Embracing Neurodiversity: Strategies for Inclusion and Understanding

A great project manager (or manager, or team leader) has a range of soft (or people/power) skills, and also a range of hard (or technical) skills. Somewhere in the mix of soft skills is their ability to communicate with a wide range of individuals according to their needs in order to communicate effectively, lead team members, and influence stakeholders.

If the world was populated by 8 billion identical humans, this would be an easy task – but it’s not. It contains 8 billion unique individuals, each with their own world view, experiences, strengths, weaknesses, and unique personality.  We have a label for those that share similar personality traits and that is neurotypical. For those that do not share these ‘typical’ traits we have another label – neurodiverse. The use of labels for people is fraught with all types of political and power issues that could easily be made into a PhD dissertation (and I am sure it has been done) so the point of this blog is simply to raise awareness of neurodiversity and help project managers plan for it authentically and help in successfully engaging with neurodiverse people. There are also many other types of non-typical, or diverse, people, and once again, this could easily fill a dissertation, so this fits within the overall challenge of appreciating all forms of diversity and striving for inclusion.

Neurodiversity refers to the concept that neurological differences are to be recognized and respected as any other form of human variation. These differences can include, among many other types, alternative learning preferences, varying attention spans, sensory interpretations, communication styles, and distinct problem-solving abilities. I am not an expert in this area so for a more comprehensive definition please refer to the experts in this area. For project managers, recognizing the inherent value in these differences is the first step toward inclusion.

In relation to neurodivergent individuals — those with neurological differences such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and many many other non-typical traits — who may be part of your team, they bring unique strengths that can significantly enhance a team’s performance. However, realizing the full potential of neurodivergent team members requires understanding, appreciating, and targeting strategies to foster an inclusive environment. For project managers, recognizing the inherent value in these differences is the first step toward inclusion (and there are certainly many successful project managers who would identify as neurodiverse as well).

Here are some general tips that project managers can begin to practice and become skills at to achieve this.

▪      Tailoring Communication Styles: Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful project management. Neurodivergent individuals might have different communication needs and preferences. For instance, some might prefer detailed, written or graphical instructions, while others benefit from concise, verbal cues, and others may need things repeated several times with time to absorb and ask questions for clarification. Project managers should aim to understand individual communication needs (asking people is always a good idea) and then seek to personalize communication by adjusting the mode of communication to fit the preferences of neurodivergent team members can lead to better understanding and productivity. The goal of tailoring your communication is to provide clear expectations to avoid ambiguity.

▪      Creating an Inclusive Environment: An inclusive workplace is one where every team member feels valued and understood. This can be fostered by truly understanding the complete complex human and not just a one dimensional character we often encounter at work. Start by finding out about people and asking them about their preferences.  Consider offering flexibility in work arrangements like flexible work hours, a range of different working spaces, or the option to work remotely can accommodate different thinking/processing styles, sensory needs and working preferences. Keep in mind that for some people you should consider providing sensory-friendly spaces that minimize sensory overload that can be crucial for neurodivergent individuals who may be sensitive to noise, light, or crowd.

▪      Leveraging Strengths: Neurodivergences isn’t all about individual challenges and it is not always about ‘disability’. Neurodivergent individuals often possess extraordinary skills and see the world in different ways and this can generate real innovation. They may also have strengths in areas such as pattern recognition, memory, or creativity. They may also not see boundaries and limitations where others do. Project managers can maximize these talents by aligning roles with strengths and placing neurodivergent individuals in roles that naturally align with their strengths. For instance, someone with dyslexia might excel in big-picture thinking and strategy, or someone with a disregard for authority may help question old ways of doing things. Allow neurodivergent team members to approach problems and project tasks in their unique way, which can lead to innovative solutions and approaches.

▪      Continuous Education and Support: Understanding neurodiversity is not a one-time effort. It requires ongoing education for you as a project manager, all your team members, and stakeholders. Raise awareness and understanding with regular training sessions about neurodiversity to build a team-wide understanding and acceptance. Consider establishing support groups or assign mentors to help neurodivergent employees navigate workplace challenges.

Embracing neurodiversity not only enriches the team but also drives innovation and enhances problem-solving capabilities. By understanding and valuing the unique perspectives of neurodivergent team members and stakeholders, project managers can create more dynamic, responsive, and successful teams. In an era where adaptive thinking and creativity are highly prized, neurodiverse teams may hold a key to navigating complex projects and achieving outstanding results.

These suggestions for appreciating and including neurodiverse team members also apply to neurodiverse stakeholders. The same broad guidelines of appreciating difference, tailoring communications, creating an inclusive (and welcoming) environment, and leveraging individual strengths will help project managers interact with all types of stakeholders.

This is a very brief, general, and high level introduction to neurodiversity and is in no way intended to provide any in depth guidance purely because even though there is a single catch all word to describe people, there is a complex multitude of experiences and personalities that it applies to. Take your time to learn and appreciate different ways of seeing and experiencing the world and you will be a better project manager (and generally a better person as well).

#neurodiversity #adhd #autism