Reimagining Work Ecosystems for Every Mind

What if understanding and embracing neurodiversity in the workplace could unlock untapped potential? Join our fascinating conversation with Elizabeth Takyi a passionate advocate for neurodiversity and inclusion, as she shares her transformative journey from being labeled negatively to discovering her unique strengths. Elizabeth takes us through her experiences growing up between Ghana and the UK, revealing how her late diagnosis of dyslexia and other neurodiverse conditions during university became a pivotal moment in her life. Her story is a testament to resilience and the power of support systems in personal and professional growth.

Elizabeth's insights provide a deep dive into the importance of empowering neurodiverse communities, especially those focusing on black women and non-binary individuals. We learn about the incredible impact of organizations like ADHD Babes, which offer vital support networks for those navigating similar challenges. As an ambassador and speaker with NeuroBox, Elizabeth emphasizes the need for representation and inclusion within these spaces, advocating for environments free from stigma. Her story illustrates how such initiatives can foster thriving communities that harness the full potential of neurodiverse individuals.

We also explore the intricate dynamics of disclosing neurodiverse conditions in the workplace, as Elizabeth shares her candid experiences and valuable advice. From navigating the challenges of managing "Aspire to Inspire" as a single mother with neurodiverse conditions to collaborating with organizations like the British Dyslexic Association, her journey underscores the necessity of transparency and self-advocacy. This episode is a call to action for companies to create genuinely inclusive work environments, where neurodiverse individuals can leverage their unique strengths, benefitting both themselves and their organizations.

Chapters

• 0:00 Navigating Neurodiversity in the Workplace
• 11:13 Empowering Neurodiverse Communities in the Workplace
• 14:55 Creating Neuro-Inclusive Work Environments
• 25:15 Navigating Disclosure in the Workplace
• 30:08 Embracing Diversity in the Workplace
• 39:50 Supporting Neurodiverse Professionals

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

I wouldn't get punished for reading, writing, spelling or memory anything. If I forgot something. It wasn't a big deal back in the 80s, so I actually didn't engage in education at all. I just thought, well, I'm not going to get punished for it, no one's going to smack me if I can't spell it. Or back in Ghana, you get caned if you got it wrong. But no one was going to do that to me. So for that reason I'm just not going to learn, because I didn't learn nothing.

Speaker 2: 0:37

Hello and welcome to Divining Egmar, a podcast that talks about how to navigate through the complexities of the workplace as a modern day professional, whilst simultaneously having a side hustle. We appreciate all of our audience members for taking some time out of their day to tune into another episode and look forward to providing you all with some value through our show today. My name is Sarah and I will be the host for this podcast. This podcast will be available on all platforms where you can find podcasts, including Spotify, amazon, apple Podcasts and we're also on YouTube. Now, before we dive in, I have a small favour to ask.

Speaker 2: 1:19

Creating this podcast takes a lot of time and energy, and every bit of support helps me keep it going and growing. If you're enjoying the show, five star rate comment on Apple Podcasts or Spotify can make a significant difference in helping new listeners discover us. Your support is invaluable in our growth journey. Your support is invaluable in our growth journey and if you're also watching on youtube, hit the subscribe button and tap the bell so you never miss an episode. Want to show your appreciation more? You can even buy me a coffee through buy me a coffee page. It's a simple way to support the show directly and helps cover production costs. Together we can build an incredible community for ambitious professionals like you. Thank you for your support. It means more than you know.

Speaker 2: 2:12

Now let's get started. Okay, elizabeth, we've had such a journey getting on this podcast, yes, and I've seen a lot of work you've done around neurodiversity and inclusion and you've got an amazing history around um really supporting neurodiverse professionals right from your early career to where you are right now. So I just like to say thank you so much for coming on to the podcast, much appreciated and much appreciated of the time you've given me today. You're welcome. So let's start off with your personal journey and your early experiences. So, first of all, could you share with the audience members your personal journey? Share with the audience members your, your personal journey and um with dyslexia and how it's shaped, your professional, your, your profession and your personal lifestyle. But, but even before we get to that point, please introduce yourself to the audience members. What's your name, what you do, and then we can dive deeper into more questions and talk more about the discovery of dyslexia and your neurodiverse conditions.

