Creative thinking Archives

I attended a cybersecurity conference and there were sessions about zero trust, securing generative AI, and emerging threats. And then there was a very atypical keynote session called âUnderstanding and Managing Neurodivergent Staffâ (presented by @Rick Doten). It was one of those âyou donât know what you donât knowâ presentations.

I learned that there is a wide spectrum of neurodiversity, and ADHD, autism, and dyslexia are a few of the conditions. Generally speaking, neurodivergent individuals interpret, experience, and socialize with the world differently. They typically approach problem-solving and critical thinking in innovative ways producing creative insights and solutions. You may know neurodivergent individuals and not realize that they are neurodiverse. Or individuals may be undiagnosed and not realize that they are neurodiverse.

Neurodivergent Skill Sets

If everyone thinks differently anyway, how do you know if someone may be neurodivergent? Some examples of the skill set neurodivergent individuals may have are:

High level of attention to detail â noticing errors and inconsistencies that others might overlook;
Strong analytical and problem solving â being able to problem solve quickly with creative solutions without any previous knowledge or experience (aka fluid reasoning);
Strong pattern recognition â tasks involving pattern analysis and drawing inferences;
Determination and persistence in overcoming challenges;
Hyperfocus on specific tasks â completing tasks with resolute attention;
Creative thinking and innovation â coming up with fresh perspectives and out-of-the-box solutions; and
Honesty and ethical behavior.

Neurodivergent individuals arenât limited to these skill sets. Their abilities will vary based on their interests and strengths. As part of their personal development, find out whatâs important to them. You should be encouraging and having open conversations with each team member anyway.

Individuals with these skill sets are a great fit for jobs that require meticulous work or breaking down complex problems and systematically analyzing them. Depending on their interests and strengths, some roles and careers that could be a great fit are accountants, administrative assistants, graphic designers, librarians, or pharmacists.

Neurodivergent individuals have a deep passion for specialized knowledge and have a natural aptitude for technical skills such as math, programming, and scientific research. This means they may naturally gravitate towards the IT and security fields. Some roles and careers that could be a great fit are statisticians, data analysts, IT support specialists, quality assurance testers, and ethical hackers (Red Team).

Leveraging Neurodiversity Superpowers

Pause the next time you look at a job description (JD) either as a job seeker or as a hiring manager. A person may not be an obvious choice superficially but may be an excellent fit and a superstar! Some common job description skill sets that may align with the strengths of neurodivergent individuals are:

JD Skill Set & Strength Descriptors

Attention to Detail â Meticulous, precision, accuracy, thoroughness
Analytical Thinking â Analytical skills, problem-solving, data analysis
Pattern Recognition â Identify trends, discern details detecting subtle patterns
Persistence â Persistence, resilience, dedication
Creativity â Creative problem solvers, innovators
Honesty and Integrity â Confidentiality, customer service

Compare the job description with the specific skills and interests of the individuals. Hopefully, your application process allows individuals to highlight their relevant skills and experiences during the application and interview processes.

If you have the right role for the right person, neurodiversity could be an advantage. Offer reasonable accommodations to enable neurodivergent individuals to thrive. This could include flexibility in work hours/environment, a quiet/sensory-friendly workplace, communication preferences for expectations, as well as structured feedback.

For example, neurodivergent individuals may range from non-communicative to overly communicative. There are several tools and technologies (such as noise-canceling headphones, fidget toys, and task/time management apps) to facilitate communication, organization, and well-being for both personal and work life. If you demonstrate an inclusive work environment, research shows that neurodivergent employees may have lower turnover rates, which can reduce recruitment and training costs for the organization.

Having a diverse team with diverse perspectives makes the team stronger. Each person, whether neurodiverse or not, is unique and brings something different to the table. Appreciate those different perspectives and encourage and be supportive of each person.

For more information on understanding that neurodiversity is a superpower, follow me on LinkedIn!

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Quest For Top Talent And The Neurodiversity …

Uncertain economic conditions have prompted organizations to rethink their hiring process and attract top talent. In their quest to find the best candidates, most organizations have now realized that they have to look beyond academic qualifications and experience.

They are scouting for people who can not only complete their job at hand but also bring new perspectives to the table. Sharp thinkers and proactive resources are, therefore, in demand today as they can help a company grow in the right direction.

Here are some ways in which employers can benefit from hiring creative employees who think outside the box:

Creativity Brings New Solutions For Difficult Problems

In today's highly competitive landscape, companies need to stay one step ahead to win the trust and confidence of their customers. Moreover, with customers becoming more demanding, companies need to come up with creative problem solving and innovative solutions for complex challenges in the workplace.

A simple way to deal with this problem is to hire creative thinkers who can think outside the box and suggest better solutions. Over the years, creative thinkers like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates have revolutionized technology with their innovative solutions. By hiring creative people, companies across industries can find solutions to difficult problems.

Creative People Find New Opportunities

Creative employee shows her boss her idea

By thinking differently, creative employees help organizations find new opportunities to grow. As creative employees do not believe in simply doing what they are asked to do, they show more commitment and proactivity in exploring other opportunities.

In doing so, they exceed expectations and take up jobs with greater passion. For most companies today, the biggest challenge is to identify the right opportunities and leverage them for good returns. Creative employees can be a great asset to address this challenge and explore potential areas of growth in the workplace.

Creative Thinkers Ask Questions Before The Customers Do

For most managers, a big challenge is to elicit an honest response from his/her team members. Even if the team members are honest in their assessment, it is not uncommon to find people who do not spend too much time thinking and minutely evaluating everything.

With creative team members on board, managers can see a paradigm shift in how the process works and the way in which they share their thoughts. Creative people think from different perspectives and ask questions that can be quite pertinent from a customer's point of view. Answering those questions is important to satisfy customers and grow business.

Creative Employees Have A Broader Outlook And Approach

Unlike analytical thinkers who have a set way of doing things, analyzing situations, and arriving at conclusions, creative employees have a broader approach. No two creative employees will react to a situation in the same way. Therefore, their approaches will be different from one another.

Different approaches bring new solutions to problems and enable organizations to respond to challenging situations. Moreover, their creative bent of mind can open up several unobserved issues and opportunities for the organization to look into.

Creativity Ushers Enthusiasm To Learn

Creative employees work on a project together

With the business environment becoming more dynamic, there is no room for rigidity. Companies need flexible employees in the workplace who have the enthusiasm to take up new challenges and explore different opportunities. Creative employees respond well to change. They do not shudder when they have to try something different, which can be a great boost for an organization that wants to manage costs and build leaders from within its workforce.

Investing in the career growth of a creative professional is a rewarding experience for the organization today. It is, particularly, beneficial for companies that lack the drive and confidence to reach out to customers. Creative thinkers can change things for the better and take the company to newer heights.

In addition to the above five benefits, creativity is something that you can build into your personal brand to stand out to employers while on the job search, and being a creative employee will also make you invaluable as technology continues to change the workplace.

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.

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