SPECIALISTERNE NETWORK

International Specialisterne Community

Specialisterne Foundation

Specialisterne Foundation is a non-for-profit organization that works to enable one million jobs for people with autism and similar challenges. The foundation owns Specialisterne Denmark and the Specialisterne concept and trademark.

David Millar

An employer's perspective on AI

“Workforce neurodiversity helps set the tone for different thinking and fosters creativity and innovation. A common feature within business environments is ‘group think’, where people tend to homogenize their way of thinking to conform with already existing or popular viewpoints. This limits one’s ability to be creative and innovative, which I think are the two most important concepts that businesses need to nurture in order to move forward. Alternative Intelligence, or AI, represents the type of intelligence that is less conventional or mainstream. By having employees with a different viewpoint perspective that are not afraid to challenge existing ideas, businesses can really benefit.

Some employees with alternative intelligence (AI; i.e., intelligence that is not mainstream or considered the norm) can be very open to challenging existing ideas. To effectively integrate these individuals into a team, leaders should promote a culture that encourages the vocalization of different opinions. Some employees with AI, on the other hand, can be less vocal about their thoughts due to social anxiety. In this case, leaders should establish a communication style that makes these individuals feel welcomed and comfortable. For instance, if a certain individual is not able to contribute to a team conversation, a leader can do one of two things – take the time to ask the individual about his or her opinions during the meeting or after the meeting in a one-on-one setting.”

From Instagram