NDIM - Neurodiversity in Media

I've toyed with whether I'd be saying anything on here for ADHD Awareness Month, namely because I'm on mat leave and supposed to be "switching off". Although somewhere between the night feeds, nap traps and bouncing baby round the kitchen for half an hour to get a burp I've had some time to think! I've found myself wanting to speak less and less on my lived experiences of ADHD for a while (the blogs and articles are already written), directing more energy to supporting others. In the last 2 years I've unexpectedly found mentoring the most rewarding way to help people in our industry. By chance a few of my mentees have been neurodivergent (not even ADHD!) and in these relationships whether it was one coffee or weekly sessions over weeks/months it's felt tangible and has been a real 2 way rewarding relationship. From working through communication patterns, challenging workplace situations either with clients or maybe a colleague, or simply helping reframe or get a new perspective on some of our own behaviours. It's been great to see individuals have lightbulb moments, reflect after each session and come back with news and updates on how they've put some of that into practise and what it's netted for them. Half the time the issues we've worked through weren't the initial thing they wanted to discuss but something we've uncovered, sometimes made more complex with handling a situation related to neurodiversity when the individual has chosen not to disclose to their work/manager/client etc. In that situation, having a mentor that you can be totally honest with and let your guard down with has been a point of difference to let down the mask. I'd encourage anyone who may be holding something in, consider reaching out to someone you trust, ND or not but for the sake of this post if you're navigating neurodivergence having someone who understands what that means goes a long way. And if mentoring feels right for you, explore it. Senior leaders being available and visible as neurodiverse helps us to continue to challenge stigma and help others feel more comfortable having these needed conversations. Picture of my new little one and I on a lovely autumn walk, because algorithm 😁 #adhdawarenessmonth NDIM - Neurodiversity in Media

It was a sunny day in early summer when I headed to Spotify Studios in London to record a podcast. It also happened to be the day of the UK local government elections, so the political podcasting world was particularly busy.As I arrived, Rory Stewart of The Rest Is Politics hurried past me on his way to another studio. I was there for a rather different conversation. Danny Weitzkorn, host of Behind The Title, had invited me to talk about my career. But the conversation went well beyond the usual discussion about jobs, companies and titles. We talked about building businesses and teams at places including the big tech companies I have worked at.But also about entrepreneurship, mentoring, losing confidence, experiencing poor leadership, and some of the things that don’t normally appear on a CV. And we talked quite a lot about dyslexia. For many years, I mostly thought of dyslexia as something I had to work around. It’s only later in my career that I’ve started to understand how much it has also influenced the way I think, solve problems and see connections. That doesn’t make it universally positive. There are still plenty of things I find difficult (never ask me to read a map for example) But it has become part of how I understand myself, rather than simply something I try to compensate for. Looking back, I’ve been fortunate to have a career with some extraordinary opportunities, but like most careers there have also been difficult moments, mistakes and periods of uncertainty. Danny gave me the space to talk about quite a lot of that.Thanks, Danny Weitzkorn, for the conversation. If you’re interested, you can listen here - link in the comments : Behind The Title — Why Dyslexic Thinking Creates Better Leaders https://lnkd.in/ex7zd_-j

🌍 World Dyslexia Day: inclusion in the workplace and in the work For the advertising industry, neuroinclusion is not only a workplace question. It also shapes who gets to make the work, how that work is made, and how neurodivergence is represented to audiences. That question of representation has been brought into focus recently by NDIM - Neurodiversity in Media (NDIM). In a personal reflection following Channel 4’s The Great ADHD Myth?, co-founder Simon Akers considers how media framing can affect understanding, acceptance and support for neurodivergent people. It is a useful reminder that inclusion depends on more than visibility. It also means creating the systems, environments and processes that allow neurodivergent people to contribute and thrive, something NDIM has consistently championed through its work. CAN’s Inclusion Guide brings that thinking into advertising practice, with guidance for building inclusion into teams, briefs, creative, production and media decisions, alongside specialist resources and organisations including NDIM. This World Dyslexia Day, here are three places to continue this conversation:   🔎 Learn more about it via British Dyslexia Association: https://lnkd.in/e5QsMEzb 💭 Read Simon Akers’ reflection via NDIM: https://lnkd.in/e3_-3S_V 📚 Explore CAN’s Inclusion Guide: https://lnkd.in/ei7-i2gg #WorldDyslexiaDay #TogetherWeCAN #RepresentationMatters

I have to say, and I know I am not overly unique in saying this, but Ghosting and ignorance in all forms has become a cultural abomination! It's almost laughable. As a self-employed person, it hits even harder as you put a lot of yourself into prospecting/building bespoke proposals (that's why btw between the work cracks we are still often working), going to events, sending connects, trying to build relationships, and for that informed passion to be stonewalled. Even from those you would not always expect. Exhausting. Add in the ADHD/ND brain, it is rough. We have to spend so much of our time trying to be accepted, judged and buyable. RSD (Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria) is a real thing. The visceral response to bad news or rejection, especially those with ADHD or Autism, feels like having a rock on your chest that somebody is sat on. This can be physiological pain. It is a real thing, anyone who says it isn't has obviously not had it. But the real challenge is the gaps to fill. The catastrophe. The 'What did I do wrong?' 'Do they hate me?' 'How did I offend them?' The turbine jet engine overheats so much! Ironically those who have this double-edged sword are often the ones who care so much about doing such great work! The other irony that I see; multiple people on here talk about how kind they are and supporting people's mental health, and wow based on response to suicide awareness week you'd think we're all samaritans, but it is the little things not the grand gestures are that matters. Simple little actions are kind. Communication is often kinder than no communication, even if the news isn't what they want to hear. We're on amber alert in this climate anyway, with ND added in its burning red. To be clear, this is not a 'woe-is-me' moan, I'm relatively busy, nor is this a blot on my own book of amazing experience, ability and level of work. 7.5 years consulting is not for the faint-hearted and the resilience you get from battle is pretty wild tbh. But that does not take away the pain of these things, I'm ADHD and absolutely get RSD, and when you work for self and you are doing some great work, it dumbfounds to feel totally invisible when you are not getting much back, if only they knew! I also get it that people are busy and overwhelmed, and nobody owes anyone anything, but when time's been taken, both sides well know, and it is simply bad manners. The combo of the ruthless changes in market, the neurodivergence and the increasing cultural acceptance of ghosting makes for a cocktail that I don't like the taste of tbh. This is for the neurodivergent and RSD who went self employed to build a world that would work for them, only to find the world they must interface with creates a whole new challenge. Please, taking 3 seconds to reply could well save 3 weeks of pain!

