Tag Archive for: Leadership

A picture of a megaphone to illustrate external processing

External processing and neurodiversity

External processing is a cognitive style where people learn and process information by interacting with the world. This can include things like talking to people, doing hands-on activities, or using visual aids. People who use external processing often learn best by “doing” and may find it challenging to learn in traditional settings.

External processing is sometimes associated with neurodiversity, which refers to the natural variations in human cognition.

There are many benefits to external processing. External processors are often creative and innovative thinkers. They can also be good at problem-solving, critical thinking, and effectively communicating and working with others.

However, some challenges are associated with external processing and neurodiversity, as sensory input sometimes overwhelms individuals. They may also need help to focus on tasks that require them to sit still for long periods. More challenges can arise if this is combined with difficulty understanding social cues and nonverbal communication.

If you are a manager or leader, there are a few things you can do to help people who are neurodivergent external processors to succeed in your organisation.

First,

Ensure your workplace is sensory-friendly by providing a quiet space for focused work.

It also means providing access to fidget toys or other tools to help them focus.

Second,

Provide opportunities for people to learn and work hands-on. This could involve projects requiring them to use tools or materials or having them work in teams where they can collaborate.

Third,

Be patient and understanding. Work with the individual and ask what is useful.

By understanding the benefits and challenges of external processing, you can create a workplace where everyone can thrive.

If you’re a manager or leader, you can help people who process information externally by creating a supportive environment. By understanding the needs of these individuals and providing them with the right tools and resources, you can help them reach their full potential.

Leaders and managers, are you looking for ways to create a more inclusive and supportive workplace for your neurodivergent employees? If so, consider contacting me at The Neurodivergent Coach.

We can help you understand the needs of your neurodivergent employees and how to create a welcoming and supportive workplace. We support you in developing strategies for managing employees who process information differently, including externally.

Here are some of the benefits of working with The Neurodivergent Coach:

  • Increased understanding of neurodiversity: The Neurodivergent Coach can help you understand how neurodivergent people think, learn, and process information. This understanding can help create a more inclusive and supportive workplace for your employees.
  • Improved communication: The Neurodivergent Coach can help you improve your communication with your neurodivergent employees and colleagues. This can help you better understand their needs and how to partner with them to support them to succeed.
  • Increased effectiveness: The Neurodivergent Coach can help you partner with your neurodivergent employees to help them increase their effectiveness. This is about providing the right tools and resources and creating a welcoming and supportive workplace.

If you want to learn more about how The Neurodivergent Coach can help you create a more inclusive and supportive workplace, please get in touch with us today.

We’d be happy to discuss what you need and if we are the best partner to help you move forwards.

Contact us here and start the conversation.

Virtual Assistant

Relationship building with your Virtual Assistant

Neurodiversity and your Virtual Assistant relationship

I was very sceptical about the value of working with a Virtual Assistant (VA) to help me with aspects of my business. I found it tricky, but I’ve done it now, and six months on, I thought reflecting on some of the things I’ve learnt would be helpful. The biggest lesson is that working with anybody is constantly a negotiation, which involves working out what’s going to work and what’s not, like any new relationship. So here goes, this is what I have learnt so far.

First impressions count

As with any new relationship, figuring out how it will work is essential. I talked about their skill set, experience, availability and how likely my new VA could work with my style and vice versa. This was useful as it laid the foundation for the relationship’s operation. The key was that my VA was responsive and sent me her portfolio, which showed design work, testimonials and she communicated really well.

Setting the Virtual Assistant ground rules

Being clear from the beginning of the relationship on what’s okay and what’s not has been incredibly useful. I often have ideas at strange times, (neurodivergent brain) and want to communicate them, so it is essential to know the best way to do so, so it doesn’t overwhelm my VA. We agreed from the start that email was the preferred platform. This allows my VA to keep track of the tasks that need completing and file away the email once the work is finished. We also use WhatsApp as prompts or reminders of more critical tasks or priority changes. This has been helpful for me, but it’s not a fixed deal and is something that we still work on and renegotiate regularly.