Speaker 1: 3:30

Sure, so my name is Elizabeth Tetchy. I currently work for a company called Neurobox Limited. They're based in Cambridge. Prior to that, I ran my own business for about seven years. We're based in Wandsworth but we served the whole of London and beyond, and the purpose of the company that was set up was my challenges as a dyslexic person and being a late diagnosed individual.

Speaker 1: 4:01

So my journey with dyslexia started when I went to university in 2001. This is where dyslexia was picked up, but prior to that I didn't know I had dyslexia or ADHD or autism or dyspraxia, dyscalculia, erlin syndrome. I didn't know I had any of those things until I was diagnosed with dyslexia and dyspraxia and then later on down the line in the years, other things have been picked up as we're going along. So I can go for as far back as when I was growing up, which was I was born in the UK and was sent to Ghana when I was at the age of two with my parents, so most of my primary education was in Ghana. Dyslexia is something that no one would have known about at the time. I was known as and I just have to say as it is the stupid child, the dumb child, the naughty child always kind of got punished for not being able to to read, write and spell. Um, if anybody's listening to this podcast and they're from west africa, the education is different than it is in the uk, so it was a real challenge for me, but I'm quite I've got a lot of resilience in me. If to me it's like listen, if I can't read and write, at least I I can do other things, you know, and I was really good at sports, I was a really good creativity wise, I was good at drama, I was good at all the things that makes the world tick, to be honest with you, and make the world fun. But what I wasn't so brilliant at is academic stuff and as we still speak, I still struggle with all those things. So, fast forward.

Speaker 1: 5:46

I came to the UK when I was 12, um, and, if I could read right, spell or my memory. I mean, sarah, you've seen a little bit of my um neurodiversity since, like today, um, forgetting appointments, forgetting where I am, overdoing things, overlapping things all over the place, trying to juggle things, and it all goes wrong. It all goes pear-shaped, um. So, and that's my life. It's quite chaotic but it's organized. Chaotic, I get it. Nobody else gets it, but I get it so fast forward.

Speaker 1: 6:14

Um, when I came to the uk at the age of 12, um, I wouldn't get punished for reading, writing, spelling or memory, uh, anything. If I forgot something. It wasn't a big deal back in the 80s, so I actually didn't engage in education at all. I just thought, well, I'm not gonna get punished for it, no one's gonna smack me if I can't spell it. Or, back in Ghana, you get caned if you got it wrong. But no one was gonna do that to me. So for that reason I'm just not gonna learn. So I didn't learn nothing.

Speaker 1: 6:41

I left education with zilch at the age of 16, in 1986. And I was glad to just step out of that school gate and just make my own world a beautiful one, because it was a nightmare trying to learn. It's still a nightmare for me, to be honest with you. So when I came to UK and I didn't have to do any of those things, I didn't really learn anything. So I left school with very little qualification. When I say very little, we're talking about unclassified C's and D's, yeah, even the C. I think it was like some sort of drama. I ended up with a C qualification and um, I was fine with that and I just just thought what next? So I ended up joining a youth training scheme and a YTS. Back in those days, the youth training scheme was more sort of creativity. If you were really creative, you could go into things like plumbing, hairdressing, I can't you name it. The list is long and I loved it. So I joined that. But did I finish that? No, I actually didn't finish that. So my it. So I joined that. But did I finish that? No, actually didn't finish that. So my middle name was Sequita. I'll start right in the middle of it. I'm like I'm bored of this and move on. But fast forward.

Speaker 1: 7:52

In 2001 I decided that at this time I'd had two children and I decided I really want to give my kids a better future. And for me, I kept hearing my dad saying to me the key to success, particularly as a Black person the key to success is education, and that always stuck in my mind. So I thought, well, let me go back to education and see if I can become of somebody. So I enrolled at University of South Bank University in London and I went in there as a mature student. I didn't necessarily need GCSEs to go in there, but I went as a mature student. I didn't necessarily need GCSEs to go in there, but I went as a mature student. I thought one one of the criteria was like industry experience. So I had that and I went in and I failed my first year drastically because I didn't know.

Speaker 1: 8:36

I didn't even know how to switch computer on. I didn't. We were used to using the old typewriters that's got the ribbon in it and you just hit it and it goes up and you start typing. So computer was. I didn't know anything whatsoever about where you switch the button or where's the alphabet A to B or C.

