Being Neurodivergent in the Workplace
by: Kaitlin Manion
A few months ago, we met Alexandra Gilbert of Cape-Able Consulting. Alexandra is a New Yorker, a Mets fan, a yogi, and a brunch enthusiast. She helps adults with learning disabilities and/or ADHD who may be struggling with their careers. Alexandra has dyslexia and ADHD, so she understands from a first-person perspective how the modern working world isn't exactly accessible for everyone.
At Cape-Able Consulting, Alexandra wanted to help adults like herself navigate day-to-day workloads so that they can feel supported and are able to reach their highest potential. Keep reading for more advice from Alexandra and learn about the resources she has to offer.
Gen Hired: What was your biggest goal when starting Cape-Able Consulting?
Alexandra Gilbert: My biggest goal in creating Cape-Able Consulting is to change the stigma surrounding learning disabilities/ ADHD by reminding people what they Cape-able of.
GH: Do you have to disclose to your boss that you're neurodivergent? What are some reasons why/why not?
AG: When it comes to disclosing your disability status to your employer it is a very personal choice and I would never recommend to my clients or anyone else to disclose if they do not feel comfortable doing so. Many people chose not to share because they are afraid that people will not understand them, think less of them, might think they are not capable of their job and that fear and anxiety is very real. That being said I personally have always chosen to disclose that I had dyslexia and ADHD because I felt like it made me uniquely qualified for the positions that I was applying to or already working in. People with learning disabilities and/or ADHD have these incredible skills in areas of problem-solving for example that can be a huge benefit to companies and organizations and I was comfortable explaining why they would want to have my perspective.
GH: How can you talk to your boss and team members about being neurodivergent?
AG: My advice in these scenarios is to go into the conversation knowing what you want out of the conversation. If you are going to share then you should have a reason and possible examples of how they can support you in doing your job to the best of your ability. For example, if you say to your boss that “ I am neurodivergent which makes deadlines challenging for me, can we set up a weekly meeting where we can discuss what you would like me to hand in so that we are on the same page and that it's submitted in a timely manner?” Think about how much more productive this conversation becomes when you can vocally express your needs and how they can support you.
GH: We've had community members ask how they can talk to their boss or co-workers about systems at work that are frustrating to them as neurodivergent individuals, how can they approach this conversation or work around this dilemma?
AG: I would say the conversation is similar in the sense that you want to go into the conversation knowing what you would like out of the conversation. For example, long meetings can be very challenging for neurodivergent individuals. It’s hard to pay attention, the timing itself might be a challenge so what can you say to your boss or co-workers that would make this meeting more efficient but also gives you the support you need? If you see a 2-hour zoom meeting pop up on your calendar can you ask for an outline of the meeting, if there is can it be recorded with transcripts so that you can go back and read anything you missed, is there anything that can be sent out before the meeting that will help you prepare it? By asking these questions you are not only helping yourself be more productive but also anyone who is in the meeting will find those tools helpful.
GH: What are some resources you would recommend for neurodivergent individuals?
AG: 3 of my favorite tools and resources that I recommend to all of my clients is using Grammarly, Speechify and Headspace.
Grammarly which not only checks your grammar, and spelling but also helps you rewrite sentences that don’t make sense, lets you know if you missed a word and even lets you know how the tone of your e-mails are coming across. Speechify reads everything for you. This can be incredibly helpful if you have long documents and e-mails to read or if you just want help paying attention. And Headspace people with learning disabilities, ADHD, and Neurodivergencies see a big overlap in struggling with their mental health. Headspace has so many options from 5-20 min meditations and when you are feeling overwhelmed I always recommend pulling yourself out of the situation so you can think clearly. Just taking 5 mins to focus on your breathing can help take you from a place of being overstimulated and overwhelmed to calm.
We’re so happy to have career besties like Alexandra in our network. You can work with Alexandra directly via 1:1 Consulting or check out her courses. She even has one that is dedicated to helping recent college graduates be more comfortable in their career journeys called “From College to Career”. She is also delivering content around being neurodivergent in the workplace on Instagram.
