifically need, rather than generic one-size-fits-all solutions. Alex experienced this after leaving several roles after only a few months, where he struggled in the environment. Even though he was still pre-diagnosed, he was eventually able to advocate for himself by stating what he needed to work effectively, and that paid off massively for him individually and for the company he was working for, as his performance significantly improved. The consequence of being unable to ask for individual requirements was to leave the role because of the anxiety. Then the business has recruitment and retention costs. So there is always a cost to the individual and the company of not accommodating needs, or creating the environment where employees can ask for what they need.
Final thoughts
Temu confirmed that “as long as you have a brain, you belong in this conversation”.
Mine argued that we should put the child's wellbeing before academic outcomes, and the rest will follow.
Nat suggested giving people the benefit of the doubt if they are struggling. Please don't assume they're not good enough or not trying. Work out what the barriers are, as most people will have obstacles to overcome.
Alex urged businesses to create the psychological safety that allows people to ask for their unique requirements. Judge outcomes, not processes, and approach with curiosity rather than judgment. Different methods often have brilliance behind them. Recognise what anxiety is and how it can present, as the best ideas are frequently trapped inside anxious minds.
About the author
I am Joanne (Jo) Feaster, a late-identified autistic and bipolar woman. I started self-identifying as autistic in May 2023 and was diagnosed with bipolar type 2 in July 2023. I am married and live in Leeds with my husband, John, and my two exceptional children, both of whom were diagnosed in late 2023 and early 2024 as autistic and with ADHD.
I write to aid my mental health and to share my lived experiences as an autistic and bipolar woman and parent-carer of my neurodivergent children. I subscribe to the social model of disability and the neurodiversity paradigm. I see our strengths, positive qualities, and spiky profiles just as much as I recognise the barriers we face from society.
Broadcast operations specialist focused on client results
3moThanks for sharing so much information a lot to digest
Empathetic leadership and neurodiversity coach | Expert in cultivating inclusive workplace culture | Activist for neuroinclusive SEND reform
3moWow Jo! What an amazing write up! I’m glad I put aside some time to read this properly as it’s helped me to fix some thoughts that were seeded at the conference but which were previously floating around in my head! 💖I love this quote: the best ideas are frequently trapped inside anxious minds 💖And I love the question to asked Charlie… amazing stuff
Thank you so much for sharing Joanne and it was lovely to meet you
Neurodiversity Trainer & Consultant I Professional Speaker I ESG Consultant & Trainer I Autistic ADHDer
3moI look forward to reading this this morning Joanne Feaster and hopefully attending this next year (and meeting you in person, and definitely saying hello!)
Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist | Parent-Infant Mental Health | University Lecturer | ADHD & Autism Trainer | Consultant for Parents & Schools
3moA very very interesting read, thank you so much for summarizing your insights! I loved the line - use curiosity not judgement. Sounds like lots of valuable discussions were had