Speaker 1: 8:55

But guess what? I was so determined to make a change in my life. I was so sick and tired of being labelled as the one that was naughty, the one that would amount to nothing, the one that would. You know. There was all negativity all the time and I think for me it was like I'm gonna prove the whole world that I can still have this condition and still thrive. So it was a real when I say it was a real challenge. When I went to uni I must have been about a size 14. I left being a size six, believe it or not. I was so stressed out I mean a size that will hang off me if I wore the clothing. I was so stressed that was unbelievable. But I didn't want to give up, you know um, and so I kept going and finally I graduated. It's the first time in my entire life that I've seen anything through to the end and finished it. So that's the introduction part of it.

Speaker 2: 9:54

Thank you a little bit. So how did your experience as a dyslexic individual influence your decision to then start a company or a CIC called Aspire to Inspire Dyslexia?

Speaker 1: 10:10

What made you start that organization at the time Right, because I was looking for help and the help I was looking for was the company I set up. I couldn't find the help locally. I wanted to be able to walk into a building and say I've got dyslexia, I'm really struggling to fill in this form, can you help me? That wasn't around. I wanted to speak to somebody. I couldn't find that in my borough. I wanted to feel like I belonged to a group. I couldn't find any of that and I think, particularly when I went online I mean, I'm talking about 2000 and maybe 2015, 16, all I ever saw images of wasn't Black people with dyslexia. So I thought, come on, there must be Black people out there with dyslexia and I want to help everybody, including a particular group of people which was, you know, ethnic minorities, and I couldn't find it. So I thought, well, I'm going to make that change. Then I set this up. I make that sound very simple. It was not that easy to start it and make it stand for as long as it did.

Speaker 2: 11:13

I think you're quite um inspirational because you're kind of like one of the pioneers, because now I'm finding there are a lot more communities that are directly um supporting the needs of people that are neurodiverse. So, for example, um I don't know whether you've heard of this community called adhd babes. Um, that is run by viv and that's an amazing community where you can get as much help as you need for your adhd. But I also find people in that community as well as them having adhd. I'm finding some of the women there and it's specifically I always pick up the adhd babes. They even have their own podcast as well, but it's specifically for black women and non-binary individuals, um who need support with the adhd. But aside from that, they I find that people in that community who are also black women have autism. Some of them have um a pick and mix. Even the founder herself is dyslexic with she's dyslexic with adhd um and um it's just such a beautiful place and I don't, I don't know. I know you don't run um a to I anymore, but just know that you were a pioneer, because now we have a lot of organizations that are popping up, you know um that are helping that intersection of black women, in particular with neurodiverse conditions. I saw one recently um set up up a lady I think her name's called akia or akia, I think her name is. She set up um, um, neuro and neuro I've forgotten the name but when I find I put in the show notes. But basically I think it's neuro inclusive um to help black women and queer people in the community with neurodiverse conditions, including autism and ADHD, and it's that, that intersection, that um really needs the support.

Speaker 2: 13:07

Because, similar to yourself, elizabeth, I had the same issue of, yeah, there were dyslexic communities, there were neurodiverse communities, but there wasn't. There was nobody that looked like me. Um, that's the same thing that keeps popping up. I even had recently martia, who came on my podcast and she was like, when she found out or knew that she was dyslexic, she thought that maybe she caught something from her white side because she'd never seen a black person that's been dyslexic. So I thought that was quite funny. She said that on the podcast because it had the episodes out now anyway. But, um, what I wanted to ask you more about was um your current work with neuro box um as an ambassador and speaker um, it involves attending events and education um and educating others on neurodiversity. Can you share some impactful moments or feedback you've received from these engagements, because that's what you do now?

Speaker 1: 14:09

It's really phenomenal. It's an amazing company to work for because I think, being neurodiverse, if you apply for a job and you've got it, you want to feel accepted and I know that. You know I'm a little bit older than you are, sarah, and obviously back in the days I couldn't have disclosed my dyslexia because I'll feel like you know, I'm not going to get the job or people are going to stigmatize, or sometimes being a woman of color as well, or even for black men as well I'm not speaking just for black women Sometimes we're not even believed that we've got this condition. It's like are you just making it up or you'd be lazy? I've had that said to me before in the past.

