Let’s talk about canaries – no, not the bird you reluctantly fed as a kid, but the metaphor. In old mining days, canaries were like the early-warning systems of the workforce, alerting miners to toxic gases long before anyone else noticed. Well, guess what? Neurodivergent employees can act as today’s workplace canaries, picking up on inefficiencies, project derailments, or general office absurdity before anyone else has even realized there’s a problem.
The book “The Canary Code: A Guide to Neurodiversity, Dignity, and Intersectional Belonging at Work” by Ludmila N. Praslova helps us understand the superpowers of neurodiverse individuals and why we should listen to them more often.
Neurodiversity is the New Superpower
Neurodiversity sounds fancy, but it’s really just acknowledging that some of us are wired differently. Take ADHD for example – sure, it means your attention might be scattered like confetti at a wedding, but it also means you can juggle five tasks at once, spot details that others miss, and come up with ideas that leave everyone else saying: “Wait, why didn’t I think of that?” In Māori culture, they don’t pathologize it either. ADHD is called Aroreretini, which means “attention goes to many things” – and let’s face it, that sounds like a pretty handy skill to have within the team.
Then there’s autism, referred to as Takiwātanga, meaning “in their own time and space”. While most of us struggle to find our phones before 9 a.m., individuals with autism are often in a mental zone that makes them brilliant at focus, pattern recognition, and tackling complex tasks. Meanwhile, the rest of us are still figuring out how to mute ourselves on Zoom…
Don’t Just Accommodate – Empower
Praslova encourages us not to merely “accommodate” neurodivergent employees but to empower them. In Māori culture, terms like Takiwātanga for autism emphasize strengths, not deficits. What if, instead of cramming neurodivergent employees into the same neurotypical mold, we designed projects around their unique abilities?
Maybe your neurodivergent teammate is bad with tight deadlines but excels in deep-focus tasks. Maybe they aren’t the best in chaotic brainstorming sessions but will give you the world’s best data analysis. Let them work on what they do best, and the results will speak for themselves. (Spoiler: They’ll be great.)
Building Belonging
Creating work environments that support neurodivergent employees isn’t just about offering accommodations – it’s about fostering a holistic sense of inclusion. To truly embrace diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB), workplaces need to support employees across social, cognitive, emotional, and physical-sensory dimensions – and it usually means a system-wide transformation.
Belonging plays a pivotal role here. Research shows that our brains process belonging on deep, emotional, and embodied levels – often faster than we can consciously think about it. This means that fostering belonging isn’t about superficial team-building exercises or pizza Fridays. It’s about creating an environment where everyone feels valued and safe to express their ideas, raise concerns, and ask for what they need. Psychological safety isn’t just a buzzword – it’s the bedrock of innovation. That is why, belonging isn’t optional, instead, it’s the foundation of a thriving team. And, it’s not about just fitting in – it’s about connection and the feeling like you’re part of something bigger.
It’s Time for Change
Neurodivergent employees are often the key to spotting inefficiencies and finding solutions others miss. But it’s not enough to simply allow them to be different. We need to build workplaces where their differences are celebrated, not tolerated. Next time one of these “canaries” points out something that feels small or trivial, take a moment. That might just be the insight that saves your project – or even takes it to the next level.
A curious mind with a multidisciplinary flair, I’ve journeyed from biotech labs to the world of improvement management. With a PhD in cellular biology, I’ve dedicated years to unraveling scientific mysteries, authoring publications on cellular hypoxia and anti-cancer compounds, and contributing to the discovery of new therapies. Leading a project on motivation and empowerment ignited a passion for exploring how leadership, culture, and creativity influence the way we work. Now, as a PMI volunteer, I’m on a mission to help people and organizations thrive.