Women in Leadership Presents: What My Neurodiverse Family Taught Me About Leadership
By Traci Posse
2/14/2022
This month’s Women in Leadership (WIL) session invites you to engage with TTEC team member Sarah F. as she shares her journey of leadership through the beauty of her neurodiverse family.
I am honored to be introducing Sarah and the topic of neurodiversity, as I also have a neurodiverse family. When I joined TTEC, I was excited to see the company’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. As I embarked on the journey of what inclusion meant for me and my family, it was important for me to be part of an organization that truly fosters awareness and acceptance.
Recognizing and acknowledging each other’s differences helps create a work environment where people want and can do their best. Each one of us should be supported in our differences. Differences in how we process information, differences in what motivates us to execute, and differences in how we learn and communicate, are all part of the broader diversity discussion. When we understand each other’s differences, we are better able to thoughtfully respond, grow, and lead.
As we get set for our journey into the world of neurodiversity, I share a change I had to make to acknowledge and embrace differences my son experienced, and how I was quickly able to apply what I learned into my roles at work.
Take pause – When my son would attempt to communicate with me prior to having any language, he would get frustrated because he could not tell me his needs and I would be frustrated because I could not respond to his needs.
So, we practiced taking pause.
I would take time to listen, watch his visual cues, and I would ask questions with limited words. This allowed me to offer options. Both visual and verbal. Over time, our communication improved, and he felt supported.
People want to understand, comprehend, and respond. Today, I take pause and ask myself, am I giving them the opportunity to do so? What am I not listening for? Can I pick up on verbal and visual cues? Can I respond and not react?
TTEC team members, join us to learn more about the beauty of neurodiversity and Sarah’s tremendous story, knowledge, and what you can do to support others at our WIL Session on February 16, 12 PM MST. Head to the Women in Leadership Mosaic space to register.