Creating Inclusive, High-Performing Teams with Clarity and Empathy

The Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF):

Neurodivergent employees bring immense value to workplaces, but only when they are empowered to work in ways that suit their strengths. Psychological safety, clear communication, and structured processes aren’t just accommodations: they make teams more effective for everyone. By embracing different work styles and creating environments where people don’t have to mask, we unlock innovation, engagement, and productivity. This post explores how shifting from masking to leading authentically transformed my approach to leadership and team collaboration.

Owning My Strengths 

For a long time, I thought I was the problem—like my brain didn’t come with the right corporate settings installed. Too direct? Check. Overanalyzing everything? Check. Jumping ahead while everyone else was still on slide 1? Check. And, without meaning to, I came across as a know-it-all. I wasn’t great at the corporate savvy side of things, and I struggled to understand why people valued nuance over getting straight to the point.

So, I did what many neurodivergent professionals unintentionally do: I masked. Masking is the act of suppressing natural behaviors, communication styles, and thought processes to conform to social expectations. It’s when you consciously filter how you speak, react, and work to avoid standing out or being misunderstood. It often means mimicking neurotypical behaviors—like forcing eye contact, softening direct speech, or overexplaining to avoid misinterpretation.

I spent a long time thinking I needed to “dial it back,” but here’s the truth: I didn’t need to change, I needed to understand and harness my strengths. My ability to cut through ambiguity and create direction is my superpower. And once I stopped apologizing for it (okay, fine, I still find myself apologizing too much), I realized that the best leaders aren’t the ones who fit the mold—they’re the ones who shape it.

Feeling misunderstood for so long made me seek out spaces where I could be understood. That’s why I’ve always joined—or created—business and employee resource groups (BERGS), as well as culture committees. They’ve been my way of advocating for myself while also pushing for the kind of workplace that values neurodivergent minds instead of trying to fix them. 

Inclusive workplaces don’t just happen; they’re built with intention. I’ve seen firsthand how structured support, advocacy, and clear communication can shape an environment where people of all neurotypes feel valued and empowered. When workplaces prioritize psychological safety, clarity, and structure, ALL employees can thrive.

How Do You Measure Psychological Safety?

Tracking diversity metrics is one thing, but measuring true inclusion is an entirely different challenge. How can you determine if people feel safe speaking up and valued for their differences, rather than pressured to conform? Psychological safety—the ability to take risks, share ideas, and be your authentic self without fear of negative consequences—is a key indicator of a truly inclusive workplace.

Hiring diverse talent is not enough if they don’t feel safe contributing. Neurodivergent employees who feel they have to mask their differences, or whose communication styles are misinterpreted as unprofessional, are not thriving—they are merely surviving. This is a failure of leadership.

Psychological safety is not just about comfort; it is about creating an environment where all employees can engage fully, share their ideas, and challenge assumptions without fear of repercussions. This is especially critical for neurodivergent individuals, whose information processing, communication, and problem-solving often differ from the majority. Embracing these differences unlocks more effective collaboration and decision-making for teams.

So, what does this look like in practice?

Embracing Differences = Unlocking Clarity and Impact

“Every time we settle on something, someone throws in a new priority, and we’re back to square one.”

A roadmap planning session should have been about setting a clear path forward—but instead, it was a mess. The team was stuck in a cycle of competing priorities, discussions were going in circles, and the pressure to move forward was intense. The lack of structure was stalling progress, and people were talking over one another, struggling to align.

While others saw an impossible tangle, my brain immediately started making sense of the chaos. I mapped out dependencies, grouped priorities, and reframed the conversation around decision points. Within minutes, the room shifted. The noise faded, clarity emerged, and we finally had an actionable roadmap. That was my neurodivergent brain in action.

But this wasn’t just about me. I’ve seen time and again how teams fall into the trap of assuming one way of working should fit everyone. Some people thrive in freeform brainstorming, while others (like me) process best through structure and written documentation. Some need time to reflect before responding, while others think out loud. The most effective teams aren’t the ones that force everyone into the same workflow—they’re the ones that embrace different ways of thinking and build processes that allow everyone to contribute meaningfully.

What works: 

✔ Providing multiple ways to engage: verbal discussions, written documentation, async feedback. 

✔ Asking people how they work best instead of assuming. 

✔ Structuring conversations so both quick thinkers and deep processors can contribute effectively.

Clear, Direct Communication Helps Everyone

Throughout my career, I sat through meetings where decisions were buried in long-winded conversations, and I’d walk away wondering what the actual takeaway was. I’ve also received emails so dense with information that I had to reread them multiple times to figure out the main point. I personally get overwhelmed with walls of text and long, winding discussions where the key points get buried. My brain processes information best when the most important details are upfront, which is why I became a huge advocate of the Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) approach (thanks to a great manager who introduced this).

Instead of struggling through overly verbose emails or meetings that lacked structure, I started implementing a method where every communication led with the key takeaway first, followed by supporting details for those who needed them. A simple tweak—writing “Here’s the decision we need to make” before listing background context—helped streamline discussions and cut down on unnecessary back-and-forth.

This wasn’t just for me—it turned out to be a game-changer for my teams, too. Some people (like me) needed the digestible “at-a-glance” summary to avoid information overload, while others needed the deep-dive breakdown. By incorporating both, I wasn’t just accommodating my own processing style—I was making communication clearer for everyone.

What works: 

✔ Say what you mean—no need for sugarcoating. 

✔ Use BLUF: start with the key takeaway before diving into details. 

✔ Avoid making assumptions based on tone—different communication styles are valid.

Predictability Reduces Stress, Increases Engagement

The workplace is full of distractions—unscheduled Slack pings, impromptu meetings, and “just a quick favor” requests that snowball into lost hours. Some level of unpredictability is expected, but when ‘drive-bys’ become the norm rather than the exception, productivity takes a hit.

Unstructured, reactive workflows don’t just hurt productivity—they create stress, frustration, and burnout. I’ve seen entire teams lose momentum because they’re constantly pulled into ad-hoc requests, surprise priorities, and unexpected bug reports that hijack their day. Neurodivergent or not, people thrive when they have clarity, focus, and predictable structures to guide their work.

Change is inevitable, but chaos doesn’t have to be. When teams structure decision-making, define escalation paths, and give people time to process changes instead of reacting in real-time, engagement improves. People feel more in control, more prepared, and more invested in the outcomes.

What works: 

✔ Give advance notice before major changes whenever possible. 

✔ Provide clear agendas before meetings—this isn’t just helpful, it’s respectful. 

✔ Use structured processes and guides to keep teams aligned and reduce cognitive overload.

Building a Culture Where Everyone Thrives

I spent years trying to fit in—only to realize that true leadership comes from building workplaces where people don’t have to mask in the first place. Neurodivergent-friendly environments aren’t just good for a few people; they create better, more innovative teams for everyone.

If you’re in a position to shape your workplace, ask yourself: Are you creating a culture where everyone can do their best work? If not, what’s one change—big or small—you can make today?

Further Reading & Resources

• Harvard Business Review – Neurodiversity as a Competitive Advantage
• American Psychological Association – Supporting Neurodivergent Workers
• Neurodivergent Insights – Blog on Workplace Inclusivity
• Autism Self Advocacy Network – Neurodiversity & Employment
• Forbes – How to Support Neurodivergent Employees