Neurodiversity As A Superpower

When I registered for the UBC Coaching Neurodiversity at Work program, I thought that

I would be learning how to coach neurodivergent individuals to “correct” their

deficiencies to better perform in a neuro-typical workplace. My perspective has

completely shifted after 14 weeks of learning about leveraging strengths rather than

correcting perceived weaknesses. My learning was sharply pulled into focus over the

weekend when I watched the movie Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Viewing the movie

through a neuro-affirmative lens made me appreciate my growth as a coach.

The following are 3 concepts that I learned through the program that changed the way I

viewed this film and my perspective on neurodiversity in general:

*Note: The content below contains spoilers for the movie...

1) A Blessing or A Curse

In the movie, Spider-man goes through an emotional trauma so intense that it changes

the fabric of his DNA. As a result, he mutates to become more of a spider than a

human. This imbalance manifests as enhanced sensory sensitivity and additional

physical strength that he cannot control. These unique qualities make it difficult for him

to do his job of being a superhero. Spider-man invents an “Inhibitor Chip” that he wears

to re-balance his DNA and minimize these new powers so that he can go back to the

half-human/half-spider that he was before this mutation occurred. Eventually, Spider-

man realizes that these new powers are a blessing rather than a curse and accepts that

they are a part of him and can be leveraged to make him a better superhero.

When Spider-man accepted his unique abilities as strengths rather that something he

needed to fix, it reminded me of the power of strengths-based coaching, as discussed in

the course materials. I found Chapter 4 of “Neurodiversity Coaching: A Psychological

Approach to Supporting Neurodivergent Talent and Career Potential” to be particularly

empowering as a coach. I now understand that strengths-based coaching means

supporting neurodivergent clients to identify and tap into their unique strengths rather

than focus on their weaknesses.

In the course, I learned how the medical model of disability, systemic design, policy and leadership often excludes neurodivergent people by default. In my coaching practice, I will take steps to align with neuro-affirmative and dignity-centred values including:

• auditing my language and assumptions of embedded deficit framing

• challenging compliance-driven models

• revising policies, team norms and coaching strategies

• holding space for intersectionality

I plan to use the VIA Character Strengths assessment tool in my practice to support

clients in identifying their strengths. Once the client and I have an understanding of their

strengths, we can use the Integrated Coaching Framework for Neuro-affirmative

Coaching (ICF-N) model to help clients analyze these strengths in various workplace

contexts to determine their levers and sinkholes. By harnessing these strengths and

supporting the client in maximizing their true potential, I hope to help them find their

unique superpowers.

2) Inhibit or Leverage

In the movie, Spider-man’s inability to control his new physical strength results in

someone accidentally being hurt, and he is suddenly viewed differently by those he

works with to fight crime. As a result, he invents the Inhibitor Chip to mask his enhanced

superpower and to reduce his sensory sensitivity. This represents Spider-man’s attempt

to control his biology, treating his new powers as a mechanical malfunction that needs

to be fixed. In doing so, he mirror’s society’s impulse to control what it does not

understand. When he finally discards the Inhibitor Chip, he stops fighting his own nature

and embraces who he truly is – flaws, strengths, powers and humanity combined – to

become a better superhero.

Spider-man’s use of the Inhibitor Chip brought to mind the concept of masking at work,

as discussed in the article “What It’s Like to Mask at Work as a Neurodivergent Person”.

According to the article, masking means actively changing your behaviour to cover up a

part of yourself that might make you seem too different or incompatible with others. It is

a coping mechanism that neurodivergent people often use to appear “normal” or to

comply with what society deems behaviourally acceptable.

I had previously understood that we all wear masks at work to a certain degree. But

through the program I learned that the energy expended by neurodivergent individuals

to mask at work and conform to others’ expectations is an emotional tax that neuro-

typical employees don’t have to pay. This can have significant effects on their work

performance, relationships with colleagues, personal lives and mental and physical

health. Recognizing masking behaviour and its impacts will help me to have more

understanding and compassion when I coach neurodivergent clients.

3) “When you help someone, you help everyone”

At the end of the movie, Spider-man visits the grave of his beloved Aunt May. On her

tombstone is written: “When you help someone, you help everyone”. Spider-man

realizes that being a superhero is not just about fighting villains, but it’s about lifting

people up, which ultimately heals and strengthens society as a whole. This means that

every individual – regardless of their background, physical ability or neurodiversity –

carries inherent worth and the capacity to do good by being themselves and not

conforming to an idealized mold. In essence, our combined differences make us

stronger and more powerful as a whole.

This quote from the movie immediately reminded me of the concept of universal design

and the “curb-cut effect” that we learned in the reading “The Canary Code: A Guide to

Neurodiversity, Dignity and Intersectional Belonging at Work” by Ludmila Praslova. Curb

cuts were created because wheelchair users needed them to navigate sidewalks and

streets. But once they existed, they also benefited parents pushing strollers, people

pulling luggage, delivery workers, cyclists, scooters and many others. Praslova applies

the concept to neurodiversity and how designing workplaces around the needs of

neurodivergent people can benefit everyone, such as:

• flexible schedules;

• quieter work environments;

• sensory-friendly work spaces;

• clear communication;

• agendas in advance of meetings; and

• respecting multiple ways of learning and receiving information

As a coach, I can use the concept of universal design to support clients in identifying

barriers to their performance and to help them advocate for themselves in the workplace

so that they are equipped to do their best work. I also hope to work as a coach with

organizations to improve workplace inclusion for everyone.

Take-aways

This course has dramatically changed my perspective on coaching neurodivergent

individuals in the workplace. I understand the importance of not coaching from a deficit

mindset to help clients “fix” what’s broken so that they can function in a neuro-typical

world. I now recognize that as a coach I need to go beyond focusing on the individual’s

challenges and consider the environments, systems and intersectionality in which

neurodivergent people work and live. Applying these concepts to the Spider-Man film

reinforced for me that effective coaching is not about changing what makes someone

different, but rather it is about helping them understand, harness and thrive through their

unique strengths. I am grateful that I am leaving this program with a more reflective,

individualized approach to coaching and a stronger commitment to helping

neurodivergent clients recognize their unique strengths and create conditions in which

they, and others, can thrive at work.

Reference List

Doyle, N., & McDowall, A. (2024). Neurodiversity coaching: A psychological approach to

supporting neurodivergent talent and career potential. Routledge.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003368274

Nelson, K. (2023, February 10). What it's like to mask at work as a neurodivergent

person. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/neurodivergence-at-work-to-

mask-or-not-to-mask-7108000

Praslova, L. N. (2024). The canary code: A guide to neurodiversity, dignity, and

intersectional belonging at work. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.