Guidance for Working with Neuro-Diversity

The GOLDEN RULE in working with neuro-diversity is to ask "is what is happening reasonable in all the circumstances?"

Take some time to question your understanding of the term REASONABLE because you may be called on to justify actions you have taken. Your justification for that action will be your belief that you acted reasonably.

Real world examples of how Reasonable is interpreted in relation to neuro-diversity in English courts.

The definition will vary by jurisdiction but not by very much.

Reasonableness is a cultural "tone" set by the people at the top.

It is also essential that employees consider their actions against the test of reasonableness in all the circumstances.

The Two Tanks Test - do you have enough physical and mental energy in your tanks to proceed with your work? If not - TAKE A BREAK!

Try to place simple measures on the key factors affecting performance in a single view if possible - you are only as good as what your measure.

What is your current experience and performance like now, what do we want it to be like, what adjustments will help us to get there.

Do not try to fix or cure - focus solely on Reasonable Adjustments.

The Feedback Sandwich

"Can we talk about how we work together as I have some helpful ideas."

a) describe briefly what is currently working well for you at work.

(give evidence and describe the effect it has on how it makes you think and feel)

b) describe what is not working quite as well

(give evidence and describe the effect it has on how it makes you think and feel)

c) what would work better for me is (describe your suggestion) - can we try it?

( describe how you imagine the suggestion will improve things for both of you)

Expect the unexpected because the experience of a neuro-diverse condition can initially sound different but that's all it is - different not faulty. Try to understand then seek mutual ways to adjust.

Assessment can be stigmatizing, inaccurate, expensive and take a long time - in the meantime focus on actual experience and how it could be improved.

Eye Stress

- plastic light filters on pages of text

- screen filters

- using pastel coloured note paper

- assessing comfort levels under different sorts of lighting and try to arrange the office to be under the least stressful lighting

- experiment with simple fonts without squiggly bits, font size, amount of zoom to magnify text and spacing to find what works best

- practise reading with a sheet of pastel coloured paper to hide distracting text

- use a pen or pointer to guide your eye through the text

Avoid reading the options when handling a multi-choice scenario.

Experiment with what works best for you.

Stress Management

a. Ball Tossing - Suggest experimenting with tossing a ball from hand to hand whilst adding additional activities. This builds comfort with managing multiple tasks and can distract from or calm down unhelpful thought patterns.

b. Juggling - Consider building on the above technique by having fun learning to juggle - it provides a metaphorical connection to "juggling a lot of mental activities." 

c. Chimp Paradox - reflect on what it is you see and hear that triggers your fears. Spend a few minutes ranting about those factors until they are "out of your system." Then consider the evidence and allow the higher rational mind to develop a less emotional response and with practice allow that to become your conditioned behaviour acting from the Computer brain.

d. Burn Off Adrenaline prior to stressful activities. Suggest simple squats or a brisk walk to tell the body "the fight is over" so that it can calm down. Adrenaline can adversely affect peripheral vision so burning it off makes it easier to see a bigger picture and notice the behaviours of others around you.

e. Exercise - regular moderate exercise has been shown to help relieve stress. Seek advice on what would be appropriate your circumstances.

f. Diaphragmatic Breathing - this helps with excess adrenaline and creates a sensation of calm and balance. Consider googling diaphragmatic breathing.

g. Basic Meditation - lie flat on a hard floor and allow your muscles to relax to the point where you feel as if you are lying on a sponge mattress. Allow thoughts to come into your head and then float away like bubbles. Eventually try to avoid any thoughts for 10 seconds. Do this prior to stressful work situations. An alternative is to half close your eyes whilst seated and stare at an object 4 feet away and observe thoughts coming and going until you can briefly stop all thoughts for 10 seconds.

h. Relieve muscle tension - consider light stretching periodically to reverse the effects of stress on the body before key work events.

i. Relaxation Sounds - google relaxing sounds or search on Youtube until you find a sound or frequency that helps you relax before and during work activities if you can wear headphones in the workplace. Experiment until you discover what works for you.

j. Metaphor for being relaxed - consider how you are when you are at your most relaxed and create a mental image or create a metaphor for that experience either as an image or feeling or recollection of sounds and smells and hold your attention on that idea before a key work activity.

k. HALT Checklist - if you sense a build-up of stress consider scanning yourself and recent activities to see if you have become Hungry Angry Lonely or Tired. Try to correct any of these known stressors by eating, letting resentments go, talking to somebody or finding time to recover. Try to get into the habit of checking for the signs to HALT and reset for the day.

l. Diet - consider if certain foods make you more stressed than necessary for your job and avoid them before key events or tasks. Processed sugar and caffeine are regularly cited as unhelpful stress agents.

m. Relaxing fragrances - some people respond well to specific fragrances which have reputed relaxing characteristic. Some people relax with the smell of lavender in the air. Consider if certain smells connect you with a relaxed frame of mind and work out if you could use them in your immediate working environment.

o. Build a Timeline - create a simple storyboard around the key events and triggers which build up prior to stressful work activity. Keep asking "then what happens?" and try to be very precise about all the steps in the build up. Also ask "what happens next?" and "what would I like to have happen next?"  Try to adapt the story to better suit your needs.

Use Mind Maps and Non-Linear data formats and include graphics and emojis.

View data from a distance to avoid overwhelm.

Use narrative and storyboards.

Link memory to joyful experiences or interesting places.

Explore the use of Sales Skills Training

Use common sense and take simple steps to implement adjustments without needing to ask permission.

See The Feedback Sandwich ABOVE.

"Can we talk about how we work together as I have some helpful ideas."

a) describe briefly what is currently working well for you at work.

(give evidence and describe the effect it has on how it makes you think and feel)

b) describe what is not working quite as well

(give evidence and describe the effect it has on how it makes you think and feel)

c) what would work better for me is (describe your suggestion) - can we try it?

( describe how you imagine the suggestion will improve things for both of you)

Suggest reading Clean Approaches for Coaches by Marian Way

It's all about REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS.

Don't try to FIX or CURE

Use Experts to handle the medical or psychological issues