Neurodiversity at Work: What Leaders and Coaches need to know

Pooja Sachdev
Sep 4
6 min read

“When you're constantly working harder just to keep up, or being misunderstood, it's easy to internalise the belief that you're somehow ‘less than’. It’s a trauma you carry – and this sense of inadequacy can stay with you long after school ends, shaping how you see yourself in adulthood…”

Sophie(1), my friend and Rewire consultant, describes what it’s been like for her to navigate school and then professional life, as a person with dyslexia.

I’ve always known her to be a confident and highly accomplished professional, so this comes as a bit of a surprise. But that’s because I don’t see the work she is doing behind the scenes.

Sophie Skinner -- Executive Coach + HR Consultant — *Sophie Skinner* -- Executive Coach + HR Consultant

“You end up hiding the struggle,” she says, “because you don’t want to be judged, so you develop strategies to cope and just get on with it… but there’s a hidden impact on self-perception.”

What is neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity refers to the range of ways in which we process information –cognitive, emotional and sensory information. Essentially, it is about how our brains are wired to work differently.

Variations from the common (‘neurotypical’) ways of processing are referred to as ‘neurodivergent’ which includes autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and others.

It is important to bear in mind that difference does not imply deficit.

Yet, cultural norms and ways of working might render a neurodivergent person less able to thrive.

Traditional classrooms and offices, for example, can be challenging for some neurodivergent people, who might be less able to sit still for hours or concentrate in noisy environments. As a result, they might struggle to meet expectations, and risk becoming disadvantaged or excluded from the system. This is not because they lack intelligence or potential – far from it – but because traditional systems are not designed to recognise or support different ways of thinking and learning.

Many neurodivergent people become socialised to “mask” i.e. suppress neurodivergent traits or behaviours to fit in within professional settings. (2) This takes up a lot of energy, which can take a toll on the person’s sense of belonging, wellbeing and identity.

Intersectionality

This is exacerbated when there is an overlap with other minority or marginalised identities.

Dyslexia, ADHD, and other forms of neurodivergence often go unrecognised—especially in women, people of colour, or those from working-class backgrounds—because diagnostic systems were historically based on narrow profiles and because not everyone has the same access and resources.

For example:

Women with ADHD are disproportionately underdiagnosed because diagnostic criteria were developed based on studies of boys and men. (3)
Black boys in the UK are diagnosed with Autism at similar rates to their White peers, but they receive far less educational support. (4)
Autistic individuals are significantly more likely to identify as LGBTQIA+, and vice versa. (5)

Cultural background also influences how neurodivergence is experienced. In some contexts, individuals might face greater social pressure to conform to the majority and not reveal their struggles or needs.

The intersectionality between these identities can amplify the challenges of fitting in with societal expectations and accessing support, leaving individuals feeling doubly or triply marginalised, and wearing “multiple masks.”

Implications for Leaders and Coaches

Whether or not you position yourself as someone who identifies with or specialises in neurodiversity, it is likely that you will at some point have a colleague or client who is neurodivergent (whether they have a diagnosis or not). They may reveal this to you themselves, or you may get a sense for it. Either way, as leaders and coaches, we must be ready to listen, understand, and support.

It is our job to help the people we manage or coach, to identify and leverage their unique strengths, while developing strategies to navigate the challenges – without seeing neurodivergence as something to be ‘fixed.’

This requires us to be self-aware about our own assumptions so that others feel heard and safe in their self-exploration.

10 Things Leaders + Coaches Can Do

Raise your own awareness

Take the time and effort to build your knowledge about neurodiversity. There are many organisations that offer training, and plenty of free resources online. But remember that every person’s experience is different, so be informed but open.

Be careful not to stereotype

Seek to understand peoples’ lived experiences, without judgment. Create a safe space for others to share their experiences in their own words.

Challenge the deficit model

Avoid pathologizing or using minimizing terms. Work with your client’s strengths. Many traits that characterise neurodiversity (e.g. hyperfocus, pattern recognition, divergent thinking) can be significant assets, depending on the job and task.

Recognise adaptive strategies

A key suggestion from Sophie is this: Ask how a client has learned to navigate challenges, and what internal systems they’ve built to remember, plan, or organise information. These personalised approaches often reveal resourcefulness, resilience, and unconventional intelligence and may hold clues to how they can succeed on their own terms.

Encourage but don’t demand disclosure

Whether someone chooses to share their neurodivergence often depends on how safe or supported they feel, which may be rooted in how they were treated early in life, as well as the psychological safety in their current place of work. Make it known that support is available, without forcing people to label themselves.

Make your ways of working accessible

Think about how you work, communicate and contract. Where you can, let go of unnecessary restrictions. For example, think about:

Where and when are meetings held?
How are appointments made and cancelled?
What are the written and unwritten expectations regarding “professionalism”?

Consider adjustments that will make ways of working more inclusive by offering different options e.g. different ways to communicate, simply presented information, accessible text (fonts and colours) and the option for shorter (or longer) or virtual meetings. Challenge your assumptions about ways of presenting and interacting that you have been conditioned to label as “unprofessional”.

Create a neuro-inclusive working environment

Think about the room and space you work in. Be open to alternatives that might make others more comfortable (AND your interactions more effective), like adjusting lighting or reducing noise. For example:

Can you put aside chairs and allow standing or pacing if it helps with focus? Or face chairs a different way? Or take it outside (walk and talk)?
Can you use creative or sensory materials? Can you use different forms of information (e.g. diagrams, mind maps)?
If you work virtually, can you switch off the camera at times, to reduce cognitive load?

If you’re not sure what would help, ask!

Acknowledge the emotional toll

It’s not just about the external challenges – it’s also about the inner experience and feelings of confidence and identity. Helping someone navigate the impact of early experiences with empathy can be a transformative part of supporting neurodivergent individuals to thrive.

Remember intersectionality

No one is just one thing. Don’t pigeon-hole and be aware of how a person’s neuro-identity might intersect with other identities like gender, age, race, class, culture, disability, etc. Make sure you are seeing the whole person and help them develop personal strategies that respect their cultural identity and context, as well as their neurodivergent needs.

Influence change

Use the resources, power and connections available to you, to raise awareness and influence systemic change where you can – beyond your office, your coaching room or your organisation.

Ultimately, neuroinclusive coaching is simply good coaching.

It is about being compassionate and flexible – staying in tune with your client’s needs, respecting your client’s individuality and doing what you can to create the conditions in which your client can be themselves and work towards realising their potential.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pooja Sachdev is co-author of 'Rewire: A Radical Approach to Tackling Diversity and Difference', published by Bloomsbury and described by the FT as "the most refreshing approach to diversity I have read."

She is a coach, counsellor, consultant, and founder of Rewire Consulting. Specialising in organisational development, diversity & inclusion, and leadership, Rewire helps build positive work cultures that enable people, teams and organisations to fulfill their potential.

To find out more about Rewire, drop us a line via the website or LinkedIn.