More of this! Cc Pinterest

And you wonder why people don’t like to talk about Neurodivergence!! Not often I’d share something I saw in a newsfeed cesspit, but I cannot believe the state of this! You only have to dig deeper into this national treasure to see the quality of critical thinker we have here too - I won’t share his pinned post as it’s ridiculously offensive - but with a bit of research I’m sure you’ll get the drift quickly. Sadly though (and worse) there’s way too many likers and positive supporters, as often is the case, populist extreme BS voices get listened to and the social proofing gathers pace. But alarmingly I’ve heard those in senior positions in business think in similar channels. For us - let alone adjustments and action - the bar remains still quite low on conversations and acceptance. There will always be detractors. But every day conversations, sharing experiences, and normalcy will be the win, and each person who evolves their perspective is a win too. Things like NDIM - Neurodiversity in Media and the 4S’ are a great place to start for workplace change, and so many more awesome initiative. But before that, just accept these things are real, and speaking as someone with late clinically diagnosed ADHD - it is very much so! Even if you don’t understand something or think something is ‘prevalent’ it does not change reality for so many. So let’s keep talking! Also H/T to the top comment, which often brings me joy, who articulates things so well!

Considering where we are / where things are headed, I'm trying harder to ensure I break my own patterns and maintain autopilot of better habits, especially as we are slowly getting reduced to prompt-engineering-are-you-on-muting-fully-aligning amoebas if the platforms have their way. This is not just an AI thing, but as a business-conducting society we have slipped since Lockdown. All things point to being on your laptop. These are all so obvious and not exactly ground breaking, but I've honestly been forgetting and not doing a lot of this... 1. If its a vid call/catchup with no need for visuals, turn it into a phonecall, then get out, ideally walk, drive (if hands-free of course), or if you can't do either just sit outside. It's good to be away from things, you feel more creative, and you aren't staring at screen, maybe getting distracted. I've been doing this more now as I started getting annoyed thinking the auto creation of Google Meets links shouldn't dictate my movement. 2. If you can't leave - move around a bit and defy the laptop posture. It's good to do so, those eyes need a break from the screen. 3. Use AI to help you do the things to save time, e.g. set up for note taking or reading documents, don't defy the purpose by ironically sitting there taking forever to play, learning aside. 4. But if you are using AI for research or generative purposes, question everything. This is my big worry... we must NOT lose the ability to critically think. LLMs are built to share the consensus, often which is human derived. But I worry about atrophy. There are times I have asked an engine to look at something when I could easily just have done myself. Sometimes it is smart to do, other times just lazy. Think balance, think long term value too! 5. Eat fruit, bananas are good for energy if flagging. 6. Have water on your desk. A bottle maybe. Especially when thinking/working deep - I genunely let myself become a camel if not careful. 7. Meet humans. Especially if self employed or an employed remote worker. Human actual talk is where the good feelings come from (in the main) and you can never get that from a sanitised 'nothing to add from me' video call. 8. If you can't meet, check in. See how people are going. The physical isolation of the early 2020s is now surpassed by potential psychological isolation and anxieties, let's be kinder to each other. 9. And on that note, if you are going to be on your laptop, aimlessly scrolling here (glad you did as you saw this), be nice but constructive to those who get something wrong or have a different opinion. Challenge but don't be a dick. (10) (Also personal one) Stop saying 'Vibe Coding', I know it is exciting but it sounds you-know-what. This comes from an individual with ADHD, and what is working for me. But I know a lot of this is universal. I am just saying - we need to go against the prevalent grain of tech giants taking over our minds and bodies and fight it where possible. See you outside!

Although our Cannes presence was neither intended nor logistically possible, we have been keeping tabs on goings on! Cannes is a paradox : a great place to share ideas and network, but can be - by its attendance and design - far less inclusive, and that is without adding the ND layer, and thinking about the priorities of attendees, many of which find it challenging. A bigger conversation for another time for sure! However we are pleased to see some real insights being shared amongst all the noise of the real experiences and considerations for neurodivergent talent. The use of AI, the hidden (including tech) biases, hiring efficiencies and general inclusion of thoughts all continue to rear their head as challenges. Good for one good for all is a key message, we know from our overarching 4S message what is good for all the bees is good for the hive! Hopefully now - as with all of these things - the panels and excellent, real insights translate into action! Thanks again Abby de Souza for doing the good work for flagging and corralling these conversations. https://lnkd.in/e-ab_qEj

SPOTLIGHT : The Invisible Workforce: Why Media is Losing its Most Creative Minds Abby de Souza, marketer in Ad:Tech and diagnosed AuDHD, has started an awesome initiative : Visible Minds, sourcing anonymous experiences to shine a light on the workplace realities for ND talent...