I’m working with a neurodiversity coach right now. She works directly with my employer to train them in fostering neurodiverse talent, and she meets with me every week to review my big picture roadmap and anything that feels alive that week. She’s an amazing resource, and I’ve been recommending her to my other neurodiverse friends.
Part of working with her has involved writing a “user manual” for myself, where I articulate the conditions I need to be my best, most productive self. And it feels like something worth sharing more widely.
So here is the rough initial version of my User Manual.
Really at the end of the day, I've always been a natural facilitator. All my best career moments have really been me providing deep support: teaching little autistic kids how to read and write, helping science grad students do original research in computation, brainstorming a sketch comedy show, training new engineers to deploy to production, facilitating post-mortems for unexpected incidents. All the things I've been most proud of all share the same feature: I cared and I wanted to help. I'm like Wayne Gretsky: best known for the assist.
My natural state is sort of just like an energy that shows up and helps, and leaves when it's expended its capacity. Somehow when I'm handed things to do on a timeline, with expectations enumerated, I have to overcome some charge around it in order to engage with it. I both enjoy the structure and am slightly repelled by it. Maybe it's even different on different days.
But the point is that somehow, as a facilitator, I don't experience that same sense of charge, and can bring my full self to the table.
So the challenge as I see it, in working within a company's structure, is for me to have some menu options that are regenerative for me at least, which compensate for the very dynamic experience of providing deliverables. But even more than that, to identify areas where I can excel on my gifts, so much so that the shortcomings feel sort of irrelevant.
Holy (blank) I was just describing something very similar to my partner about what I hope to achieve by developing another business opportunity for myself!
I was telling him about what I LOVED about my previous business and you have explained the "role" I played (different industry same idea) and LOVED exactly and much more eloquently! I love the statements " My natural state is sort of just like an energy that shows up and helps, and leaves when it's expended it's capacity." and " I both enjoy the structure and am slightly repelled by it" This sums it up with the addition of some significant problem solving aspect and an ability to employ my creative talents. Wow...thank you for this once again. PJ you rock...cheesy statement...but true :)
Holy (blank) I was just describing something very similar to my partner about what I hope to achieve by developing another business opportunity for myself!
I was telling him about what I LOVED about my previous business and you have explained the "role" I played (different industry same idea) and LOVED exactly and much more eloquently! I love the statements " My natural state is sort of just like an energy that shows up and helps, and leaves when it's expended it's capacity." and " I both enjoy the structure and am slightly repelled by it" This sums it up with the addition of some significant problem solving aspect and an ability to employ my creative talents. Wow...thank you for this once again. PJ you rock...cheesy statement...but true :)