Dear Reader,
This week I have been reflecting on the role of line managers. And the role they play in building teams where we all can thrive - neurodivergent or not. And I think it is important that we address the fact that in order to do this we do not need line manager to become experts in Neurodiversity, but by developing confidence in having constructive conversations, setting clear expectations, and knowing where to go for help. PegSquared's work with organisations consistently shows that manager quality is the significant factor in whether a neurodivergent employee thrives or struggles at work.
This isn't about turning line managers into specialists. It's about equipping them with practical frameworks and clear language so they move from "I don't know how to handle this" to "I know exactly what to do next." When managers have this confidence, disclosure conversations become productive rather than awkward, reasonable adjustments happen quickly rather than stalling in uncertainty, and talented people stay instead of leaving for organisations where they feel better understood.
|
The Context Behind the Fear
Many managers occupy their roles by accident. They were excellent individual contributors who got promoted, often without any training in how to have difficult conversations, support different working styles, or navigate situations they haven't personally experienced. Add neurodiversity to the mix, and many freeze entirely.
Line managers often feel expected to be experts in something they know little about. They're afraid of saying the wrong thing, making assumptions based on stereotypes, or being seen as unfair if they treat someone differently. So they may default to saying nothing. They may avoid the conversation. They may wait for HR to tell them what to do. And while they wait, talented people struggle without support.
The irony is that most managers already have the core skills they need. They know how to set expectations, give feedback, and problem-solve with their teams. What they lack is permission to apply those same skills to neurodiversity conversations, and the specific language to do it confidently.
What This Looks Like from the Other Side
From a neurodivergent perspective, an uncertain manager feels worse than an imperfect one.
When your manager visibly tenses at the word "ADHD," when they go silent after you mention needing something different, when every conversation about adjustments gets deferred to HR with no follow-up, you learn quickly that your brain is a problem to be managed rather than a difference to be understood. You stop asking. You start masking harder. You burn energy performing in a way you think you are expected to, instead of doing your actual job.
The managers who make the biggest difference aren't the ones who know everything about autism or dyslexia. They're the ones who say, "I don't know much about this, but tell me what works for you and let's figure it out together." That single sentence changes everything. It signals that you're a person to be understood, not a category to be handled.
One Change: Ask "What Do You Need?"
The most effective managers in research on neurodivergent workplace experiences share one consistent behaviour: they ask rather than assume.
Not "I've read that people with ADHD need X, so I'll implement that." Not "You have autism, so you must prefer written communication." But genuinely asking: "What do you need from me to do your best work?"
This simple question does three things simultaneously.
- It treats the person as the expert on their own experience.
- It opens a conversation rather than closing one with assumptions.
- And it normalises discussing different working needs in a way that benefits everyone on the team.
If you're a manager reading this, try it in your next one-to-one. Not specifically about neurodiversity, but about working preferences in general. "What's one thing I could do differently that would help you work better?" You'll be surprised how much people have been waiting to be asked.
It is also important to caveat this question if you are working alongside someone who is newly diagnosed. Often unpicking what is useful and what is not, is a process. If the individual doesn't have the answer yet, it is absolutely acceptable to suggest an approach you agree together, accepting that it might well change.
How Organisations Can Support
Individual manager effort only goes so far. Organisations create the conditions that either enable manager confidence or undermine it. Four actions make the difference:
- Invest in neurodiversity-aware leadership training. Awareness alone changes nothing. Managers need practical guidance on creating environments where disclosure doesn't carry professional risk, where authenticity is valued over conformity, and where they have permission to treat different people differently. PegSquared's approach to this training focuses on what leaders can do differently tomorrow, not abstract understanding of conditions.
- Equip managers with accessible resources. Ensure they have ready access to toolkits, clear policies, and expert consultation when they need it. They need to understand what actually happens when someone discloses, what reasonable adjustments look like in practice, and where to seek advice without feeling judged for not knowing. Without clear processes, well-meaning managers default to inaction out of fear.
- Encourage understanding whilst respecting individuality. Help managers recognise that everyone is individual. Two people with ADHD will need entirely different things. The label tells you almost nothing about what will actually help. The most effective approach is always to ask.
- Build capability to leverage cognitive diversity. When managers facilitate conversations about strengths, challenges and preferences across their whole team, they normalise discussing different working needs. This shifts the conversation from "accommodating neurodivergent employees" to "enabling everyone to do their best work." A principle that benefits all whilst being essential for some.
PegSquared has a range of training sessions from leadership to line managers. To find out more download our training brochure.
|
|
|
And finally, a question for you?
What would give you more confidence as a manager supporting neurodivergent team members? Or if you're neurodivergent, what's one thing you wish your manager understood?
Hit reply and let me know. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
See you next week.
Tania
FIVE ways you can work with me:
- Neuro-inclusive Recruitment Audit: Understand what practical steps you can take to ensure your recruitment process is inclusive for all.
- Training: From line managers to leaders, global HR teams to recruitment, awareness sessions to champion training.
- Consultancy: Policy writing, process redesign, reviewing neurodiversity materials, data, ERG launches - anything neurodiversity at work related!
- Coaching: One-to-one coaching to help support an individual navigate the world of work as someone who is neurodivergent
- Speaking: From a fireside chat to a keynote, podcast guest to panellist
Reply to this email to find out more!
|
