Neurodivergent Profiles in Change: Strengths That Drive Transformation

Team Innomovate
Aug 18
3 min read

Updated: Aug 19

Last week we explored how neurodiversity is a powerful driver of inclusion and innovation in the workplace. This week, we go one step further: looking at the different types of neurodivergence — such as dyslexia, autism, ADHD, and dyspraxia, and how their distinct skills directly support organisational change.

Neurodiversity is not about deficit; it’s about natural variations in how people think, learn, and process information. These “spiky profiles” of ability can be a competitive advantage when applied to change programmes, offering creativity, focus, structure, and empathy across the transformation journey [source: BCS]. As we explore some of the most known types of neurodivergence but there is more so please do your research as you embark on the journey of innovation.

Dyslexia: Visual, Spatial, Creative Thinkers

While dyslexia is often associated with challenges in reading and writing, it also comes with elevated strengths in visual reasoning, pattern spotting, and storytelling. Dyslexic thinkers can simplify complex ideas into compelling narratives, this is invaluable when communicating change across a whole organisation. Their ability to connect dots and see the “big picture” makes them natural strategists and innovators.

Autism: Precision, Consistency, Integrity

Autistic professionals often excel in pattern recognition, accuracy, and deep focus. These strengths support data-driven change, where rigorous evaluation and structured processes are essential. Their integrity and commitment to consistency can anchor change initiatives, ensuring that new systems are not only adopted but sustained with reliability.

ADHD: Innovation, Energy, Hyperfocus

ADHD is often framed around distraction, but it also fuels high energy, rapid idea generation, and the ability to hyperfocus on areas of passion. During times of uncertainty, ADHD team members can inject momentum, resilience, and creativity into change projects. They challenge the status quo, reframe barriers as opportunities, and help teams to think beyond conventional boundaries.

Dyspraxia: Empathy, Creativity, Human Focus

Dyspraxia is linked to challenges in coordination, but also to remarkable empathy, creativity, and perseverance. In change settings, dyspraxic colleagues bring human insight, anticipating how changes will affect people at all levels. Their fine attention to detail ensures solutions are practical and inclusive, strengthening both design and implementation phases.

Bringing It Together: Spiky Profiles and Change

Many people are not just one profile but a blend — for example, individuals with both autism and ADHD (AuDHD). This creates “spiky profiles” of abilities that can be mapped across the stages of change: ideation (ADHD creativity sparks new solutions), planning (autism provides structure and rigour), storytelling (dyslexia offers powerful narratives), and implementation (dyspraxia ensures empathy and attention to people’s needs). When organisations build teams with these different strengths in mind, change journeys become richer, more resilient, and more sustainable

Global companies like SAP, Microsoft, and EY have built tailored programmes to recruit, support, and empower neurodiverse talent, showing measurable benefits in productivity and innovation. For organisations undergoing transformation, the lesson is clear: inclusion is not an add-on, it’s a performance driver. By identifying individual strengths, adapting processes, and ensuring accessibility, organisations can design change journeys where every brain contributes at its best.

Neurodiversity is more than inclusion. When leaders actively recognise and harness the distinct strengths of dyslexia, autism, ADHD, and dyspraxia, they unlock not just talent, but the very skills needed to navigate and thrive through change.