Leadership is more than just guiding a team—it’s about fostering an environment where different perspectives thrive. For neurodiverse leaders, including those with ADHD, dyslexia, or autism, surrounding themselves with a variety of thinkers isn’t just beneficial—it’s essential.
While recently reading Revenge of the Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell (I highly recommend it!). In it, he discusses a study where researchers followed a group of individuals who carefully curated their environment to include only a specific type of student.
Initially, the results were impressive—high achievers performing at an exceptional level. But over time, cracks began to form. The lack of diverse perspectives stifled personal problem-solving, leading to an eventual extreme breakdown in some student’s lives.
This highlights a key lesson for neurodiverse leaders: while it may feel comfortable to work with people who think like you, it’s actually the variety of thought that strengthens leadership and innovation.
The Danger of Homogeneous Thinking
I’ve seen this happen in workplaces, especially among neurodiverse leaders who naturally gravitate toward those who process information similarly.
Whether you have ADHD and thrive in high-energy brainstorming sessions or are autistic and prefer structured, deep-thinking analysis, it’s easy to seek out colleagues who match your cognitive style.
But here’s the challenge—when everyone on a team shares the same thinking patterns, blind spots emerge. Without varied perspectives, problem-solving becomes one-dimensional, the organization risks stagnation.
A Real-Life Example: The CEO Who Changed Her Approach
I once worked with a brilliant CEO of a multi-million-dollar company who was looking to fill a recently vacated managerial position. Since this role reported directly to her, she was deeply invested in finding the right person.
When she showed me the job description, I could immediately tell what kind of personality would thrive in the role. But when I asked her to describe her ideal candidate, she unknowingly described herself.
This CEO was a unique thinker—one in ten million. Her neurodiverse traits closely aligned with autism, and her communication style was direct, often bordering on aggressive. She admitted that previous managers in this role had struggled, primarily due to poor communication skills. Yet, she was looking for someone who thought just like her, even though she wouldn’t personally thrive in the position herself.
When I suggested a different type of candidate—someone who excelled in communication and could balance her direct style—her initial response was, “But they’ll lie because they’ll find me mean.” This was a crucial moment.
I pointed out that not only was she cycling through managers too quickly, but she was also struggling to retain top talent on the team. Her desire to surround herself with people who thought exactly like her was limiting her success.
Since she was committed to growth, we set a new challenge: she would allow her HR team to introduce her to three strong candidates.
During the interviews, she explicitly shared her communication style and asked if they could handle direct feedback without taking it personally. One candidate responded, “I can give as good as I get. I come from a big family—nothing’s personal, and everyone has an opinion. I just don’t talk that way with most people. It would be kind of fun to have a little of that in my job.”
She hired that person, and everything changed. The team became stable, highly productive, and even expanded. More importantly, the CEO evolved her leadership style to include less direct communication when necessary and more positive reinforcement.
Embracing Discomfort for Growth
If you’re a neurodiverse leader, I encourage you to intentionally include people in your team who challenge you—those who approach problems differently and even make you a little uncomfortable.
These individuals will help balance out your strengths and weaknesses, ultimately leading to more well-rounded decision-making.
What about variety on your team works:
✅ Improve problem-solving through multiple perspectives
✅ Reduce blind spots in decision-making
✅ Enhance creativity and innovation
Final Thoughts
As a leader with ADHD, dyslexia, or autism, embracing different thinkers may feel unnatural at first, but in the long run, it’s the very thing that will elevate your leadership and create a more dynamic, resilient team.
I’m JoyGenea, an international neurodiversity coach, helping different thinkers understand themselves better so they can become incredible leaders.
Let’s build teams that thrive on differences!