Speaker 1: 14:55

Um, so working for a company that I work for at the moment it's just so beautiful because they accept me for who I am. I can be myself. There's amazing workplace needs adjustment that I get. So when I was speaking earlier, I did mention that I also have physical disability, so I have osteoarthritis in my spine and in my hip.

Speaker 1: 15:09

So the company I work for they deal with long-term health conditions, disabilities and neurodiversity and it seems like it sounds like me made up and it's just such a beautiful company to work for and because I am you know, because I have all these conditions when I go out to educate others, I can use my lived experience as you know somebody who's got these conditions and I've been giving the help in a workplace. The reasonable workplace adjustment that I got through Neurobox is phenomenal, really phenomenal, and I wish and hope that every company could follow suit, because it's just so amazing. Hope that every company could follow suit because it's just so amazing and part of the work they do is to go into workplaces and make it reasonable adjustment for people with neurodiverse and long-term health conditions.

Speaker 2: 15:55

I love that and the fact that this podcast is about neurodiversity in the workplace. So I just wanted you to kind of dig deep into that and wanted to ask how important do you think it's for companies to understand and implement neuro-inclusive policies, because they're getting better, but they're not quite good enough? Because I know with a lot of organisations they'll say things like oh, we're inclusive, we have diversity and inclusion policies, but what does that look like in reality? You might have that on your company's policy website or ethos, but when actually we're actually working with neurodiverse staff a line manager understand what it's like for somebody's neurodiverse, or the proper adjustments they need to make for that person in order for them to thrive in the workplace? Um, I think I feel like, um, not a lot of companies have that, but what do you? What are your thoughts on that?

Speaker 1: 16:55

because I'm finding it's there that it's like they want to do it, but if not, they haven't quite got it right, if that makes sense yeah, to be honest with you, every company should make their workplace neurodiverse, friendly and disability friendly, because if not, then you leave a group of people out. I mean, for example, if I didn't have this where I work, the support that I've got, potentially I'd be unemployed. Nobody wants to be on the unemployed register. You know, and I've been unemployed before, I know what that feels like. It can be very demoralizing, it can be demotivated. You've been, for example let me use me for example I've been to university, I've got my degree, I've got my post-grad teaching degree and what I'm signing on that that can be so, but I say signing on, you know being on benefits and that that can be very demoralizing for each individual, very upsetting to know that you've done all that and I've got a huge debt in front of me because you invested debt, I'm finished paying for it and then you know you find that you're not working could be really, um, depressing for one, and I know I've been there, I've been through the whole process and it's not a very nice place to be.

Speaker 1: 18:00

So, going back to your question, I think it's very important that companies make the workplace neuro-inclusive, and some of the ways they can do that is by having, you know, people go in and give talks on Awareness Day, not just on Dyslexia Awareness Month, you know. We're talking about embedding your sort of events that you do every month or every quarter or whatever. So people will feel free to come forward and talk about their neurodiverse condition. Not everybody wants to disclose. I mean, I'm different. The whole world knows and I don't really care about who knows about all my conditions, because I'm out there to make a change and I want somebody to look at me and think, oh, actually, if this lady can do this and she's done it to this limit then so can I, Because we all look at somebody for inspiration in this world that we're in and if that can help somebody, then I feel like I've done my duty on this earth that I'm on. You know um. So to make it neuro-inclusive will be regular talks in a company you know um, maybe your staff network, your erg network, you, you know you have a group of people that talk about neurodiversity, disabilities, um, you know things to do with lgbtq. Just make that more acceptance for people and then people will feel free to to be able to say, well, look, I've got adhd and please, how do I get the help I need because people, when you're a diverse, we bring a lot to companies. I mean, I'm going to use me as an example.

Speaker 1: 19:27

I may struggle to understand instructions, read and write and spell, but listen, there's so much more I can do that can really bring great profits or whatever you're looking for for the company. You know, one of my gifts and you probably might have to stop me here is I'm a natural public speaker. Some people are quite nervous in public. They can't even get their words out it. I'm a natural public speaker. Some people are quite nervous in public. They can't even get their words out. It comes to me naturally. I don't need a script, I don't need anything to read off. You put me in front of millions of people and I can deliver and go. Not everybody's got that quality, for example. So you know we're looking at things like that. I mean, I'm quite not shy of the camera, I'm not. You know those things come naturally for me. So if I'm not reading, writing, spelling and getting all those things done, but you want me to go out there and get sales for you, I'll be able to do that because I don't have a problem doing things like that that's just one of my qualities, things like problem solving.

