I just spoke with a supervisee about workplace etiquette and what it’s been like navigating professionalism and workplace expectations within the field of clinical psychology. One interesting example she gave me when describing her experience sparked the idea for this blog post: “When my co-lead (and supervisor) at a presentation gave me explicit times and instructions for what to comment on while we were presenting, I felt that I was able to relax in between speaking periods and focus on my role each time I spoke.”
Her story helped me wonder: what is it like for neurodivergent workers who are told to “take the initiative” at various points of their career? What does taking the initiative even mean within one’s unique workspace and in the broader culture of where one works? Is the “initiative” even fully described as an actionable step, or is it something implied?
Neurodivergent Needs for Certainty
Neurodivergent employees can become really bothered by unclear or assumed expectations. Common examples are what to wear to work, when to speak up in a group space, and what cadence and quantity of verbal and/or written communication is appropriate in their role. They receive constant feedback about their choices; feedback that may disregard their underlying needs or which can feel punitive or infantilizing at times even. These employees are often already using large amounts of cognitive and emotional reasoning to try and deduce how to act, present themselves, and conduct their work. This is what we call masking – a survival strategy, aimed at reducing perceived judgment and trying to fit within the larger work culture. It’s not shocking that belongingness and acceptability for some of these employees are needs they must consistently attend to while also juggling their work responsibilities.
To make independent choices and feel confident in our decisions, we must have a sense of safety in the perceived consequences of our decisions. Neurodivergent workers, management, and leaders alike face the dilemma of understanding when they should take some form of initiative and assert themselves, communicate their needs and ideas, and attempt to improve their working conditions and outcomes. These would be considered healthy risks in a neuroinclusive workplace.
Defining the expectations
So, taking the initiative really depends on the context. It could mean speaking up at a meeting or owning up to a mistake and reporting it as soon as possible. It might mean trying to direct one’s team in a more proactive way, rather than reacting to challenges when they occur. These sorts of expectations to improve one’s self and/or the system they operate should be explicitly stated and guided by leadership and management. Procedures and expectations must thus be openly defined for neurodivergent workers to ensure they understand and can operate effectively within the system they’re navigating. We can’t rely on subtext and assumed norms when creating a neuroinclusive environment. Leaders and management should attempt to collaboratively instruct and co-create a plan of action when it comes to expectations and growth pathways for each employee. Here are some brief ideas to get you started if you haven’t utilized this kind of system thus far at your business:
- Always clearly define in written format, that is digestible and understandable, what daily and weekly tasks should be completed.
- Create a list of expectations for how an employee must conduct themselves at a business meeting, before the meeting happens. Define what must be said verbally and if speaking is mandatory for each individual attending. Consider voluntary attendance depending on each employee’s needs for space and time usage.
- Watch for favoritism based on verbal communication. This is deeply rooted in ableist expectations that all staff must be using spoken words to captivate others or demonstrate capability.
- Check in regularly on neurodivergent workers’ needs for communication, energy management, productivity, and social engagement. Ask about accommodations when feasible and understand what kinds of supports you can offer at work.