Episode 176: Thinking Differently: Neurodiversity at Work
/“It is a feminist issue. There are so many women who are not being diagnosed or who are misdiagnosed. [And] boys and men are diagnosed.”
“He basically said, ‘You know, everything looks great. There’s nothing of concern, but I will say that you have a large part of your brain missing.’”
Michelle jones
“Having some knowledge that some people think a little bit differently, and that to play to their strengths is going to give you the best working team you could possibly have, is really important. ”
emma case
This show is all about working with neurodiversity - having a condition such as ADHD, or Asperger’s or anything else that means your brain functions a bit differently from a lot of your colleagues’.
Emma Case had always wanted to work in fashion, and she loved it - but at the same time she had trouble with things that seemed totally straightforward to others. It took years to work out why. That’s a theme running through this show. All three of my guests went undiagnosed until well into adulthood.
Emma now runs Women Beyond the Box, a platform that celebrates the successes of neurodiverse women.
paige jeffrey
Michelle Jones and Paige Jeffrey are in this category too. Paige often found the office a confusing environment but didn’t know why until last year. Michelle’s world was rocked when, in her late thirties, she received some shocking news about her brain.
All three women have struggled at times, but they’ve all learned to use their particular brains to fuel their success. And each of them wants workplaces to open up, to be more inclusive - to recognize that neurodiversity can be a benefit to a project or a team rather than a hindrance.
You can also read a transcript of the show.
The podcast Home. Made. is sponsoring TBE this month. Check it out. Host Stephanie Foo has an amazing background. She even guest-taught a class with me once.
Further reading:
The Female Burden of Neurodiversity, from The Week.
From the American Psychological Association, a piece on Dr. Ellen Littman and her work with women and girls with ADHD. She was an early advocate for women with ADHD.