Speaker 1: 20:17

I see the bigger picture. You know people are looking and thinking how do we get around this? And I'm saying I think it's actually that simple. Do it this way, you know, and companies really need to recruit more and more people with neurodiverse, rather than making this feel like, oh, I don't know if I can talk about this in a workplace because I'm going to be stigmatized or someone's going to look at me differently or they're going to judge me or they're going to look at me in a different way.

Speaker 1: 20:40

Part of my dyslexia is all my computer, everything's tinted in blue. So if you walk in the office, if you walk in the office blue glasses, blue screen blue, this blue that it's like being in a river. I love it, you know, and it makes me work really amazing and I do my job effectively. Hence, you know, when you read my profile on LinkedIn, I think it matches my strengths so well, the job I do right now. So I would say companies to make it neuro-inclusive in your job application. You know we're not just putting on there.

Speaker 1: 21:13

Do you have a hidden disability? But maybe you would email the questions of the interview to the person who has been interviewed. Before the interview, instead of it all being very formal before the interview. Instead of it all being very formal, maybe you can do a video interview, you know, maybe you can do a video application. Don't ask me how you're going to get that done, but it can be done, you know. Just make people feel more inclusive. Another way also I find that since COVID and being remote worker has really helped me to be very productive. Same, yeah, because part of my undiagnosed autism is noise. I don't like any type of noise. I don't like the pen tapping, I don't like barking or a dog barking. I just don't like no noise around me when I'm working. I really can't do it, you know.

Speaker 2: 22:02

You should get loops. Have you tried those? What's loops? It's like these um earpieces that you put in your ear. A lot of the girls who are around in the community they use that to try and drown out noise and you can decide the level of noise you want in and out. It's l, it's l o o p. I'll put it inside the show notes, but basically, yeah, it's just these really good headphones. They're headphones. You can't see them. It's not physical, because you don't want to have those big headphones in your ears that can. Sometimes I find them really, really annoying. So if you put the loops in, they just sit in your ear and you can decide how much noise you want in. You should try it. I didn't think I needed it and I tried it. I thought where was this all my life?

Speaker 1: 22:44

yeah, I'll definitely look into that. I will. Yeah, and I think also, it's not even just noise, it's just perhaps in a big open plan office I get distracted so easily, and I think that's probably my adhd. I'm like what's going on over there and instead of maybe doing my work, I'm probably focusing on something else, and that's why I like total silent quiet, and I can do that working from home. So maybe employers need to encourage more hybrid working as well for people neurodiverse.

Speaker 2: 23:11

Yeah, I definitely agree. I feel like um kofi just opened up this door that there is other ways that you can get the most out of in your, your employees, and I've actually written like a blog post about this recently that a lot of companies are now telling people come back to the office, you need to now increase your time in the office, and is that really helpful for everyone? I don't know. I don't know. They're trying to go back to the old ways of working where everyone's full-time in the office, and I'm not for that. I don't want to go on the tube or the train. It's even more expensive than it was before Covid, so there's no incentive. It hasn't even improved. It was cancelling it. You can't really plan your day properly, so I just rather work from home and you'll get a lot. You'll get a lot out of me, trust me.

Speaker 1: 24:00

The work will be done, but uh yeah, one thing I found with homework and I hardly even take a break. It's like go, go, go, go now, just like sandwich, you know, like I work flat out whilst as if I'm in the office, like I said, I get distracted so easily. It's unbelievable. And I also because I'm I struggle to spell, read and all that. Even I've got my dragon to do that. All that I have this thing of. I don't like people watching me when I'm working. I don't know, I just don like it. I like to be in my own zone doing what I need to do.

Speaker 2: 24:28

Yeah, no, I totally get that Like you, kind of like oh, someone's watching me spell, so it brings that trauma, oh gosh.

Speaker 1: 24:38

And then you need to stop to ask someone how to spell this how to spell this.

Speaker 2: 24:47

It's not helpful for anyone, is it? Yeah, um, I wanted to ask you, like some of your personal insights and advice to people who maybe someone that's actually quite young, maybe they, um are struggling to find their place in in the professional world. What kind of advice would you give them, especially for people may who may be dealing with a neurodiverse condition or not sure do you have a neurodiverse condition, or they might be starting in their profession right now and they're trying to figure out how to navigate the world with a neurodiverse condition. What advice would you give them?

