Many significant individuals, such as Einstein, were likely neuroatypical - Einstein displayed clear traits of the autism spectrum, and many successful entrepreneurs often have ADHD traits. Neuroatypicality may appear as a challenge in a world built for neurotypicals, but it is also a tremendous strength offering the ability to see things from fresh perspectives and think creatively. In light of current knowledge, 15-20% of the world's population is neuroatypical, so almost every workplace has these different thinkers.
Neurological diversity or neurodiversity can manifest in the workplace in many ways - for some, background noise can be a barrier to concentration, while others need movement or short-term work periods to succeed. Instead of classifying these traits as disorders, we could focus on people's strengths and create work environments where everyone can utilize their full potential. This requires a psychologically safe and flexible work atmosphere where everyone's wishes, needs, and best ways of working can be openly discussed.
Autism spectrum traits often emphasize certain types of special talents while social skills may be less mastered. ADHD-type brains function impulsively and boldly, without overthinking. Innovativeness and courage to take even large risks may produce great success in business life.
Neuroatypicality is a challenge in a world built for neurotypicals, but it can also be a great strength. The essential difference comes from what kind of operating environment a person has and how they are encountered.
We challenge you to think about how neuroatypical people in your workplace can utilize their enormous potential.
Think about Einstein for a moment. "Einstein developed linguistically quite slowly, which he himself admitted. He wanted to create only perfect sentences, and therefore he first thought about the structure of the sentence in his mind, repeated it whispering, and only after ensuring the perfect formulation of the sentence did he present the answer to the questioner. He abandoned this habit only at the age of seven or eight.
Einstein preferred to be by himself, building puzzles and erecting towers. He did not care about other children's yard games or other little boys' fights.
Einstein could also be very aggressive if things did not go according to his will. When he was five years old, a home teacher was hired for him, who soon quit due to Einstein's tantrums"
People are neurologically and in many other respects very similar to each other. On the other hand, our brains also have many differences that affect the way we think, experience emotions, observe the world, or act in different situations.
Often, when thinking about neurological diversity, words like ADHD, autism spectrum, or Asperger come to mind, which are classified as neuropsychiatric disorders. Neurological diversity also encompasses various learning difficulties including different degrees of dyslexia as well as speech and language development disorders.
We avoid classification as a disorder because it assumes there is something wrong with the person. It is certainly possible that these people need more support for some things than average. On the flip side, they often have skills, resources, and strengths that others don't have – or have less of. Neuroatypical individuals often also have the ability to see things from different perspectives than neurotypicals.
So if you want people in your workplace who look at things from fresh perspectives and generate ideas outside the box, ensure neurological diversity or neurodiversity in your workplace.
In practice, neurological diversity can manifest, for example, in that things ordinary for many are really unpleasant for others. For someone, it may be difficult to look in the eyes when greeting or handshaking can be really uncomfortable.
It may be that someone's behavior in a social situation seems somewhat strange to others. This may be because the person has difficulties reading the social situation. Often, neuroatypical individuals experience feelings of being outsiders.
These characteristics may have nothing to do with how they perform in their job, and therefore one should carefully consider what characteristics to pay attention to when evaluating a job applicant.
Einstein is an excellent example of a person who had deficiencies in skills and competencies in some areas but enormous strengths in some other things.
For some, background noise is disturbing and may prevent work altogether, while another concentrates better when the radio is playing in the background. Someone jumps from task to task, can concentrate for a maximum of half an hour at a time and then needs to do something else. Another needs to walk or move to maintain concentration and alertness.
For some, interruptions can be a horror. When they start a task, they immerse themselves in it fully. When another comes to interrupt, it takes half an hour to get back into the task.
Someone may seem to have a tremendous amount of energy. If there is no clear direction in work tasks or sensible channels for releasing energy, the person easily becomes frustrated or starts doing irrelevant things.
Why has Einstein remained in history, even though he perhaps didn't quite fit into the neurotypical world?
According to current knowledge, about 15-20% of the entire world's population are neuroatypical people. So your workplace likely also has these different thinkers.
If individual needs and barriers to success at work are not identified, it may happen that our coexistence and work is quite chaotic. At worst, only some are able to fully utilize their skills and expertise.
When differences and needs are identified, attention can be paid to them, and everyone's best potential can be utilized. The work atmosphere must be psychologically safe and flexible so that the team can openly discuss everyone's wishes, needs, and best ways to operate.
Could we incorporate this review model more strongly into our operations in working life, regardless of what causes the differences? The organization has a common goal and objective. What if we looked at the individual as a member of this community through resources and strengths?
