PIC No. 66:
• Title: The Neurodiversity Edge: The Essential Guide to Embracing Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Neurological Differences for Any Organization
• Author: Maureen Dunne
• Publisher: Wiley (March 12, 2024, 336 pages)
• Management Bucket #9 of 20: The Team Bucket
Welcome to Issue No. 66 of PAILS IN COMPARISON, the value-added sidekick of John Pearson’s Buckets Blog. This blog features my “PICs”—shorter reviews of helpful books—with comparisons to other books in my 20 management buckets (core competencies) filing system.
Impromptu Pop Quiz Conversations
Confession! If you had asked me a week ago to define “neurodiversity,” I would have failed your pop quiz. Author Maureen Dunne’s subtitle, however, gave me a clue: “The Essential Guide to Embracing Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Neurological Differences for Any Organization.”
Confession! I’m no longer a CEO or a consultant (actually…I still dabble at it)—so the probability of my reading and reviewing this book was near zero. But…this year, I’m pushing myself to read outside my comfort zone—maybe just the 15-page introduction. Oh, my. This is an important movement. I read the entire book.
Confession! While I thought I was familiar with the issues and opportunities of “embracing” autism, ADHD, dyslexia and other neurological differences—I had never read an expert’s vision for what could be.
Confession! I had no idea that, as Dunne writes, “One in every five people you see every day may be living in a world defined by systematic and counterproductive exclusion from the opportunity to productively contribute to society.”
The author adds, “In terms of human capital potential, this is a devasting failure. Morally, it’s a plague of injustice.”
Yet the author gives us hope. A few more pages in, I was reminded of King David’s affirmation in the Old Testament (Psalm 139:14), “I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made!” From my faith perspective then—if every person is made in the image of God, then I should take this book seriously. (Note: I’m adding the spiritual dimension to this review. The book does not.)
The Neurodiversity Edge has been called a “groundbreaking guide” and I agree. Frankly, it took discipline to read the entire book—yet Maureen Dunne continued to introduce insights, poignant stories, case studies, and anecdotes to inspire me to keep reading. (I could have used this profound guide years ago. But it’s never too late, right?)
She punctuates her vision from two decades of consulting with Fortune 500 companies, higher education, and other organizations—helping them address their organizational cultures from the top-down to the bottom-up. (Read about "The Three C's: Codification plus Conduct drives Culture" and why "culture fit" may be an inappropriate measure.)
Dunne warns against just checking the box of “being cosmetically quote-unquote neurodiversity friendly.” (But she does include a helpful checklist in the appendix.) Yet, she promises CEOs and HR senior executives that a fresh look at previously untapped neurodiversity talent will reap stunning rewards in innovation, creativity, and value. You may end up with a competitive advantage.
Frankly, this review really requires two reviews. (Stay tuned!) But for now, I urge someone on your team to read this book—and inspire your organization to take a look in the mirror. Here are five teasers:
#1. COMMON EXAMPLES OF PERSISTENT BIASES. The author lists seven biases in human decision making: the planning fallacy, the availability bias, the optimism bias, the self-serving bias, the loss aversion bias, the anchoring bias, and the overconfidence effect. How does this affect our working relationships? (Oh, my! More confession needed!)
#2. ECONOMICS OF NEURODIVERSITY INCLUSION. Brilliant! “Imagine you sell apple pies at an apple pie stand.” Using this simple analogy, Dunne shows how “the supply of skilled workers can be expanded by embracing universal design principles and the authentic inclusion of people from all points along the spectrum of human neurodiversity.”
#3. ADHD. The author includes a short paragraph with this intro: “This is how my husband described his Copernican moment after being diagnosed with ADHD.” (Note: I read the paragraph to someone with ADHD and that person immediately identified with Dunne’s husband who, once diagnosed, said “…it was like turning on the lights.”)
#4. THE PYRAMID. The summary graphic on page 108, “THE PYRAMID OF NEUROINCLUSION,” features six levels (and descriptions): “Trust and Psychological Safety, Transparent Communication, Universal Design Principles at Work, Auxiliary Support Accessibility, Universal Empathy, and Authentic Neurodiversity.”
#5. TWO-MONTH GOALS. After Dunne conducted a neurodiversity audit for an organization, the team set a goal: “Within two months, all team members will deeply understand and be able to articulate the strength-based framework of neurodiversity and tell a story that highlights the strengths of at least one neurodivergent person they know about.”
Good news! With impromptu one-on-one “pop quiz” conversations with team members (we used to call this MBWA: Managing By Walking Around), the organization nailed the goal in just six weeks. (Read Chapter 5, “From Why to How.”)
Maureen Dunne is a Rhodes Scholar and also a member of the neurodiversity community. Frankly, some of her true stories will shock you (or maybe not). But the book is hopeful. It’s not a guilt trip. And please forgive me for just scratching the surface in this short review—of this important, important issue and opportunity. (Watch for an expanded review.)
By the way, Dunne showcases numerous companies and organizations that have made great progress, which reminded me of the visionary work of Robert and Melissa Hendershot, and their son, Trevor. Angels for Higher facilitates the hiring of individuals with Down syndrome to work as greeters in sports stadiums, athletic venues, college campuses, and performing arts centers located across the U.S. (Read my review of Angel for Higher.)
And one more note. The author jumps into the battle over work from home (WFH), hybrid work, and all-hands-on-deck back at the office mandates. Which model works best for neurodiversity and neurotypical team members? (Yikes! One more factor to consider when setting your top-down policies!) I urge you to read this powerful book.
PAILS IN COMPARISON: Reading this book reminded me of several other must-read books in the Team Bucket, plus other buckets/core competencies.
[ ] Angel for Higher, by Robert Hendershot with Trevor (Read my review.)
[ ] Belonging Rules: Five Crucial Actions That Build Unity and Foster Performance, by Brad Deutser (Read my review.)
[ ] Remote, Inc.: How to Thrive at Work . . . Wherever You Are, by Robert C. Pozen and Alexandra Samuel (Read my review.)
[ ] Interviewology: The New Science of Interviewing – Are you a Charmer, Challenger, Examiner, or Harmonizer? by Anna Papalia (Read my review.)
[ ] Rethinking Competitive Advantage: New Rules for the Digital Age, by Ram Charan with Geri Willigan (Read my review.)
To order from Amazon, click on the title for The Neurodiversity Edge: The Essential Guide to Embracing Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Neurological Differences for Any Organization, by Maureen Dunne. Listen on Libro (April 16, 2024: available for pre-order). For more reviews, visit John Pearson’s Buckets Blog and subscribe to Your Weekly Staff Meeting. And thanks to the publisher for sending me a review copy.
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