Getting in the flow

Working together was about building trust and confidence in how the relationship worked. That was about trusting my VA to do what she said she would regarding deadlines and quality of work. Once the first few tasks were delivered to a high standard and on time, I didn’t need to double-check everything as I knew what to expect and was only required to check in periodically to ensure everything was okay. As we got more into the flow, I expanded the depth and types of work we did together. This has been a significant development for me, allowing me to push into the tasks I do best, like idea generation and creating new ways of working or marketing my business.

Introducing my work family to my Virtual Assistant

As a freelancer, I work with many other freelancers, so introducing my VA to my contacts has been super helpful. Again, this takes trust and understanding and has allowed me to remove myself from their conversations so they can deliver the work. For example, I’ve worked with Richard from Slade Design for several years. Richard put together the plan for my website and helped me get it off the ground initially. What’s been helpful as I work with my VA in building a social media presence and getting my communications right is that they can connect about delivering work together; for example, take a look at my free e-book on Applying for Government Funding (Access to Work) and Reasonable Adjustments guide.

Making it a partnership

Spending time working with someone on your business means they’ll get insights into how to do things differently and more effectively. This has been a massive bonus for me in terms of having another individual deeply ingrained in my business. My VA has been able to provide insight and support to help mould the business and take opportunities that may have been overlooked. I think this is the next stage of development of this relationship, and I’ve already seen fabulous ideas come to fruition.

Letting the rest of the value come in

As our relationship has progressed, my VA has pointed me to other knowledgeable individuals so I can learn from them, for example as I started to experiment with video and other mediums of communication, my VA has been beneficial in connecting me with people who can support me to learn video or LinkedIn better. She has suggested tools and other resources that I might find helpful, and she’s always been there to discuss the most sensible way to approach new ideas. This isn’t a replacement for a business mentor, but it has created another powerful partnership that can help me with my neurodivergent traits. I believe business is built on teamwork, and having a great relationship with a super VA has changed everything.

Keep the partnership flourishing!

All this is only possible if you take the time to find the right person and ensure that individuals can work with you and you can work with them. If you’re thinking about how to select a Virtual Assistant, here are some things to think about:

  • Experience and qualifications – can they do what you need?
  • Can they provide references, and do those references seem credible?
  • Availability – will the VA be available when you need them?
  • Are they someone you feel comfortable working with, and are they different enough from you to help you with the tasks you find tricky?
  • Can they communicate with you in a way that you understand?
  • Are you able to communicate with them in a way that they understand? And can you agree on how to work together effectively?
  • Reliability – are they dependable, turn up, and keep going? Especially when the going gets tough and things get tricky.
  • Flexibility – are they able to adapt as your business grows?
  • Are they empathetic towards you?
  • Are they problem solvers or problem makers? Can your VA solve problems for you? We live in a world of issues; what defines us is how well we move forward and solve them.
  • Trustworthiness – fundamentally, this relationship will live and die based on how trustworthy the individual is. Can you trust them to do what they say they will do?
  • The wonga – finally, are they affordable? Do they fit within your budget? We need to be realistic about what we are prepared to pay, as I firmly believe quality does cost, but can we afford that quality, and will the value it adds to our business ultimately be what we need?

And, if you’re wondering who my super VA is, you can find her here on LinkedIn, Bianca Botten.

Bianca kindly provided the following feedback.

“I absolutely love working with Nathan. He is fast-paced, a very clear communicator and smiles a lot, which makes Zoom meetings fun. He’s an idea-generating machine, which makes my job very easy. I just need to action his ideas and refine them to produce social media content, his newsletter or eBooks. I’m really looking forward to what else we can create together and can’t wait to see his business develop over the years”.

Bianca Botten – Virtual Assistant at Neon B

If you want to know more about this, get in touch here.

Some gold bars to show the importance of noticing neurodiversity

Noticing neurodiversity (or noticing anything else for that matter)!

How do I assist someone with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dysgraphia, or any other combination of the above (and sometimes more)? Did I mention PTSD? – well, noticing neurodiversity is key.

We have no medical training in general (unless you’re a medical doctor who transitioned to being a manager or HR leader, in which case I’d love to hear from you). There’s something about diagnosing that takes power away from the individual because we give them a label they haven’t asked for.

