Category: Neurodiversity
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Camp Enrolling Now!
Leadership Summer Camp is enrolling now! It’s time for SUMMER CAMP, but, this one is not for the kiddies. This is for leaders like YOU. We’ve built a Leadership Summer Camp that you can attend during a regular work week, without using precious PTO. We’re focusing on neuroinclusive leadership principles, and connecting you with new…
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Say it with a Song
How music shapes what we remember and how we work If you grew up in the eras of mixtapes or burned CDs, you know how powerful music can be. The songs you chose, the order you put them in, and even the way you named and decorated the disc all shaped how that music would…
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Leadership POV: Good and Misunderstood
A common theme in my leadership coaching is people feeling misunderstood at work. Have you ever felt… These misunderstandings can snowball beyond one interaction and create the perceptions that precede you, or your reputation, in the organization. For the last few years, when I present to organizations, I’ve included a slide or two on qualities…
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Lead with your strengths
Strengths-based leadership in action When a community member was asked how current events in the US were impacting her approach to business, her response was, “I need to keep doing what I know. I know about creating community, I know how to turn strangers into neighbors, and I know how to be a friend.” This…
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The Opposite of Inclusion
Thoughts on removing ‘inclusion’ from leadership development and workplace culture Faced with a decision The video conference fell silent as we waited for someone to voice curiosity or concern about the suggested path forward we just heard. It was clear that everyone was thinking something but no one wanted to say anything. In that moment…
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Disclosing Neurodivergence
Disclosing Neurodivergence Navigating if, how, and when to discuss with colleagues, leaders, and HR If you’ve been diagnosed with something under the umbrella of neurodiversity, you may be navigating how and when to share this with co-workers. Disclosing any diagnosis at work is personal, and there are a number of considerations that may influence your…
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Planning Neuro-Inclusive Meetings
The duties of meeting and event planning fall on different people across companies, but one thing is consistent. Planning neuro-inclusive meetings is key to engagement and retention. MPG has lots of ideas on how to plan events that are inclusive and accessible. And when it comes to neuro-inclusive meetings, we know a thing or two…
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New Year, New You?
Every year, we experience some natural “fresh starts.” As we come to the end of 2022, we are on the verge of a fresh start. Start the new year with a new 2023 desk calendar, and start fresh with other goals and activities too. Deciding What’s New For two decades, our world centered around school.…
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Neurodivergent-friendly Accommodations at Work
Do you identify as neurodivergent, and need some neurodivergent-friendly accommodations at work? Are you an employer looking to better support your neurodivergent employees? Read on! Under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) changes to the application/hiring process, the way you do your job, or the work environment itself can be considered reasonable accommodations. Neurodivergent-friendly accommodations…
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ADHD-friendly Meetings
While I usually work from a home office, I spent two days in an office this week! This meant I had to pack up the tools that enable my best work, without bringing my whole home office with me. Here are my secrets to ADHD-friendly meetings. Remember, this may look different for everyone, but for…
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Color-Coding for Success
Can color-coding help you be successful? Maybe! Everyone’s brains work differently, and many neurodivergent brains are drawn to details such as color. This can serve as a differentiator, help with labeling, trigger memories of conversations, and so much more. Ways color-coding may help you: Color code your calendar Either to differentiate different projects, clients, or…
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Need a reset? Take a Rainbow Walk
As I sat down at my desk to begin working this morning, my head was pretty crowded. This is how I frame it when cognitive hyperactivity gets the best of me. My mind is in too many places at once. I knew it was time to take a Rainbow Walk. Rainbow Walk Going outside and…
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Our ADHD Brains
Too often, we see the faults in our ADHD brains without celebrating the amazing science behind how they work and support us. Maybe you have poor time management, or can’t focus on boring work tasks, but we’ll help you remember all the great things you can do too. Let’s dig into the hormones our brains…
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Neurodiversity and the Comfort Zone
The comfort zone is SAFE. It is FAMILIAR. It can be the much needed respite from places, people, or processes that aren’t neurodivergent-friendly. Comfort zones can have certain textures, smells, lighting, sounds, or other sensory items designed to make someone feel safe and welcome. Having a comfort zone doesn’t mean you have to stay there,…
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Diversity at Work
A perfect world would be inclusive of neurodiversity of work. It would be inclusive of ALL diversity at work! When companies’ actions don’t align with words…it’s not a good feeling. In recent weeks, we’ve seen a number of posts on LinkedIn alluding to companies claiming to be inclusive, and employees don’t seem to agree. We…
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Advocating in the Workplace
Striving for Inclusive Workplaces I strongly believe that advocating in the workplace can lead to truly inclusive organizations. Teams that are accepting, encouraging, and accommodating of everyone – including neurodivergent employees. This can be tricky to advocate for on your own. But if you’re comfortable sharing a bit more about what you need to be…
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Inclusion Hack
Neurodivergent-Friendly Meetings Inclusion doesn’t always look like drastic measures. Something as simple as leveraging existing tools found in Microsoft Outlook can help with HOW you schedule meetings. Keep reading how this inclusion hack benefits everyone, especially neurodivergent individuals. Respecting start- and end-times of meetings is appreciated by everyone, and neurodivergent teammates really benefit from this…
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Accessible Video Conferencing
Let’s talk ACCESSIBILITY! Did you know many neurodivergent people prefer captions on movies and shows? This has nothing to do with their actual hearing. It has to do with their auditory processing. It can be helpful in tracking the story and picking up valuable details. How can we bring this same accessibility to the office?…
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Disclosing Neurodivergence
If you’ve been diagnosed with something under the umbrella of neurodivergence, you may be navigating how and when to share this with co-workers. Disclosing neurodivergence conditions at work is personal, and there are a number of considerations that may influence your plans to share. Teammates rarely come back from the dermatologist or gastroenterologist with colorful…
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Advocating for a Neurodivergent-friendly Workplace
Depending on when you were diagnosed, you may have different support systems and ways for advocating for a neurodivergent-friendly workplace. If you were diagnosed with ADHD as a child, you may have had an entire support network of parents, teachers, and counselors. A full team to create an individualized education plan, and make sure you…
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Protect Your Boundaries
Protect Your Boundaries to Earn a Treat! I saw some “punch card” ideas on Twitter and thought what better way to set and maintain healthy boundaries during Mental Health Awareness Month! Neurodivergent folks juggle more mental health issues than our neurotypical colleagues. Why is that, and how do we protect ourselves? Many people with ADHD…
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The Alphabet Soup of Neurodiversity
Neurodiversity sometimes feels like a buzz word that just entered our vocabulary in the last few years. In fact, Australian sociologist, Judy Singer, coined the term in the late-1990s (quick reminder for anyone who has lost track of time…that was more than two decades ago.) And the alphabet soup of neurodiversity just keeps getting richer!…