Master Minds: Connecting with the Neurodivergent Asana Community
Earlier this year, I was diagnosed with ADHD. Looking back, it makes sense—three different therapists suggested it, all of my close friends have ADHD, and I experienced complete burnout from juggling all of the things daily. I’ve spent most of my career feeling like I didn’t quite fit in. Understanding now that my brain works differently, and accepting that it’s okay, has been a journey.
When I received my diagnosis, I felt pretty alone. Around the same time, I met Tiffany Oda, Head of Global Community Program Membership at project management tool Asana. She encouraged me to follow my heart and create an event to connect neurodivergent people. That’s how Master Minds: Project Management Tips for Neurodivergents came to life and was presented through the Asana Ambassador program.
I feel grateful for the opportunity to have hosted a panel of neurodivergent individuals with the goal of empowering neurodivergent people and their allies in the Asana community.
The feedback for the panel was overwhelming (in a good way). Attendees shared their own journeys, expressing how often they felt isolated or misunderstood in workplaces that weren’t built for them.
The feedback from the chat as the panel went on.
Two things became clear: as a society, we’re not doing enough to create inclusive communities where neurodivergent individuals feel supported, heard, and understood.
The second is that neurodivergent people FLOCK to tools like Asana that help us organize the chaos in our brains.
Our Panelists and Their Insights
Four panelists and a title Powerpoint slide in a Zoom screen.
The panel featured myself Xand Griffin (Asana Ambassador), Claire Martin, Erica Tahan (Asana Ambassador), and Frankie Abralind.
Here are my favorite quotes from the panel.
Xand Griffin (it’s me), said “As neurodivergent people, we don’t pay attention to our energy levels because we believe that we ‘should’ be able to do this or ‘should’ be able to do that because others can. This prevents you from accepting who you are and from being the best version of yourself.”
Claire Martin, an HR pro with expertise in diversity and inclusion, shared her personal experience with dyslexia and how neurodivergent employees thrive in supportive environments. She emphasized, “I kept trying to fit myself into this box of neurotypical behaviors. Really leaning into ‘I need to try harder’ or ‘I need to do better’. It wasn’t until my diagnosis that I was able to embrace my neurodivergent strengths—that I didn’t even know I had!”
Erica Tahan, a project management team lead with ADHD, discussed how social interaction and creative collaboration fuel her productivity. She explained, “Neurodivergent people think quite differently from others and bring a fresh perspective. More linear thinking might not be able to create the innovation needed, especially in advertising, where it can make or break a campaign.”
Frankie Abralind, a TEDx speaker and creative project manager, is autistic. Frankie discussed how neurodivergent traits, when embraced, are strengths in collaborative environments. He shared, “Neurodiversity for me has meant that I need to listen to my body. When I acknowledge and embrace that I am different and adjust my environment to honor that, then I focus better. Then I can be a better problem-solver, more creative, and have better outcomes.”
The key takeaway: knowing yourself and clearly communicating your needs is essential for success at work as a neurodivergent individual.
How Many Neurodivergent People Are There Really?
In my research I came across a stat multiple times that said, "15-20% of people are neurodivergent." That’s one in five! Then I found out that stat is a composite number pulled from studies that focus on specific types of neurodivergence. So that number could be much HIGHER and we could be talking about a quarter (or more) of the population.
And yet, we're forcing these people into traditional working environments. There’s a stigma on both sides - either A) neurodivergent people can’t do the same work as neurotypical people, or B) we have superpowered creativity. Either way, it creates unrealistic expectations.
This puzzle of where do neurodivergent folks fit in at work has two pieces: managers supporting neurodivergent team members and neurodivergent people advocating for themselves.
Managing Neurodivergent Work Helps Neurotypicals Too
Better managing your team’s workload helps everyone, not just us neurodivergent people. Increased clarity in communications will make neurotypicals better, faster, stronger too!
Here’s how to do it.
Structure the Ask Being Made: Big tasks can be overwhelming. Breaking them into smaller, more manageable steps reduces cognitive overload and helps neurodivergent employees focus.
Offer Flexibility and Individual Support: Flexibility during peak hours and taking time to understand individual needs helps neurodivergent employees thrive.
Foster Predictability for the Team: Stable, consistent schedules and clear processes reduce stress for neurodivergent people who thrive on stability.
Advocating For Yourself As A Neurodivergent Is Hard
Advocating for yourself is not a sign of weakness. Ok, now read it again: advocating for yourself is not a sign of weakness. Louder now: ADVOCATING FOR YOURSELF IS NOT A SIGN OF WEAKNESS.
Ok, now that we got that out of the way, here’s some tips.
Personal Workflow and Organization: Self-awareness leads to better communication about your needs. In your tool, tailor what you need to see and when.
Communication of Needs and Support: Creating a “How to Work with Me” document is a simple but powerful tool to share your working style with others. Ask them to fill one out too!
Regulation and Energy Management: Setting expectations up front fosters mutual understanding and reduces misunderstandings. Fidget toys can be a great way to increase focus.
The Power of Community: Moving Forward Together
“Neurodiversity is the acceptance of the variance of the infinite manifestations of neurological makeup. So neurodiversity includes everybody.”
—Organizational development and disability inclusion leader at a major financial institution, from Deloitte “Building the Neuroinclusive Workplace” report
The core message of this webinar - and this post - is the power of community. When we listen, share, and advocate, we create workspaces that empower neurodivergent professionals to thrive. As we move into the new year, let’s continue to have these conversations and support one another.
A big, big thank you to Asana for building a project management tool that neurodivergent people love to use. My career path would be very different if I did not find and implement Asana years ago for my team. The dopamine spike when I check off a task and see a little celebration dancing across my screen has likely been the secret to keeping me sane all these years.
Calendar view in Asana with color coding.
In the webinar, we also covered tips specific to Asana, including color-coded calendar view and custom fields for energy management. If you are interested, check out the recording here.
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P.S. Stay tuned for the details on our monthly neurodivergent “Master Minds” series for the Asana community! Connect with me on LinkedIn here to get updates.