What we can do is pay attention to what is going on.

What does noticing neurodiversity look like?

Noticing can be defined as being aware of, whether or not a person is struggling with a specific task or thriving in a specific area. When we observe, we can approach them and say, “I’ve noticed that this appears to be a bit tricky; is there anything I can do to help, or, better yet, is there anything we could do together to support you?” This is much more effective than stating, “I think you look autistic,” or “your penmanship appears dyslexic”. Noticing is about reflecting back the data that you see rather than attempting to decipher what the data signifies.

There is significance in the term “we”

Are we drawing their focus to a problem they want to solve by noticing? The authority is in their hands; we must collaborate and ask them what we can do together. This is also essential because it keeps responsibility in the middle of the conversation, implying that power is shared rather than taken by one side. I’ve observed that this positively affects creating joint ownership and working towards a potential solution.

The power to move from noticing neurodiversity to asking

To notice, you must first ask. Nothing will change if we only observe and do nothing. Sometimes simply asking is all that is required for an individual to determine what is going on and what would be most beneficial for them to be successful at work.

Different places matter

Changing the setting or medium can be extremely beneficial when having open and honest conversations. If you need to talk to someone struggling, you might find it helpful to do so in a different place than you would usually talk to them. This helps in various ways because it allows individuals to think differently and makes them aware that this is a different type of conversation.

This is the ability of observation

Please make this a daily practice and plan how to use your observations to help your team and organisation be their most effective and innovative selves.

If you need a conversation, please get in contact.

Red Camera showing Zooming out on neurodiversity

Zooming out on neurodiversity

Have you ever attended a drawing class? I have, and as someone who is particularly bad at drawing, it surprised me. We visited the Eden Project, where an incredible local artist taught us to draw more effectively. It turns out that it has little to do with how well you hold a pencil and a lot to do with how often you stand back and look at your drawing from a distance. I created artwork that resembled the object I was attempting to draw. It was a huge surprise and impressed the little girl sitting next to me. This got me thinking about zooming out on neurodiversity!

When integrating neurodiversity into organisations, we are often tempted to make many small changes. These can be beneficial, but if we don’t take a step back and look at the big picture of what’s happening in the organisation, we risk a disjointed, ineffective approach.

This is especially true when discussing the subject of awareness. I facilitate a lot of neurodiversity awareness-training sessions, which are always well attended with very engaged interactive audiences. Still, there is a risk that if all you do is raise awareness, nothing changes, and you end up having a very informative meeting accompanied by lovely biscuits.

Professor Amanda Kirby highlights the dangers of oversimplification, stereotyping, tokenism, cause blindness, pinup people and becoming a broken record. Neurodiversity is not simple! Neurodiversity is very complicated because each individual will present their neurodivergent traits differently. There is a temptation to simplify neurodiversity to make it more accessible and understandable for everyone. Still, we must treat each person individually and provide a tailored solution to their struggles.

Raising awareness can create new stereotypes of how people behave. For example, I frequently get asked, “what should we be looking out for?” And “how will we know if someone has a neurodivergent trait?” I don’t think this is always helpful because it is more important to ask the individual what is beneficial for them and not put them into a box so we allow them to progress and then flourish.

Tokenism

(We all love a bandwagon and going along with the crowd). It was recently Neurodiversity Week, which is fantastic, but if all it does is make noise, it is ineffective; nothing changes for the people who need it the most, and our organisations suffer from not embracing and engaging with different thinking styles to help with innovation.

Cause blindness

People will become bored if we continue to bang the drum but make no progress. You must act, even if it is only a tiny action, or you risk nothing effective happening.

Poster people

It’s common to hear the same stories about the same people. Richard Branson is an excellent role model but is not the world’s only dyslexic entrepreneur. Love him or hate him, Elon Musk is not the only autistic entrepreneur; there are many brilliant people with neurodivergent traits who have done outstanding work. You need to think more broadly and not just roll out the same old pinups.

Broken records

Whether you like it or not, our world history has some challenging lessons for us to learn. Taking a person’s humanity and labelling them can dehumanise them. You must ensure that you focus on the individual and learn from mistakes in the past.

