What is neurodiversity and how does it relate to the workplace? Michelle Kershaw is an independent and neurodiverse consultant currently working with Kiwibank as their Culture Lead. Michelle helps workplaces be more attractive to neurodiverse people, including through a collaboration with Remarkable Minds and CCS Cards that will result in a neurodiversity playbook.
Michelle discovered her own neurodiversity when she failed a psychometric test for a job and researched dyslexia. That’s when she realised that, despite being able to read and write well, dyslexia explained a lot of her life experiences. She has a combination of dyslexia and ADHD, and her experience of them is different every day.
Dyslexia affects Michelle in timed and pressure tests, in her sensitivity to sound and light and in her experience of the office. She has also found neurodiversity to have some surprising benefits in her career.
Michelle explains neurodiversity using the analogy of a tree with different branches – one concept with a variety of expressions.
This conversation will interest you if you or someone you work with is dyslexic or neurodiverse and you’re looking to better understand their experience in the workplace.
– Nina
“Give people choices. Don’t try and stick a round peg in a square hole.” Michelle Kershaw
Key moments
0:32 – Outlining Michelle’s key experience in leadership and co-creating a neurodiversity playbook for the workplace
4:02 – How Michelle became interested in neurodiversity
10:41 – The benefits of hiring neurodivergent people
14:54 – What challenges some neurodivergent people may face in offices are
19:42 – Michelle’s personal sources of inspiration from people who identify as neurodiverse
Connect with Michelle
Resources mentioned in the show
Richard Branson discusses his dyslexia
World Economic Forum skills for the future
This is Dyslexia book by Kate Griggs
The Gift of Dyslexia book by Ronald D Davis
The Workplace Makers podcast explores workplace making – building modern workplaces that people are drawn to, wherever they work from
Workplace Makers – the podcast about people building workplaces that attract a crowd
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