Speaker 1: 25:15

I, I don't normally say to everybody it's a good idea to just disclose, because it doesn't work like that for everybody. So disclosure in the workplace or yeah, I mean we're talking about maybe from the age of 16, you have to go into a workplace, for example Disclosure is is it to disclose or not? To disclose? From where I sit right now, it doesn't matter what company I go to work for. Whoever I'm working for, the first thing you will get is I'm dyslexic, I'm dyspraxic, I've got ADHD, I've got und undiagnosed autism, I've got dyspraxia and I've got Erling syndrome. That's the first thing you get from me. A lot of people just have just got neurodiverse conditions and it's like well, which one is it for me? So I have to list all of it. Now, if I've given you that and you say to me Elizabeth, well done for the interview, thank you, won't take you on, that's great, I've.

Speaker 1: 26:03

You know up front, not everybody feels that way. Some people feel like well, I can't really talk about that yet, and so maybe I feel a bit settled. Or from the past of running my own company, I met so many people that probably wouldn't disclose. But then, right in the middle of maybe doing the work. They've come across a challenge. For example, I don't like excel in any shape or form. I find it quite chaotic. I find it like worse than moving. I find like I just don't get it. I don't like Excel in any shape or form. I find it quite chaotic. I find it like worse than moving. I find like I just don't get it. I don't actually understand Excel, to be honest. So if I was given work like that to do, it would just like I would feel so useless, you know, if I ever have to do that. So hence why I've been so lucky to have support worker with me whenever admin support, whenever I've been so lucky to have support worker with me whenever admin support whenever I've um, you know, embarked on work.

Speaker 1: 26:50

So the advice to the individual will be go with your strengths. You know you can always say to whoever your line manager, whoever they might be, this is what I can bring to the table a to z. However, these are a little bit of challenge for me and you work around that. Some things you can't work around, I'll be honest. If you said to me look your dragon, my dragon's not working today and you got me to write a report, you just get my name on that report and nothing else. Even that I may struggle to spell it, to be honest. So go with your strengths and you, you know you can always say to whoever it is your line manager where you're going for the interview. This is mydiverse condition, but this is what I bring to the table. You know, nine out of 10 employees are very comfortable with or happy to know that this and this and this is brilliant, and nine out of 10, you find your strengths are a lot more than your weaknesses that's really good advice, actually.

Speaker 2: 27:42

I really think that's very helpful for particularly younger people who are still trying to navigate or people who are newly diagnosed trying to navigate. Or should I tell someone I'm neurodiverse or I have dyslexia, or I have autism or I have ADHD? How people perceive me because these are kind of thoughts that are running through I know for me personally was running through my mind as to whether I should disclose or tell my employer. And I wasn't like you. I was in the workplace struggling, trying to figure things out myself and actually if I had probably disclosed earlier, I might have got support. But then you're kind of trying to navigate. How do you think this person would take it if I told them that I was dyslexic or I have ADHD? And these are the issues I'm.

Speaker 2: 28:28

Challenges are challenges that I'm trying to overcome because even at some times, like because I have an ADHD mind, I'll produce the best perfect form of work perfect, you know, report together and you'll be like, oh my gosh, you wouldn't even know she has a neurodiverse condition. And there are times that I will procrastinate. I've got a piece of work to do. I'm procrastinating over it, but I'll get it done through hyper focus because I know that the deadline's hitting me, which is not good for me, because obviously that puts an immense amount of pressure on me. Number one and I get very tired because of my ADHD, because my mind is spinning, but it's how I've worked for years and years and years and obviously it's not the best way to work, you know. So yeah, I totally understand that.

Speaker 1: 29:14

Yeah, and just to say, I do know Vivian. Actually I do know Vivian Isabel, I do know her, and I know most of the people that are in that space, particularly, in fact, I know most of people, people that are in that space, you know, particularly, in fact, I know most of people in that space.

Speaker 1: 29:27

Yeah, a lot of them, yeah, and it's great. It's great that we've got so many people you know helping other communities or doing the work they're doing. It's absolutely fantastic. But when we started in 20, I think we started originally in 2015 as a limited by guarantee organisation, and then we obviously 2016 is when we registered there wasn't many around, but I'm just so excited to see so many different people setting up so many different platforms and support groups. It's just absolutely phenomenal, Really phenomenal.

