Inclusion For Neurological Differences: ‘The Neurodiversity Edge’ By Maureen Dunne
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‘The Neurodiversity Edge: The Essential Guide to Embracing Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Neurological Differences for Any Organization’ by Dr. Maureen Dunne highlights the transformative potential of neurodiversity in today's workplaces. Published by Wiley in March 2024, the book is available in ebook and paperback formats.
Based on the case studies of neurodivergent employees and 20 years of cognitive science research, ‘The Neurodiversity Edge’ is a guide for employers, leaders, and business professionals that highlights the unique strengths and perspectives of neurodivergent individuals, including those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other neurological differences.
Research indicates that teams incorporating neurodivergent professionals in certain roles can achieve up to a 30% increase in productivity compared to teams without such diversity. This is owing to the fact that the inclusion and integration of neurodivergent professionals have been shown to enhance team morale.
Despite growing corporate emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) in the workplace, the neurodivergent community often remains overlooked in these discussions and recruitment efforts. Consequently, individuals within this group face higher rates of unemployment and underemployment relative to the general population. In the United States, for instance, an estimated 85% of individuals on the autism spectrum are unemployed, a contrast to the 4.2% unemployment rate among the overall population.
Author Dr. Dunne has had more than 20 years of personal experiences as a neurodivergent CEO, board member, and employer. She shares the stories from her work with multiple organisations, including Fortune 500 companies and startups, providing readers with practical insights and real-world examples to understand the concepts.
‘The Neurodiversity Edge’: A journey through cognitive diversity in organisations
The 336-page book ‘The Neurodiversity Edge’ is divided into three parts, and focuses on the what, why, and how of accepting cognitive diversity. The author Dr Maureen Dunne discusses the power of neurodiversity along with the risks of groupthink and the economic advantages of inclusion. Part II covers several cognitive diversity topics, such as putting concepts into practice and reconsidering conventional wisdom. The book concludes by highlighting helpful techniques for developing inclusive workplaces, attracting a diverse workforce, and encouraging empathy.
‘The Neurodiversity Edge’ gives organisations the knowledge and skills they need to successfully utilise the power of neurodiversity for innovation through research, case studies, and personal stories. The e-book is available starting at just £17.99, while the print version starts at just £21.99.
“Neurodiversity may be every bit as crucial for the human race as biodiversity is for life in general. Who can say what form of wiring will be best at any given moment?”— Harvey Blume, The Atlantic, 1998
Dr Maureen Dunne: A leading expert in Neurodiversity and business leadership
Dr. Maureen Dunne is a neurodiversity expert, cognitive scientist, board director, keynote speaker, and neurodivergent business leader who has spent more than 20 years helping companies create dynamic cultures. She has served as a senior advisor to some of the biggest corporate brands in the world, Fortune 500 companies, scaleups, universities, startups, venture capital funds, and government officials.
Maureen’s work has been featured in several publications, including Inside Higher Ed, DiversityQ, UNLEASH, Entrepreneur, Bloomberg, MIT Sloan Management Review, Forbes, and the New York Times. In addition to being a featured speaker at The Atlantic Festival, where neurodiversity was recognised as part of the Inclusion subject for the first time in history, she was a keynote speaker at Stanford University and the National Science Foundation.
Maureen is the CEO of Nodi.ai, a co-founder of the Autism Angels Group, and a member of the Young Presidents' Organisation, which is limited to the world's most successful CEOs. She helped in the establishment of a Social Impact Accelerator Fund at LEGO to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation in neurodiversity. In addition, she is an elected official who works with community colleges to develop the path for talent.
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