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Neurodiversity in the workplace and how to keep yourself organised Time: 17:52
Welcome to the Divine Enigma Podcast, a safe place for project managers and professionals to learn to navigate the complexity of being neurodiverse in the workplace.In this episode, I talk about being a neurodiverse professional in a corporate setting, sharing insights from my experiences. We explore the tools I use to manage my dyslexia as a project manager and the soft skills that I have identified as crucial for any professional to excel in the workplace.
Neurodivergent is a term used to describe individuals that have brain processes that behave or learn differently from everyday people. It may come with multiple disabilities like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, Tourette's syndrome, and others. As a neurodivergent, I have been diagnosed as dyslexic with ADHD although this diagnosis has never been shared for fear that it could easily become another factor that must be overcome to be taken seriously at work. However, being neurodivergent is a superpower, not something to be ashamed of; this was the inspiration behind the podcast name, Divine Enigma. Neurodiversity is the concept that all human beings vary in terms of neurocognitive ability. Everyone has both talents and things they struggle with, however, in neurodivergent people, the gap between those two areas is widened, resulting in an exemplary performance in certain areas and a disability in some others. Neurodivergent people can be highly productive in an environment that amplifies their strengths and reduces disabling factors. Being neurodiverse, particularly with dyslexia, there are five key tips to stay organized while working as a project manager. Firstly, ensure you have a planner and a list of things to get done before the next day. Secondly, try to allow yourself extra time if you're coming into a new environment. Next, use apps like Speechify, Grammarly, and others to help you effectively read or prepare documents. Fourthly, always have a power bank or enough battery life for your journey; your phone may come in very handy to help you navigate your way to a new place, using apps like Citymapper. Lastly, you may use apps like Otter to record your meetings and listen back on them; remember to get permission before recording in a meeting as there may be sensitive information being discussed. According to the British Dyslexia Association, Dyslexic people all have strengths like lateral thinking, big-picture thinking, problem-solving, and an intuitive understanding of how things work. With the right support, dyslexic people can shine. Neurodivergent individuals tend to have soft skills which are very beneficial for growth in the workplace. The first crucial soft skill to have is being coachable which refers to the ability to take feedback or criticism and apply it to your work. Keep in mind, you must evaluate if the feedback is constructive and not simply meant to demoralize you. Another soft skill to have is the ability to be empathetic and supportive, which is quite common among neurodivergent people. Additionally, effective communication is a major soft skill. For listeners who need help with public speaking, the toastmaster club course on public speaking is a useful tool.
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Producer & Host: Sarah
Music: “She Royalty” by Amaro & “Whistle” by Lukas Got Lucky
GUID: Buzzsprout-11781343
Release Date: 04/12/2022, 19:00:00
