Building a large and diverse network allows you to form real, mutually beneficial relationships and connections that can lead to new opportunities. In this article we’ll discuss some top tips taken from some top networkers in the tech industry.
What is neurodiversity?
From a biological perspective, neurodiverse people have a central nervous system that is differently wired. For this reason, it can be referred to as a disability and is in fact disabling to a lot of people.
However, there are a whole host of benefits that come with having a brain that works completely differently from most people.
How can we reduce the stigma?
Despite the growing awareness around the topic, neurodiversity is still heavily misunderstood and people are labeled as needy, aggressive and lazy. Many pioneering leaders such as Richard Branson are neurodiverse.
As a creative solution seeker, Sarah is also a product designer which she says suits her need for a creative outlet. She says that if neurodiverse people can identify the things they are obsessed with then they can create something great and ideal for their skills set.
It’s important to get neurodiverse people into work spaces to raise awareness at work and in schools. She says: “before diagnosis I felt like a failure all the time…when I got my diagnosis it was a turnkey…I had to either accept it or fight myself and get nowhere”.
The medical literature on neurodiversity doesn’t align with the lived experience because it’s written by neurotypical people but having conversations like these can help shift the paradigm. For lots of neurodiverse people that tend to hyperfocus, they have one or two areas of life they are obsessed with. Sarah says this can help greatly as it means you have the drive to pursue what you want without being distracted. “It’s fascinating in that respect because it really is like two ends of the spectrum, depending on your environment and how much you understand yourself and other people.”
After going through three universities she finally wanted to run a business from home and gain all the skills you get from being a CEO as well as study simultaneously.
How is the academic experience being neurodiverse?
Statistically, only 3% of people with ADHD graduate. Having gone into university three times and being socially anxious as a child, Sarah had always felt different to her peers. But the bullying she experienced at university opened her eyes to the way institutions are complicit in this problem. She felt socially isolated and rejected but her resilience is what got her through.
As a neurodivergent person in academia, your self esteem is impacted as you compare yourself to your peers who fit into the rigid structure. But the system is heavily biased towards memory. This is what led her to innovate a new immersive learning platform and started a personal training business.
Advice and conclusion:
If you are transparent about yourself and find a subset of people who are like you to help you get started. Use your compassion and enable others to be who they are. Working out the parameters that allow you to focus and use those practical strategies and approaches to utilise your skillset.