You may be committed to hearing from every voice in your team, yet the way meetings are designed, conversations are facilitated, and contribution is recognised can tell a different story.
In some organisations, the people who are listened to the most are those who can think aloud, respond confidently in the moment, speak up and structure their thoughts in a way that fits the expectations and norms of the dominant culture. However, what we are seeing is a preference for one communication style over another.
This was one of the strongest themes in my recent podcast conversation with Sara Bagheri, Communication and Voice Consultant, where we explored the intersection of communication, neuroinclusion and ADHD in the workplace.
Inclusion starts in everyday communication at work
Many of the practical shifts Sara shared are deeply relevant to leadership communication for everyone. Ensuring you have clear agendas, structured meetings, enough processing time for team members, multiple ways to contribute, and written follow-up can not only benefit those who are neurodiverse, but also the whole team.
They also support people operating in a second language, quieter team members, high-context communicators, more reflective thinkers, and anyone currently operating under increased pressure or cognitive overload.
In other words, neuroinclusive communication often improves the quality of communication for everyone, which matters because inclusion is not only about intention, but the conditions you create as a team for individuals to be able to contribute their ideas.
If your meetings reward speed, interruption and immediate verbal responses, you may be missing some of the most thoughtful, creative or strategically valuable voices in your team.
How to hear all your team’s voices in your meetings
Misinterpretation creates hidden friction
Sara explained how ADHD can show up in workplace communication in a variety of ways, including in meetings with long narratives, going off on tangents, interrupting other team members, direct communication that can be misinterpreted, and challenges organising thoughts.
These behaviours can be misread by others in the team. Someone who regularly interrupts could be labelled as disruptive, while someone who speaks directly may be experienced as blunt, or somebody who goes off on a tangent can look like they lack focus.
Yet what looks like a ‘challenging’ communication approach could actually be a different processing style. This is where there is a clear overlap with Cultural Intelligence, where in global and diverse teams, directness, expressiveness, hierarchy and participation vary widely. Neuroinclusion asks leaders to bring the same curiosity to how people process, organise their ideas and contribute.
Before making assumptions, a great question you can ask is- what else could be happening here for this individual?
Psychological safety is built before disclosure
One important point Sara made was that disclosure rates about being neurodiverse or ADHD are still low in teams. Some people may not feel safe sharing a diagnosis, or they may not even be aware. Others may worry about being judged by the label, being seen as ‘difficult’, or how this could limit their career progression.
This means that team leaders cannot wait for somebody to disclose before creating more inclusive communication practices. The team culture sends signals, so questions you should consider:
- How does your team respond to difference in meetings?
- Are a variety of communication styles recognised and encouraged?
- How are the team flexing to accommodate communication preferences?
Psychological safety is built through repeated signals, when managers create open dialogues with neurodiverse team members, and offer a variety of participation and contribution options.
Learn more about Neuroinclusive communication
The leader’s communication style matters too
An important question, but not often asked by leaders, is how clearly they communicate themselves.
If briefings and updates are long, vague or regularly changing direction, that can create extra cognitive load for neurodiverse colleagues. If meetings are rushed, unstructured or left with open-ended and unresolved questions, some people will struggle to process and know how to move forward.
For example, if you are running a meeting, there are some essential approaches that can reduce the barriers, such as sending an agenda and the meeting timing in advance, clarifying the decisions that need to be made, allowing extra time, and utilising visuals to support the discussion.
These adjustments are not only about supporting your ADHD or neurodiverse team members, but they are also thoughtful and considerate leadership for everyone’s needs.
Book a clarity call with Victoria Rennoldson
Strengths, not only support needs
One of the most important shifts in this conversation was when Sara spoke about the strengths ADHD can bring to a team, including high energy, broad creativity, action focus, problem-solving, passion and hyperfocus.
This matters because inclusion is not only about helping people manage what is challenging to them, but also creating the conditions where everyone can tap into their strengths, and they can be valued and recognised for them too.
Questions to reflect on
What is the team’s dominant communication approach that is listened to and rewarded?
Whose voice are you hearing less from or not at all, because the meeting approach does not work for them?
Where could you create more than one way for people to share their valuable ideas, questions or views?
I explore these ideas further in my podcast conversation with Sara Bagheri, Neuroinclusive communication in the Workplace.
If this topic resonates, you may also find the Connection with Cultural Intelligence pillar in my book, Become a Global Leader, useful for thinking about how people communicate, participate and build trust differently.
