Nerd-Wrangling 101: Managing Neurodiversity with Cognitive Empathy
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This document summarizes a talk on managing neurodiversity in the workplace with cognitive empathy. It discusses common neurodivergent conditions like ADHD and autism as "superpowers and super-weaknesses" and how they affect individuals. It emphasizes developing cognitive empathy through understanding conditions, listening with an open mind, and focusing on practical solutions. The talk provides recommendations for inclusive leadership, maintaining support structures, and examples of accommodating neurodivergent employees.
Nerd-Wrangling 101: Managing Neurodiversity with Cognitive Empathy
- 1. Nerd-Wrangling 101 Managing Neurodiversity with cognitive empathy Meredith L. Patterson & Julian Finn
- 2. Who • Meredith L. Patterson - @maradydd • Julian Finn - @hdsjulian
- 5. Neurodiversity • Why this talk? • Neurodiversity explained • Who is affected?
- 6. Why this talk? • It matters to us • It should matter to you • There’s stuff to be done about it
- 7. Neurodiversity explained • Superpowers • Super-Weaknesses • Social aspects
- 8. Superpowers: ADHD • “Like trying to concentrate while ten squirrels are jumping up your legs” • Filter-Weakness • Different types • Comes with a lot of acquired behavior
- 10. Basal Ganglia
- 12. Inattentive ADHD + Autism
- 13. Superpowers: Autism Spectrum Disorder • “Like being part of a movie where everybody else has the script” • Senses can have the gain turned up or down • Pattern-matching • Detail orientation • Thinking in systems
- 14. Autism
- 15. Super-Weaknesses
- 16. Super-Weaknesses: Disorders • Depression, Anxiety etc • No real upside • But: Can give you a unique insight into life • Often: Coping technique • Very often: Comorbidity with ADHD / ASD
- 17. Depression
- 18. Anxiety
- 21. Social Aspects • Neurodiversity is not visible • Discrimination happens a lot • “The poor are crazy, the rich just eccentric” - Ellen Raskin, The Westing Game
- 22. Who’s affected? Us! • Mautinoa: ~10 Employees, almost everybody somehow affected • We figured out a way to deal with it
- 23. Who’s affected: You! • Many nerds match the descriptions of neurodiversity • Even if you are neurotypical: Many fellow hackers aren’t. • And you want to take them seriously, right?
- 24. Empathy • Cognitive vs Affective Empathy • Requirements • Solution orientation
- 25. Affective Empathy • Being affected by the emotional arousal of others • Empathic concern — sympathy/compassion for others • Personal distress — discomfort/anxiety • A self-oriented response to others’ suffering • Somatic empathy: somatic nervous system response, probably based on mirror neurons • Essential for establishing rapport
- 26. Cognitive Empathy • Understanding others’ perspectives / states of mind • Perspective taking: understanding what motivates someone to act a certain way • Tactical empathy: using perspective-taking deliberately • Some overlap with theory of mind
- 27. Cognitive Empathy: Requirements • Courage • Time • Understanding of Conditions • Psychological Visibility
- 28. Solution Orientation • Admitting • Listening • Acting
- 29. What to do • Leading by example • Maintaining a deep bench • Praise and criticism • Practical Examples
- 30. Leading by example • “Yes, we are also affected” • “It’s okay to be vulnerable” • Listen.
- 31. Maintaining a deep bench • Downtimes are normal — accept them • Make sure everything is covered — keep bus numbers high
- 32. Praise and Criticism • Praise in public, criticize in private • Find understanding ways to criticize • Praise for simple things (Psychological visibility)
- 33. Practical examples • Anxiety check-in • Provide both freedom and structure • Pairing is Caring - Within people’s limitations!
- 35. Reading Recommendations - Autism • Neurotribes (Steven Silberman) • The boy whose brain could unlock autism (Medium by Maia Szalavitz / google “boy unlock autism”) • "You don't seem autistic - unpacking diagnostic criteria” (Medium by Martha Rose Saunders) • Wrongplanet Forum - wrongplanet.net
- 36. Reading Recommendations - ADHD • Self-Help ADHD Subreddit /r/ADHD • additude Magazine - additudemag.com • Books? Problem: They’re too long! • Russell Barkley - Taking Charge of Adult ADHD • Lots of good Youtube Vids though!
- 38. Acknowledgements • Ragen Roberts • Reddit, Twitter, Tumblr - Well, THE INTERNET! • Our Team, our Test Crowd