Neurotypes
This space is a work in progress …
The modern workplace tends to be a paradox of the modern and the draconian. We are in an age where we as a society are identifying different neurotypes through scientific screening, social process, and (more) open discussion. Organizations, particularly large for-profit companies, are beginning to recognize that persons with different neurotypes bring exceptional qualities that can improve work product and create competition advantages in the market. Individual qualities matter, and often benefits come with other aspects that need to be managed. Organizations are big and slow, standardization is their forte, and even small adjustments can be stymied by beauracracy and politics.
This is where our modern era of neurotyping becomes challening and tricky. Many people who excell in areas that are valuable to organizations are not often given sufficient work-related support because it falls outside of the “standard'“ model. These standards have followed to the modern day from the industrial revolution which began in 1760(!). Many persons with neurotypes that set them apart from the average or standard can struggle with this tension. In addition, the move into an era of better identification means we are catching up as a society and there continues to be a massive gap between being identified as a child vs. an adult. Particularly a working adult.
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work in progress. I work with a surprising amount of persons with different types of ADHD/ADD in academia and in coaching
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work in progress. Our understanding of modern persons with autism is still evolving. My experiences in academia and in coaching have so far been with newly identified persons with autism who are high functioning but have had recent complications in their lives or are experiencing an autistic burnout
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work in progress. Gifted persons are much more than their IQ. We use this gross measure often, and it has its historical conveniences but it is also complicated. Many gifted persons go through life without being identified. Being identified as gifted as an adult can be particularly challenging. I put high gifted among the different neurotypes because physically their brains are wired differently and cognitively they have traits that are not common in the standard population.
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Highly Sensitive Persons have a wonderful mix of attributes that are very valuable to organizations. However, their value coupled with their sensitivities also make them extremely susceptible to burnout.
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On their own, individuals who are persons with autism, have ADHD, or are highly gifted are exceptional in their own right. However, integrated aspects of different neurotypes are complex in a way we historically think of as twice (2e) or thrice (3e) “exceptional“.