Newsletter Archive

JANUARY 2008

Invisible Disabilities
 
As if the social, communication and organizational challenges of the neurotypical workplace weren't tough enough, the fact that Asperger's Syndrome (AS) and Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NLD) are "invisible disabilities" significantly increases the chance of misunderstandings at work.
 
"Invisible" refers to the fact that there are no overt physical signs that someone has Asperger's or NLD."People ask why we need accommodation," writes Jane Meyerding in the book Coming Out Asperger, "rather than what accommodation we need."1
 
In the neurotypical workplace little or nothing is known about AS or NLD. Therefore it's easy to assume that lack of eye contact, social gaffes, too many questions and other unexpected behaviors are signs of rudeness, unfriendliness, insubordination, etc. For example, one coaching client of mine got so overwhelmed by people interrupting him at work that he'd simply sit at his desk shaking his head when someone stopped by. Knowing nothing about his Asperger's, it's not surprising that this man's co-workers interpreted his behavior as rudeness.
 
Of course for the person with AS or NLD, these kinds of misunderstandings are often thoroughly shocking. "I felt like I'd been hit by a bus," said one; "I was so panicked that I couldn't speak" said another; "The wind was knocked out of me" added a third.
 
While it's unlikely that this kind of miscommunication will ever be completely eliminated, there are some proactive steps you can try so that neurotypicals won't take your unexpected behaviors personally.
 

• Learn as much as you can about how others perceive you. Get feedback from people you trust, such as a friendly co-worker, job coach, family member or friend about things you do or say that can be misunderstood in a negative way.
   
• Prepare explanatory statements to "neutralize" unexpected behaviors. Here are some examples: "I have trouble reading body language - can you tell me what you're thinking right now?"; "Sometimes when I'm concentrating, I forget to say hello. Please don't take it personally."; "People tell me that I look angry when I'm lost in thought. Have you noticed that?"; "I have a tendency to take things very literally; would you let me know when I do that?"
   
• Think about whether disclosing Asperger's or NLD to your employer is the right option for you. This is, of course, a very personal decision that requires careful consideration of the risks and the benefits. Think about how noticeable your AS/NLD challenges are, how well you're able to manage them at work, the nature of your job, etc. (See the left hand column for information on a new workshop that discusses workplace disclosure.)

Remember that the more proactive you can be in giving reasonable explanations for things that seem odd to neurotypicals, the greater the chance that you can avoid serious misunderstandings that can lead to disciplinary action or even job loss.

© 2008 by Barbara Bissonnette, Forward Motion Coaching

 
1 "Coming Out Autistic at Work" by Jane Meyerding, published in Coming Out Asperger, Diagnosis, Disclosure and Self-Confidence, edited by Dinah Murray, © Jessica Kingsley Publishers 2006