Embracing Neurodiversity as a Tech Leader with April Lea

[00:01:23] Welcome to Tech Leaders Launchpad and Icebreaker

Andrew Murphy: Hello, everybody, and welcome to another Tech Leaders Launchpad livestream. For those of you who don't know who I am, I'm Andrew Murphy. I'm the founder of Tech Leaders Launchpad. I started my leadership journey 15 years ago, and at that time there wasn't much support out there for tech leaders. When I decided to help people become better tech leaders, I wanted to contribute to the knowledge base by sharing insights from people I learn from—including coaches, mentors, and those who inspire me.

Today I have with me April Lea. April, you've had a varied career and are currently Head of Product at REA Group. But let's kick this off with a fun question about nerdiness: What is your favorite technology gadget that is not your computer?

April Lea: When you told me you were going to ask this question, I wanted to pick something cool, but honestly, my favorite is my noise canceling headphones. They let me zone out the world and deliver amazing sound when I need music. So, my noise canceling headphones.

Andrew Murphy: Which specific ones do you have? I've tried many brands and models, both in-ear and over-ear, and there's always trade-offs.

April Lea: I can't handle in-ear ones like AirPods; my ears get sore pretty quickly. So I prefer the over-ear Bose QuietComfort 35s—they’re light, don’t press on my head, do a great job canceling noise, and the sound quality is sublime.

Andrew Murphy: I had the older version for years, kept replacing the pads, but eventually the battery died. I tried switching to the Sony 1000XM4s, but I regret it. When these expire, I'll go back to Bose.

April Lea: Yeah, you can't go wrong with Bose. They've really established themselves.

Andrew Murphy: One problem I have with Bluetooth headsets is when I'm in a video call and my phone rings, the connection jumps to my phone and I can't hear people on the call. I've never found headphones that don't do that, so I use different ones for calls.

April Lea: Yeah, configuring Bluetooth headsets across devices is tricky. I have separate pairs for work and personal use because of that issue. It’s always a telemarketer when you least want it!

[00:12:31] April’s Background and Passion for Neurodiversity

Andrew Murphy: But we're not just here to talk about headphones. April, can you share your background and why you’re passionate about neurodiversity in technology?

April Lea: Of course. I’m April, Head of Product at REA Group. I started my career over 10 years ago as a software engineer and quickly realized I tend to job-hop every 18 months because I get bored once I hit my peak performance in a role—a consistent pattern for me.

Though my brother and sister were diagnosed neurodivergent, I was supposedly the "normal" child. But in 2020, I experienced autistic burnout and needed to leave the workforce for about six to seven months. Through that process I was diagnosed with level 2 autism and ADHD (inattentive type). Once I started in leadership, I found myself challenging norms and seeking different ways to support individuals, rather than applying cookie-cutter processes.

Since my diagnosis, I've faced discrimination in the workplace and recognized that the old way I used to work isn't sustainable. Now, I'm passionate about making the working world more neuro-affirming, recognizing everyone as human, and catering to the neurodiversity present in today's workforce.

[00:15:47] Andrew’s Personal Neurodiversity Journey

Andrew Murphy: I resonate with what you've said. I was diagnosed as a young adult as being on the autistic spectrum, and it’s been a journey of working out what that means as a professional. As a kid, if there was a rule at school that didn’t make sense to me, I ignored it. I connect with the idea of challenging norms. Hopefully we can address both sides of neurodiversity today: being a neurodiverse leader and leading a neurodiverse team.

April, can you share an example of how neurodiversity has significantly impacted your career or the biases you’ve faced?

April Lea: Absolutely. The most prominent experience was after I had to leave the workforce due to burnout and reinvent myself professionally. My therapy team insisted I’d have to disclose my disability to get the accommodations needed to return to work. Despite anti-discrimination laws, most companies lost interest once I disclosed my diagnosis—even when I was highly qualified.

In one interview, after sharing I was autistic and would need accommodations, the panel’s demeanor changed instantly. The managing director even asked, “How can you lead people if you’re autistic?” The previous 45 minutes of discussing my achievements evaporated in that moment. The accommodations I requested were very reasonable, yet I didn’t get the job.

[00:21:21] Navigating Disclosure and Masking

Andrew Murphy: That story really highlights the challenge we face—what’s best for society (openness) is often at odds with what’s best for an individual (self-protection), which is so hard.

April Lea: Exactly. If I hadn’t disclosed, I might have gotten the job, but as soon as I later requested accommodations, it’s likely they’d find other means to let me go. Also, I can’t “mask” (hide my traits) for six months just to survive probation—I’d burn out again and have more responsibilities now as a parent. So I had to find workplaces accepting from the start.

Andrew Murphy: You mentioned masking—could you explain what that means?

April Lea: Masking is basically suppressing your autistic traits to fit into social norms, such as limiting natural movements, forcing eye contact, or filtering your words carefully. It’s beyond just “professionalism”; it’s cognitively exhausting and detracts from your ability to perform. Over time, that extra effort leads to exhaustion or burnout.

Andrew Murphy: It’s also emotionally draining—not being your real self creates internal disconnect and that, for me, is often what leads to burnout.

April Lea: Absolutely.

[00:26:14] Why Embrace Neurodiversity at Work?

Andrew Murphy: Why is it important for companies to have and support neurodiverse people—why not make everyone mask and conform?

