Why most neurodiversity initiatives fail (and what to do about it)
- Meghann Birks
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Most neurodiversity initiatives fail for one reason: they're designed to help neurodivergent people fit in better.
Stop trying to fix people. Start fixing systems.
Accommodation mindset (which is what most cultures use) says: "We have a standard way of working. If you can't do it that way, we'll make exceptions."
The message neurodivergent employees hear: "You're the problem. We'll help you fit in better."
This creates:
Shame (needing to be "accommodated")
Isolation (being treated as the exception)
Exhaustion (still compensating, just with permission)
Eventually, departure (seeking environments where they're not "the problem")
Optimisation mindset says: "How do we design systems that work for different brains from the start?"
Accommodation: "If you need it, you can work from home."
Optimisation: "We design for async-first collaboration. Everyone benefits from flexibility."
Accommodation: "We'll give you extra time."
Optimisation: "We build realistic timelines with buffers for the whole team."
Accommodation: "You can skip meetings if they're overwhelming."
Optimisation: "We provide multiple ways to engage with information and decision-making."
Why optimisation works better:
It removes stigma: when flexibility is built into systems, nobody is "the problem" needing special treatment.
It benefits everyone: realistic timelines, clear communication, flexible approaches- these improve performance across the board.
It attracts talent: cognitive diversity seeks out environments designed for it.
It drives innovation: different brains generate different solutions-but only when they're resourced enough to contribute fully.
But leaders need to come to the table on this shift by:
Questioning "how we've always done it": your current systems weren't designed for cognitive diversity.
Designing proactively, not reactively: build for different brains from the start rather than adding accommodations after the fact.
Training managers properly: most managers want to support neurodivergent team members but don't know how without making it weird.
Measuring what matters: track retention, performance, and innovation-not just compliance with accommodation requests.
Treating cognitive diversity as a strategic advantage: not as a risk to manage or problem to solve.
Organisations that master optimisation:
- Retain specialised talent competitors lose
- Access innovation from genuinely different thinking
- Build cultures where psychological safety drives performance
- Position themselves as employers of choice for top neurodivergent talent
Organisations that stay stuck in accommodation thinking:
- Keep losing their most innovative thinkers
- Create cultures of conformity that penalise difference
- Miss the strategic advantage of cognitive diversity
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