The prevailing “neurodiversity is a superpower” is myopic. There is more to it. Systems need to be redesigned. Perceptions need to shift. Understanding needs to develop.
Let’s not “mine” genius like we do gas or oil. Extraction without regeneration breaks ecosystems. And it can break people.
As soon as we see something as an economic or competitive advantage, the first impulse is to gather as much of it as possible and put it to work. But human-abilities-as-capital in an extractive system that is already problematic is neither a realistic nor sustainable view.
What we should be doing is examining the gaps in what we want to do, consider the minds best equipped to do it, and then listen to them– as well as experts around that topic– to create the conditions for optimal, sustainable, and supportive function. That is neuroinclusive systems design, not just trying to squeeze more output from the same few “standout” brains.
Anything else is not revolutionary; it’s dangerous. I am fully in support of neurodiversity awareness, like, hooray, but it concerns me that the prevalent narrative is “neurodiversity is a superpower!” and that’s that.
Let me be clear: it is not. It is a different way of thinking and being. And there is a lot wrong with the present cultural norms in corporate businesses for fringe functioning thinkers.
If you want something to be a superpower, put the kryptonite as far away as possible. Don’t put it next to them on the table and expect them to run both operating systems and not hate the job and themselves eventually. For example, don’t praise someone’s “hyperfocus” and then bury them in back‑to‑back meetings and rigid performance metrics that directly undermine how they actually do their best work.
In concrete terms, giftedness and neurodivergence are ways some people function that put them outside of the typical range of thought and achievement for many reasons. Not all gifted people are neurodivergent and not all neurodivergent people are gifted, but both groups are routinely treated as resources to tap rather than minds to design around. And the way the world is moving, we need these types of thinkers—their speed, pattern recognition, passion, precision, singular focus, compassion, sensitivity.
But when we say to them “hey, you’re good at this, do more of it and also here are noise cancelling headphones and a visual timer” we are increasing pressure and failing to recognize systemic misalignment. We are failing to acknowledge that pattern-seers are frustrated by slow processes and anxious looking at every possible outcome without reassurance of freedom to iterate. We are failing to acknowledge that people with singular focus and passion cannot be forced to hop on a zoom every other hour. We are failing to acknowledge that the lighting and the carpet pattern and the chair and the chewing noises are ALSO getting into that person’s perception, and they get overloaded. We are failing to acknowledge that asking them to present a big idea in writing may not be the best method to share…and so forth.
The prevailing “neurodiversity is a superpower” is myopic. There is more to it. Systems need to be redesigned. Perceptions need to shift. Understanding needs to develop.
It is then, and only then, can our organizations benefit from the true depth and transformation available through the work of the gifted and neurodivergent minds. Without that, we are asking them to be two people at once. It’s not only unrealistic, it’s wasteful, and frankly, inhumane.
If you are integrating neurodiversity awareness into your company, are you doing it as a paradigm shift to benefit everyone, or are you asking your most sensitive people to step up and do more, with minimal change, and with the vulnerability associated with disclosure, too?
I encourage you to think about this differently. It’s the only way the change benefits everyone.