Speaker 2: 30:00

And I just hope it continues to grow and go and we all work together and help each other in some form of way, because the community is so important. Um, particularly when it comes to the intersection of race as well, it's good that we have particularly oh well, I'm always for black women as a black woman myself, but like for us to all to come together to kind of help each other and support each other in whatever way possible. Um, so, I know, um, aspire to, to inspire. It's no longer an operation. Is it something that you may ever think about picking up again, because I feel like you could, but I don't know. You know, elizabeth, you're the person that has keys to that. Oh, do you know what?

Speaker 1: 30:44

Sarah, um, I just don't know if I could. I personally couldn't, but if somebody else was going to run it, I don't mind setting it up. Someone else runs it. And I'll tell you why I was so stressed out with the whole thing trying to run a company, trying to raise a family. I'm a single mum of three, I'll say three, children. Two of them are grown up now.

Speaker 1: 31:04

With all my neurodiverse conditions, it was just too much for me to do. You know, um, the bulk of the work fell on me, even though we used to get a lot of um funding and so forth, and it was an amazing company and I can say that confidently. It was absolutely phenomenal and everybody that we served across the many years that we were there. I still see a few people in a supermarket, local supermarket, and some people will stop me and say this. But you know what? Remember when I came to you and I didn't even know the alphabet A? Well, guess what? I'm graduating as a nurse and it's like whoa. That makes me feel so amazing that there is no. You can't put money on that, you know. And I say to people well, how did it go? And they said, well, actually I went back to evening classes and learned how to do the alphabet a, how to learn alphabet, you know how to spell and all that and um, some people ended up enrolling on GCSE courses and they managed to get support as dyslexics because some of them got free assessment from us and they've made something better for themselves and the feedback is just phenomenal. I couldn't tell you how great it makes me and the community feels, because not everybody felt comfortable to talk about their dyslexia and I think, like you said, you can't be what you can't see. So I think when I saw like a black face, I thought well, actually I don't know whether I got dyslexia, let me find out.

Speaker 1: 32:26

And we helped so many people I mean including events and podcasts and live shows and the award ceremony and all that we did. We served over 13 and a half thousand people in the seven years that we were running and that's just honestly. If dyslexia affects one in ten, that's a huge number of people that we served. You know all our events were fully booked. You know sometimes we'd have nowhere to stand or sit and anybody listening to this podcast that ever attended our events will agree. It was just everything was sold out. It was so brilliant, would I go back and set it up. It wouldn't be me running it, because I just couldn't. To be honest with you, I just couldn't. I wouldn't mind setting it up, but somebody else that can get themselves a CEO and run it. I've nothing to do with it, we'll talk about that, we'll talk about that.

Speaker 2: 33:11

Yeah, oh gosh, because we're winding up and I know that you have other appointments. You're so super busy as well. What advice could you give to just neurodiverse people in the workplace how to navigate this journey each day and what, what? What words of encouragement would you give them, especially if somebody who maybe is newly diagnosed, or they know they're diagnosed but or they know they have a sort of form of neurodiverse or a number of neurodiverse conditions, what advice would you give them in terms of navigating the workplace?

Speaker 1: 33:49

Do you know something? I think there is nothing in this world as what's the word I'm looking for. You know, when you're keeping a secret and it's like God, I'm going to find out. It makes you ill, it makes you panicky, it makes you edgy. People find out what's going on with that one, you know. So there's nothing as beautiful as being able to say to your line manager listen, I've been diagnosed with adhd. Here's my report.

Speaker 1: 34:12

If you've got one and you know you don't have to be diagnosed, you don't have to have a report to even say that you've got um any neurodiverse condition. So if you believe you've got neurodiverse conditions, speak to your line manager or hr. Like I said, neurobox we go into companies and we do management. We do line managers training, hr, um training for, for hr managers, um, if you go on your box website, there's loads of different things that they do. They do webinars, access to work, support, um policies in a workplace. What else is there? The list is on and on and on, and there are other companies out there as well that do this, you know. And if you speak to your land manager, there is help out there for the individual the worst thing I ever did when I worked for a very large institution, when I first graduated, was not to tell my land manager about my dyslexia I thought I could do it when I worked for a very large institution when I first graduated was not to tell my line manager about my dyslexia.