As we stand back and take a look at what it means to be inclusive within our organisations, I think it’s helpful to consider some of the following areas.

The issue we’re attempting to resolve by zooming out on neurodiversity

Instead of raising awareness and avoiding it, let’s get real and address it. Is it about recruiting, retaining employees, or something else? Let’s be clear about the problem and ensure our efforts are directed towards resolving it. Sometimes more data will be required, while other times, it will simply be a question of what should happen next.

Communicate with others

We frequently make assumptions about what is required. We must have an open and safe conversation about what and how change needs to occur. This conversation must be sensitive to specific cultural backgrounds or thinking styles, but it must happen.

Collaborate with others

It is beneficial to collaborate with other organisations that can assist you in moving forward with solving the problems you’ve identified. They may provide specialised knowledge or simply the ability to step outside the situation. This does not need to be a general label but a specific response to a problem you are attempting to solve.

Think carefully about your goals

SMART Goals aren’t the be-all and end-all, but they can help you figure out what you want to do and ensure it’s realistic and time-bound. This is critical because it allows you to assess your progress and determine whether your actions are effective or if something needs to be changed.

Taking action by zooming out on neurodiversity

This will not occur unless we take the first step forward. Moving forward may entail collaborating with an outside organisation to help you achieve your goals or forming an employee group. What matters is that you do not postpone this until tomorrow. Take the first step and figure out what you need to do next.

Measure what’s going on

You’ll never know if your changes have had any beneficial impact unless you measure their outcomes. Before you measure the outcome, it’s always helpful to take a baseline of where you are before you start otherwise, you will never know if anything you’ve done has made a difference. I would encourage you to consider ways to measure and understand the changes you have made easily.

Keep going by zooming out on neurodiversity

Moving inclusion forward, particularly in neurodiversity, requires a sustained effort. Many leaders will need to be involved in moving your efforts forward, and the organisation must buy into the entire process. If you want long-term change, you must ensure that you have the energy and drive to continue this effort for an extended period.

Would a conversation on zooming out be helpful? – Contact us here.

Broom and dustpan in Cupboard

Project neurodiversity sorting out the broom cupboard

John Chambers, former CEO of Cisco Systems says “25% of CEOs are dyslexic, but many don’t want to talk about it”. There is an argument that if leaders self-identify as neurodivergent the rest of the workforce will feel more comfortable coming forward and having a conversation about neurodiversity.

Organisations can thrive instead of survive if they embrace neurodiversity. The current situation looks like there is a lot of noise, good ideas and goodwill in helping individuals become more effective in the workplace. The reality is that many of these initiatives are disjointed, not bespoke, and fragmented, so organisations are running many different special projects at the same time. This creates a substantial operational overhead that can detrimentally impact the organisation’s effectiveness.

This is a big problem that is not going to go away unless we start to think more holistically and in a project-orientated way across our organisations to help support neurodiversity. We have to think about the constraints we have to operate in. What is the scope of what we are trying to do? How long is it going to take? Do we have the resources to deliver it? And most importantly, how will we know what success looks like?

The project management approach is just as relevant to individuals. In my experience, many individuals have had a very fragmented and disjointed approach to support. To help them manage more effectively I would argue we need to treat neurodivergent support far more like a project.

Project Mindset

It is often easy to get baffled and confused by the potential solutions and lose sight of the problem we are trying to solve. Are we taking a project mindset to neurodiversity in the workplace? Are we focusing on what the problem is?

As an example, John needed support with task management. His company provided him with a robust task management app. The app allowed him to connect tasks across applications and distribute them throughout the organisation. John required a simple solution to help him understand what he needed to do and the priority that should be assigned to each task. As a result of the solution, John became obsessed with making sure he was fully utilising the app rather than focusing on solving the problem. He became stressed, anxious, and guilty about not using the app completely, which distracted him from the problem at hand, which was effectively prioritising his workload.

John’s situation is true for many individuals, as often incorrect solutions are provided that often create additional problems instead of solving the original issue.

Adjustments and support fall into two models which are, The Medical Model, which is about fixing the individual and The Social Model which looks at the social/organisational factors that disable the individual from working effectively.

