The BASICS Framework:
A Holistic Approach to Workplace Neurodiversity

A comprehensive approach to neurodiversity in organisations. 

Unlike conventional diversity initiatives focused primarily on compliance or isolated accommodations, this methodology adapts to your organisation's specific needs through an evidence-based framework. Organisations experience a partnership that addresses their unique challenges by leveraging diverse cognitive styles for strategic advantage.

How Does BASICS Coaching Work?

The BASICS Framework is informed by extensive training and research in neurodiversity, organisational psychology, and leadership development, as well as personal experience discovering autism and ADHD mid-executive career.

While the framework references various theoretical models and researchers, you don't need any prior knowledge of these - that's my job! The links provided offer optional further reading if you're interested in exploring specific topics deeper.

Let's address challenges and leverage the power of your neurodivergent teams with the BASICS Framework.

How We Apply the BASICS Framework:

B - Beyond Awareness to Understanding:  We start by looking at current awareness and finding opportunities where different thinking styles can help with business challenges. We often map neurodivergent strengths to existing organisational needs.

A - Accommodation to Integration: We look at current practices and develop changes that naturally welcome diverse cognitive approaches into everyday workflows and environments.

S - Social Construction Recognition: We consider workplace norms and "professional" standards to see how they might create unintended barriers, focusing on creating environments where all cognitive styles can flourish.

I - Individuality Over Generalisations: We explore ways to recognise individual cognitive strengths within teams, creating approaches that value each person's unique combination of abilities rather than using broad categories.

C - Coaching Mindset to Management: We help develop leadership approaches that shift from directing to curiosity and coaching, helping managers spot and enhance distinct strengths across diverse thinking styles.

S - Systemic Resistance Navigation: We address concerns and resistance that emerge during change, creating safe spaces for open conversations about neurodiversity.

  • The Challenge: Many organisations stop at basic awareness of neurodivergent traits without strategically applying this knowledge.

    Organisations need to move beyond basic recognition of neurodivergent traits to develop strategic understanding of how different thinking styles solve specific business challenges. Leaders learn to identify where pattern recognition, deep focus, innovative thinking, and other neurodivergent strengths can address existing business problems and create competitive advantages.

    • Identify specific business challenges that diverse cognitive approaches can uniquely solve

    • Map thinking styles to strategic business objectives

    • Develop metrics that demonstrate the impact of cognitive diversity on outcomes

    • Transform awareness training into strategic cognitive deployment

    Research: Doyle, N. (2020). "Neurodiversity at Work: A Biopsychosocial Model and the Impact on Working Adults." British Medical Bulletin, 135(1), 108-125. Learn more about evidence-based frameworks for implementing neurodiversity inclusion strategies

  • The Challenge: Traditional accommodation approaches often treat neurodivergent needs as exceptions rather than opportunities for systemic improvement.

    Progressive organisations redesign their systems and workflows to naturally incorporate diverse thinking styles rather than making occasional exceptions. Work environments evolve to become inherently inclusive, allowing professionals to contribute authentically while creating more effective and flexible systems for everyone.

    • Redesign workflows to leverage diverse cognitive approaches throughout the entire process

    • Develop documentation that includes both conceptual diagrams and detailed specifications

    • Implement recruitment and advancement processes that capture the full spectrum of cognitive talents

    • Transform workplace environments to support strategic deployment of both convergent and divergent thinking

    Research: Microsoft (2021). "Inclusive Hiring for People with Disabilities: A Guide for Employers." Explore Microsoft's systemic approach to neurodiversity inclusion

  • The Challenge: Many organisations view neurodivergence through a purely medical lens, focusing on "fixing" individuals rather than examining how workplace norms create artificial barriers.

    Forward-thinking organisations recognise that while neurological differences are real, "disability" emerges from the interaction between minds and environments rather than being inherent to individuals. This perspective involves questioning who has the power to define "normal" or "professional" and exposing how seemingly neutral workplace standards encode neurotypical privilege.

    • Examine how workplace "norms" privilege certain neurological styles while disadvantaging others

    • Question definitions of professionalism, productivity, and leadership that encode neurotypical privilege

    • Identify artificial barriers created by arbitrary workplace conventions

    • Relocate responsibility for change from marginalised individuals to systems and power holders

    Research: Kapp, S. K., Gillespie-Lynch, K., Sherman, L. E., & Hutman, T. (2013). "Deficit, difference, or both? Autism and neurodiversity." Developmental Psychology, 49(1), 59-71. Read about medical vs. social models of disability in neurodiversity

  • The Challenge: Broad generalisations about neurodivergent traits miss the richness of individual cognitive profiles.

    Organisations benefit from developing the capability to recognise and map individual cognitive profiles rather than relying on broad generalisations. Teams learn to leverage the unique combination of strengths each person brings, creating personalised development pathways and strategic role assignments that maximise natural talents and drive performance.

    • Implement approaches for identifying individual cognitive strengths

    • Develop team composition strategies based on complementary cognitive styles

    • Create personalised development pathways that maximise natural talents

    • Transform role assignments to leverage unique cognitive profiles strategically

    Research: Deloitte (2017). "Rewriting the rules for the digital age: 2017 Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends." Deloitte University Press. Discover how individual cognitive strengths improve team performance

  • The Challenge: Directive management approaches often fail to unlock the full potential of neurodivergent professionals.

    Effective leadership transforms from directive oversight to curiosity-driven coaching. Managers develop the ability to identify and amplify distinct strengths, create psychological safety for authentic contribution, and implement strength-based development that drives engagement and productivity across diverse cognitive styles.

    • Create frameworks for matching cognitive approaches to business needs

    • Develop techniques for helping team members access their optimal thinking mode for each challenge

    • Build leadership approaches that foster psychological safety for authenticity

    • Transform management practices to implement "mode-switching" practices where teams toggle between expansive ideation and focused refinement

    Research: Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R., & McKee, A. (2013). "Primal Leadership: Unleashing the Power of Emotional Intelligence." Harvard Business Review Press. Explore emotional intelligence in managing diverse cognitive styles

  • The Challenge: Even well-intentioned neurodiversity initiatives encounter psychological resistance from both neurotypical and neurodivergent team members.

    Successful neurodiversity initiatives require skill in navigating the psychological resistance that emerges during change processes. Organisations develop capacity to identify patterns like judgement and resentment, over-attribution, false guilt, and identity-based isolation, while creating psychologically safe spaces for authentic dialogue.

    • Address judgement and resentment that emerges when established systems are questioned

    • Counter over-attribution that reduces neurodivergent individuals to stereotypes

    • Transform false guilt that leads to paralysis rather than productive action

    • Navigate identity-based isolation that can emerge in neurodiversity conversations

    • Create dialogue that finds commonalities while acknowledging differences

    Research: Bourke, J., & Dillon, B. (2018). "The diversity and inclusion revolution: Eight powerful truths." Deloitte Review, Issue 22, 82-95. Learn about overcoming barriers to diversity initiatives