Article 1: The Courage to Take Risks – Leadership Lessons for Now from Neurodivergent Perspectives

## Part of the Forged by Difference Blog Series on Neurodivergent Leadership

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What if the thing you thought was broken is actually the way forward?

This question transformed author Katherine May’s life as she discovered her own autism diagnosis in adulthood. In today’s multigenerational workforce, her amazing journey may also help us to transform the way we lead and to discover the modern leadership approaches we need now.

In a workplace increasingly shaped by Millennials and Gen-Z where expectations for transparency, adaptability, and empathy are non-negotiable we must embrace new rhythms. The traditional command-and-control models of old aren’t just outdated now, they actively alienate and push younger team members away.

The courage to take risks is no longer about bold moves in boardrooms, power ties, and hard-line deal making, it’s about leaders who are willing to step into unfamiliar rhythms that feel uncomfortable before they feel powerful. Neurodivergent individuals navigate this discomfort all the time and every day. My son Kirby, diagnosed with autism at 18 months, has taught me that communication, collaboration, and leadership can look very different from the playbooks I was taught when I came up. Often those differences have been the keys to breakthrough results.

Consider how Temple Grandin revolutionized livestock handling by seeing sensory patterns others missed. Her autism wasn’t an obstacle it was her edge. Or how Sir Richard Branson’s dyslexia forced him to simplify, delegate, and lead from a big-picture perspective, a leadership style ideally suited to today’s agile, distributed, and often hybrid working teams.

So, what can you do to develop the courage to lead differently, especially across generational divides?

Here are a few rhythm shifts to you might try to lead with courage:

1. Recognize your comfort zones. Where do you resist change? Those are likely the rhythms your younger team members already find outdated.

2. Invite divergent minds to lead. Gen-Z workers are far more likely to identify with neurodivergency and more likely to challenge your assumptions. Let’s try not to consider this a behavior of rebellion but instead as one of innovation.

3. Practice micro-shifts. Try ‘walking’ your meetings, opening with questions instead of updates, or asking your youngest team member to lead the recap. These shifts build your tolerance for adaptive leadership.

When my family adapted our entire life and parenting rhythms, including for communication, to meet Kirby where he was: direct, visual, sensory aware, we discovered it made everything clearer for everyone. The constraint became a gift. Now we listen more carefully and with intent. We observe to add non-verbal cues into communications.

So, the next time a team member presents an idea that feels foreign, or a generational difference frustrates your usual approach, ask yourself:

What if this isn’t broken? What if this is exactly the rhythm we need next?

If you’d like to see why May’s book, The Electricity of Every Living Thing, inspired this post on the leadership pillar around having courage to take risks, grab a copy at Amazon. Her story reveals the quiet courage behind growth. Her journey inspires us to embrace discomfort, take bold risks, and model authenticity, the kind younger team members respect.

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Leadership isn't about having all the answers—it's about having the courage to explore new questions. Often, those who move differently show us how to lead best.

So, ask yourself: what comfortable pattern might you need to break to discover your next breakthrough?