April Lea: Neurodiverse teams offer a variety of perspectives—true diversity of thought. When teams aren’t forced to think, behave, or act through a single lens, you get better critical thinking and problem-solving. Otherwise, you have to artificially manufacture this using things like the “six thinking hats” framework—because you’ve stifled real diversity and need a process just to re-extract it.

Andrew Murphy: That’s a great point—those techniques are just workaround for what we’ve lost by not encouraging genuine diversity.

April Lea: Yes, and intersectionality matters too. Different aspects of diversity intersect; for example, a neurodiverse woman in tech has distinct challenges and perspectives.

[00:29:38] Actionable Changes for Leaders and Team Members

Andrew Murphy: I want to make these conversations actionable. What can people do—both executives and those at other levels—to promote neurodiversity and support colleagues?

April Lea: Everyone can make a difference. As a leader, recognize every team member’s unique strengths and learn how each person thrives—regardless of neurotype. Your job is to create the best environment for each individual, not to clone a single “type.”
If you haven't had recent leadership training, consider updating your skills; it’s not the same as it was ten years ago. Leadership needs have evolved. On a practical level, for someone who needs autonomy, let them work independently if they’re competent. For someone who prefers deadlines and structure, provide it—without seeing that as a flaw. Help scaffold people as needed; it's not a negative, it's your job.

Andrew Murphy: Leadership is a profession, like medicine or law—it evolves. Being a successful leader for 10 years doesn’t mean there’s nothing new to learn!

[00:36:56] Recruiting and Supporting Neurodiverse Talent

Andrew Murphy: How can we attract and support neurodiverse people during hiring and onboarding?

April Lea: The first reality: neurodiverse people are already in your workforce. But 70% of employed autistic people experience work-related mental health challenges, and 45% are overqualified for their jobs. So, nurturing neurodiverse employees is the bigger challenge.

To help with recruitment:

• Send interview questions in advance—otherwise, all you’re testing is their on-the-spot thinking.
• Allow candidates to follow up after the interview with extra thoughts or clarifications.
• Avoid on-the-spot technical tests—they won’t show you someone’s true capabilities.

Andrew Murphy: We heard the same advice from Anwan Simmons at GitHub. Real-world work is rarely about high-pressure solo responses.

[00:41:22] Advocacy Within Resistant Workplaces

Andrew Murphy: We have a question from Amber, a low-level, openly autistic manager in a big tech company, where neurodiversity isn't valued because “there’s only one” (her). Advice on shifting perceptions?

April Lea: If the company isn’t receptive, try starting a neurodiversity (and allies) channel in your internal comms tool—it doesn’t “out” people but creates a supportive space. At REA Group, we have a thriving neurodiversity channel.
Alternatively, build a business case using statistics about neurodiversity at work and look for government programs that fund training—this might remove cost objections.

Andrew Murphy: Labeling the group “neurodiverse and allies” is great for inclusiveness. Just consider whether spaces should be open to allies or protected for neurodiverse employees only.

[00:44:46] Supporting Collaboration in Agile/Remote Teams

Andrew Murphy: Another question: How do you support neurodiverse people in collaborative environments like agile, where there are lots of team interactions, standups, retros, etc.?

April Lea: I’ve led fully remote global teams, and building rapport is tough without synchronous moments. A solution I love is user manuals: each team member shares how they work best, how to give feedback, their work hours, comms preferences, etc. It sets expectations and fosters compromise. This isn’t just about catering to one person, but a holistic way to help the group collaborate and consider each other’s needs.

Andrew Murphy: Like accessibility features in tech—if you design for disabled people, everyone benefits. Structures that help neurodiverse people end up making workflow better for everyone.

April Lea: Exactly.

[00:48:57] April’s Neurodiversity Network and Final Actionable Advice

Andrew Murphy: Do you want to talk about your passion projects?

April Lea: Sure! Building from my own challenges, I created the Neurodiversity Network—a not-for-profit career hub for neurodivergent talent, focusing on sustainable and meaningful careers, community, and support. It’s about not having to choose between climbing the ladder and having a life.

Andrew Murphy: There’s a wealth of resources there. For tech leaders: if someone on your team is neurodiverse but doesn’t want to be open about it, how do you support them?

April Lea: It happens often. I use environmental prompts and advocate broadly for different working styles, rather than singling anyone out. For example, when someone seems disengaged on Zoom, I ask: Are their responses on point? Maybe they just ponder differently! So I take a universal design approach—helping everyone recognize there’s more than one way to exist.

Andrew Murphy: That works for everyone, even people who aren’t diagnosed neurodiverse.

[00:53:57] Wrapping Up and Continued Discussion

Andrew Murphy: We’re at the top of the hour—time flies! Next livestream, I’ll be joined by Martin to discuss projects vs. products. If you want to chat with me, please book a 20-minute slot—no sales, just a genuine conversation.

April, any final thoughts to share?

April Lea: Just, thank you for joining and being interested. The more people engage with this topic, the more neuro-affirming our world can be.

Andrew Murphy: I second that. Whether you’re new to this or deep in the space, I hope this continues your journey. Please share your thoughts and keep the conversation going on LinkedIn or YouTube. Thank you, April, especially for joining when you’re feeling unwell—it shows your passion for change. Thank you everyone for watching, and see you next time on Tech Leaders Launchpad.