How leaders can better support neurodivergent team members—those with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, high sensitivity, and beyond—through a coaching-centered leadership style.
Petra brings both heart and expertise to this vital topic. Neurodiversity often hides in plain sight—and coaching leadership can make the difference between misunderstanding and unleashing exceptional potential.
Read on for a translated excerpt of her article: “Empowering Neurodiverse Talent Through Coaching Leadership.”
Empowering Neurodiverse Talent Through Coaching Leadership
Article by Petra Russell from managerSeminare 328, July 2025
Good leadership seeks to develop individuals. What is helpful for many—a coaching-based leadership approach—is indispensable for a certain group of employees: People who are neurodivergent, i.e., those who cognitively function differently than the average, benefit even more from coaching methods in leadership than others. However, they also pose particular challenges for the coaching manager.
Imagine this scenario: The relationship between a team leader and his team is strained. The employees are dissatisfied with their boss’s leadership style; they perceive it as harsh and patronizing. This has a negative impact on communication within the team, employee motivation, and even work performance.
Change of scene: A department head at a tech company is considered extremely creative, repeatedly attracting attention with her brilliant ideas. However, her unpredictability and unreliability also put those around her to the test. She regularly arrives late to meetings, forgets tasks, or gets lost in details.
At first glance, behaviors like those exhibited by the team leader and the department head appear to be merely annoying misconduct that should be quickly addressed – and, in the view of many managers and colleagues, can be addressed by those affected if they are understanding.
In fact, however, behind irritating behaviors like those described often lies a phenomenon that has only recently come into increasing focus in the workplace: neurodiversity or neurodivergence. This refers to the fact that we all differ to a greater or lesser extent in how we perceive stimuli, process information, and make decisions – because our brains work differently.
The term “neurotypical” suggests a supposed norm against which everything else must be measured. But who actually determines what is “normal”? What we perceive as typical is often merely an expression of what is held by the majority or more visible – not necessarily what would be more correct, healthier, or more productive.
People with neurological disabilities such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, hypersensitivity, or giftedness deviate more from the average – yet it is precisely these deviations that often harbor enormous potential.
More and more companies are striving to include neurodivergent people in the workplace. But how can managers meet individual needs without getting bogged down in special rules? A coaching approach helps empower neurodivergent team members, break down barriers, and better utilize the potential of all employees.
Neurodiversity is a sophisticated diversity that is often not immediately apparent.
People with autism, for example, often have a special talent for pattern recognition, spatial logic, analytical depth, and systemic clarity. They can also demonstrate exceptional perseverance in specialized topics that interest them.
People with ADHD are often very creative problem solvers and possess strong physical-kinesthetic or social intelligence. In both groups, a high level of ethical sensitivity can also be observed (for different reasons), which can have a positive impact on cooperation and the culture of responsibility within the company: On the autism spectrum, this sensitivity often manifests as a pronounced need for honesty, integrity, and consistency. Lying or social “games” are perceived as unpleasant or illogical.
People with ADHD, on the other hand, often exhibit high levels of social empathy; they quickly perceive the emotional states of others and are often committed to social justice or fair treatment within the team.
To read the full article in its original language click here.
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