Diverse team

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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 “Understanding and Managing Neurodivergent Staff” (presented by @Rick Doten). It was one of those “you don’t know what you don’t know” 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


Neurodiversity concept

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

Neurodivergent individuals aren’t limited to these skill sets. Their abilities will vary based on their interests and strengths. As part of their personal development, find out what’s 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


Neurodiversity concept

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 – Meticulous, precision, accuracy, thoroughness
  • Analytical Thinking – Analytical skills, problem-solving, data analysis
  • Pattern Recognition – Identify trends, discern details detecting subtle patterns
  • Persistence – Persistence, resilience, dedication
  • Creativity – Creative problem solvers, innovators
  • Honesty and Integrity – 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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Most people think of how diversity affects and benefits the team. Embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in a team is critical when fostering an inclusive and effective work environment. When we build diverse teams that value and leverage different perspectives, we drive better outcomes. The more homogenous the team is, the more “group think” you’ll potentially have—because the group has a similar thinking style. If you don’t have enough diversity, you’re more likely to be missing valuable perspectives. But when you have a diverse team, there will be perspectives that you may never have considered.

Not only does diversity (or lack thereof) affect the team, but that influence can be much further reaching and affect customer-facing products and services. How? By introducing biases (such as implicit/unconscious and conscious). If you have an unconscious bias, you’re more likely to make assumptions and assume that those assumptions are true when they’re not true. That bias can lead to marketing campaigns based on perceived customer preferences but reinforce existing biases and limit opportunities for your customers.

There are several biases that can influence how customer-facing products and services are designed, developed, marketed, and delivered, potentially resulting in unintended or unfair outcomes.

Types Of Biases


Cultural bias can lead to misunderstandings, miscommunications, or the exclusion of certain cultural groups. For example, if you’re meeting prospects, did you know that prolonged eye contact is a sign of disrespect in some cultures while people who don’t look into someone’s eyes are seen as being evasive in other cultures?

Language bias arises from differences in language, accents, or dialects. Language bias can impact communication, customer service, or product accessibility, leading to different treatment or exclusion of customers who don’t speak the primary language. For example, people who speak English have accents or pronounce certain words differently (especially regionally). How well does your voice response unit (VRU) interpret what is being said by your customers? If not very well, the customer could get frustrated if the VRU constantly misinterprets what they’re saying.

If you’re using technology to create or improve a business solution, make sure you understand the customers’ needs/wants including the associated data. Otherwise, you may inadvertently introduce data-related bias. There is a saying that data is not agnostic, so you need to know where the data comes from and what the limitations are. You’ve probably noticed that grocery stores (within the same grocery store chain) stock slightly different SKUs in different neighborhoods. If you don’t understand the targeted customers for each grocery store and properly analyze the data, you may have limited products leading to poor customer experiences.

Recognizing And Reducing Bias


Be conscious of your unconscious bias. When you’re aware of your unconscious biases and why you have them, it’s easier to notice when you’re acting on them.

So how do you recognize if there is bias? Start by examining the decision-making process for potential biases. Are there patterns of favoritism, or are certain groups consistently being overlooked? Are there patterns of differential treatment based on characteristics such as race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, or neurodiversity? Question the assumptions and consider alternative perspectives. Each person has a perspective based on specific knowledge which is shaped by our personality, background, and even our childhood. All of these things give us a unique and valuable perspective and make each of us different. Maximize different perspectives by having a diverse team.

Foster diversity, equity, and inclusion on your team and use it to their advantage. When you have a diverse team, there will be a much wider variety of perspectives. In addition, educate the team about different types of biases and raise awareness about unconscious bias and its potential impact on decision-making. When the collective team has a better understanding of what the various types of biases are, they have a better chance of recognizing and mitigating them when designing, developing, marketing, and delivering notable customer-facing products and services together.

For more information on the importance of a diverse team for notable customer-facing products and services, follow me on LinkedIn!

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Leveraging Your Team’s Differences To Bring Out The Best



You’re meeting with your team about solving a problem and want to make sure the problem doesn’t happen again. One person suggests a solution, but there isn’t a lot of conversation. You may have come up with a solution, but it may only fix a symptom or be a workaround. There should have been more conversation to make sure the team came up with the best solution.


The conversation must be constructive and respectful, specifically since some ideas will be more feasible than others. In order to have a meaningful conversation: 1) team members need to feel safe to express their opinion to the group; and 2) the team should consist of individuals who are well-versed in their area of expertise. I think there is also a third item: to have diverse individuals.

And when I say diverse, gender and race are just the first steps. I also mean national origin, sexual orientation, and all of the other characteristics that make each of us different. Each individual has specific knowledge and work experience, and it’s shaped by things such as our personality, background, and even our childhood. All of these things give us a unique and valuable perspective.

Even a mundane question like "How to eat the best bowl of cereal?" has more than one answer. Most people pour a bowlful of cereal then add milk. Some will pour the milk first and then add the cereal. And others will pour a bowlful with two different kinds of cereal or prefer to use almond milk. You may not have considered some of these ideas, but individuals can rationalize why their way is best. So, you should challenge your assumptions and thought process by listening to (and trying) various ideas before making a final decision.


It’s similar when trying to come up with the best solution for a problem or strategy/plan. The more homogenous the team is, the more “groupthink” you’ll potentially have—because the group has a similar thinking style. But when you have a diverse team, you’re likely to have more of an innovative brainstorming session. When you have a diverse team, there will be perspectives that you may not have considered such as:

  1. Specific areas of the state have inadequate internet bandwidth compared to other areas which would limit trying to run certain programs
  2. You’re expanding and want to market your product/service to a new target audience (who is currently underrepresented)
  3. Screen design that doesn’t accommodate individuals who are red-green colorblind or have other special needs
  4. Terminology or graphics in a custom user manual that could be offensive or misinterpreted
  5. You’re making a presentation to an overseas client, but are there potential cultural differences you should be aware of?

How embarrassing would it be if a customer pointed out a major flaw? Especially if it could have been avoided if there wasn’t “groupthink”? Initially, some team members may feel out of their comfort zone, but with each success, they’ll get into a groove. The team learns to appreciate the diverse ideas and perspectives being contributed and celebrates the uniqueness that each team member brings. They’ll ultimately have more innovative and productive discussions and develop well-thought-out solutions. The team will realize that diversity makes them stronger, and to hold the door open for the next individual.

For more information on the benefits of a diverse team, follow me on LinkedIn!

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