Often the easy answer is to try and fix the individual by providing an off-the-shelf solution, but there needs to be experimentation, open dialogue and possible coaching.  Then a solid process can be written down and used going forward.  This needs to be led by the individual with support from the organisation. When we look at this in a project way, it means taking a step back and thinking about the impacts of what’s going on within the organisation.

The broom cupboard

Another example: I worked with Toni, who had recently been diagnosed with ADHD and was dealing with work overload and unhelpful organisational behaviours. Toni enjoyed teaching and was successful in the classroom, but her administrative abilities let her down. Furthermore, there was bureaucracy within the organisation, which meant that basic administrative tasks were assigned to senior staff.

We began with small wins to gain momentum, such as examining how Toni could better complete her administration. We set up a distraction-free environment in a broom cupboard for her to complete her administrative tasks. Toni’s mood improved dramatically as a result of a simple change that was inexpensive and quick to implement. Then we altered the way classes were assigned, allowing Toni to have breaks and time for administration between teaching. This was a more difficult organisational issue that required leadership support. The changes were made one at a time and were evaluated based on their impact and usefulness to the individual and the organisation.

In this particular case, it was helpful to get quick wins before working on more challenging adjustments. This allowed Toni to build trust and gain confidence in what was being implemented to make sure the solutions met her needs.

Action is key on Project Neurodiversity

“Often movement is the most important thing.”

Claire Pedrick

We are often afraid to begin, but to determine what is useful, it is critical to ask the individual and the teams involved what the problem is and how we can begin to solve it together.

Toni was overwhelmed in the previous example because she couldn’t see a way to begin solving the problem. What worked was solving one problem, reviewing the solution to ensure that it resolved the issue in the short and long term, and then moving on to the next. Action will frequently involve challenging the status quo, but I would argue that well-thought-out systematic changes will often benefit not only the individual but also the larger organisation.

Creating workplace adjustments should be viewed as a project that should be implemented, but be prepared to roll it back if it doesn’t work. The process should be structured, and documented and any changes made need to be communicated, recorded and approved by all stakeholders who use the process.

I hope the information above has helped you think about neurodiversity and how to use the concept of a project to make changes more effectively. I’d love to hear more about your experiences in making your work environment become more neuroinclusive.

A man and a woman sitting at a table having a coaching conversation.

Coaching

Coaching is a place to undertake challenging work, which typically involves self-development. As a leader, you appreciate the value of multiple viewpoints and recognise the difficulties that can come when neurodiverse team members are not fully supported.

Our coaching offer is designed to give you the tools and strategies to:

  • Create a psychologically safe environment:

    • Where all team members feel valued, respected and empowered to share their ideas.

  • Use neurodiversity as a competitive advantage:

    • Discover how to harness the unique strengths and perspectives of your neurodiverse team members.

  • Develop effective communication strategies:

    • Learn how to communicate clearly and empathetically with your team.

  • Build high-performing, inclusive teams:

    • Create practical strategies for collaboration, innovation and productivity.

  • Navigate the complexities of neurodiversity in the workplace:

    • Gain insights into everyday challenges and effective solutions.

Our coaching approach is tailored to your specific needs and goals. We use a variety of techniques, including:

  • One-to-one coaching sessions:

    • Personalised support to address your individual challenges and career goals.

  • Leadership/ executive coaching sessions:

    •   Supporting you where leadership and neurodiversity intersect.

  • Group coaching sessions:

    • Collaborative learning and peer support with other neurodiverse leaders.

  • Team coaching sessions:

    • Enhance team dynamics and productivity by creating a culture of inclusion and understanding.

  • Experiential learning exercises:

    • Practical activities to develop leadership skills and mindset shifts, including LEGO Serious Play.

LEGO Serious Play is a powerful tool that can be used to explore complex issues and generate innovative solutions. By using LEGO bricks to build models, participants can visualise their thoughts and ideas in a creative and engaging way. This can be helpful for neurodiverse team members who may struggle with traditional forms of communication.

These different types of coaching can work together and one can lead to another. We work with what’s real and present right now so that you can be your most effective self.

Contact us today to learn more about how our executive coaching offer can help you achieve your leadership goals.

For more about this service, contact me here