This week marks Neurodiversity Celebration Week, a chance to recognise that we each bring something unique and valuable to the table, and this is worth celebrating. It’s also a great opportunity to reflect on how we can remove barriers to help everyone do their best here at Henry Boot.
I think it’s important for me to note that whilst some of our colleagues are vocal about their neurodiversity, others are less so, and for some a diagnosis hasn’t happened yet. And this is ok. We are all unique, on our own paths and experiencing life differently, summed up beautifully by the phrase “once you’ve met one neurodivergent person, you’ve met one neurodivergent person.”
If I can encourage you to do anything this week it would be to think about the language you use, and how you can listen better.
What is neuro-affirming language?
One practical shift we can make is to use more neuro-affirming language day-to-day. This way of communicating acknowledges differences, and can promote positive perspectives and outcomes for people with autism, ADHD and other neurodiverse conditions.
It also helps us move away from clinical, or negative labels that can unintentionally reinforce stereotypes.
For example:
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Try ‘prefers consistency’ instead of ‘rigid’
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this is a softer way of talking about someone’s preferences rather than labelling them negatively.
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Try ‘energetic’ instead of ‘hyperactive’
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hyperactive is a clinical word often used to describe a problem.
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Try ‘they have autism/they have ADHD’ instead of ‘they suffer from…’
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suffer from implies something negative or tragic, many people with neurodiversity do not see their condition as something to be cured, simply part of who they are.
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Try ‘traits’ instead of ‘symptoms’
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symptoms are associated with something being wrong, whereas we all have behavioural traits.
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Try ‘different strengths and needs’ instead of ‘high or low functioning’
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high or low oversimplifies and can be dismissive of individual strengths or challenges.
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Try ‘removing barriers’ instead of ‘making special allowances’
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this focuses away from individuals being seen as a problem, and towards creating an inclusive environment for all.
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This last one is interesting to me as there may be barriers people are facing everyday making their life and work harder. By asking people ‘what barriers are you facing’ rather than ‘what’s wrong?’ you are acknowledging a temporary problem that can be solved together without placing blame. When someone requests a change, it shouldn’t be met with resistance, but an opportunity to help someone and learn for the future. This is a great example of compassionate listening.