Speaker 1: 35:12

I thought I could do it Until I was in the job and then I was given some reports to write. I don't think I had Dragon at the time If I did, I had one from university but I didn't think I could even maybe use it in a workplace. I just didn't have a clue. I struggled so much in a work that I used to go to work every day crying because I couldn't do it. I just couldn't do the job they wanted me to do. But I had two young children to feed and I was like I don't know why I can't do this, but I can't. So it was all writing reports and doing the pie charts and the graphs and excel spreadsheets. I'm putting my hair right here. I just couldn't engage in it all whilst if I was at the front desk receiving customers, clients.

Speaker 1: 35:53

You know being a bubbly sort of person, I'm a people's person, I love people. I don't do paper, but I love people and I'd love to work with people. You know, and it was my weakness the job that I was I went for. I went for the interview. Apparently I was the best person they ever interviewed and got the job. Could I perform in it? No, every day I shed tears. In the end I had to leave. If it was now I probably wouldn't have left. But we're talking about. This was 2000 and 2004 makes sense I just thought you know I can't do this.

Speaker 1: 36:26

The shame, the embarrassment, the sort of you walk in the office and you think, oh my God, if I can look at anything, why can't you do it? And then I just left. So I ended up back on the benefit system. So the worst thing you want to do is hide. And I know people that just don't want to say nothing because they feel they're going to be discriminated against or they feel like someone they're gonna. They feel like they're gonna feel different. For that reason, they don't. I'm not saying do or don't, but I'm saying that if you said to your line manager you've got dyslexia and you went through it, right, you're not even supposed to be in that company. Because if you're, if you know, if they've got the support for you in that place, then you wouldn't have to hide. If it was an inclusive working place, then you wouldn't have to hide. You know, um, but if you feel like you can't talk to anyone about it or you feel ashamed or you're going to judge, that's not where you're meant to be in the first place.

Speaker 1: 37:23

Yeah, but I think my advice is also just go with your strengths. Everybody's got strengths. Honestly, we all got strengths, things we're really good at. Tap into that and just shine like a bright diamond. You know, and you're going to really excel to great things. If we're talking about entrepreneurs and all these people that have got dyslexia and adhd and autism, that have done great things in this world, then listen, go with your strengths and just go out there and change the world. That's what I can say elizabeth, I love that.

Speaker 2: 37:55

I love that so much. Thank you so much for coming on. Divine enigma, it's been a chaotic podcast, podcast episodes, but yeah, thank you so much for coming on and thank you for your final words as well and, um, yeah, hopefully you can come back on and we can discuss this in further detail.

Speaker 1: 38:15

So, returning, guests one day. Yeah, yeah, honestly, I don't mind, um, to be honest with you, because I think I rushed it a little bit. I don't mind doing a part two. Yeah, with you, but it was going to be a Monday or Friday.

Speaker 2: 38:27

No, worries, or Friday, I'll keep you. I'll keep that. I'll keep your words on that. It's going to be on there a part two. I just want to let our audience members know about the six-week coaching program that I'll be offering for people who are neurodivergent and who want to improve their career prospects in general or those who want to get into project management. You can also be non-neurodivergent too. I mentioned this earlier in previous episodes, but I want to make the time to offer it up to those looking for help in those areas in their life, as it's a great way to learn new skills to help you advance in your career.

Speaker 2: 39:09

I'm also offering my support to people who want to pass the PRINT 2 practitioner exam or other project management exams, as I've taken and failed the test a few times and I would like to help others by showing them how I passed. I also launched my membership Neuro in Egg Month, in which you get supportive, community career and business mentorship, monthly group coaching calls, networking opportunities, mental health well-being days and unlimited body doubling sessions and UK and very soon international meetups. I'm also working with the British Dyslexic Association and Lexic, one of the UK's biggest neurodiversity organizations, to ensure our members get free full neurodiversity assessments, accredited with an educational psychologist or doctor. So if this sounds like you're interested to learn more, please reach out to me directly to talk more about the membership. Please follow me on all platforms where you listen to podcasts. Thank you for listening to Divining Edmung and if you got to the end, this is a safe place for project managers, professionals, side hustlers and anybody who's looking to navigate the complexity of being neurodiverse in the workplace and the corporate space. I'll see you next time.