Neurodiversity in tech teams

[03:40] Welcome and what this livestream is about

• Andrew Murphy: Hello and welcome to another Tech Leaders Launchpad livestream. I’m Andrew Murphy, a tech leader for ~15–20 years. When I started, there was no support, so I made a lot of mistakes. Now I share what I’ve learned so you don’t have to do things the hard way. These livestreams bring on folks I learn from to talk about topics important to tech leadership. We’ve had Scott Hanselman, Charity Majors, Dylan Beattie… and today: Anita! Welcome, Anita.
• Anita Kalmane-Boot: Good morning from the Netherlands.
• Andrew Murphy: Good afternoon from Australia. Let’s start with a quick icebreaker…

[04:59] Icebreaker: favorite non-phone, non-computer tech gadget

• Andrew Murphy: What’s your favorite tech gadget that’s not your computer or your phone?
• Anita Kalmane-Boot: I was going to say my phone! Second would be a power bank—I travel with one because my iPhone battery doesn’t last. I try to buy sustainable products—my current iPhone is refurbished. I’d love a Fairphone, but the camera quality isn’t there yet for me.
• Andrew Murphy: Great point about sustainability. I’ll be cheeky and give two:

[10:09] Why this topic? Who Anita is and why neurodiversity matters at work

• Andrew Murphy: Let’s start with your background, Anita. Who are you, what do you do, and why this topic?
• Anita Kalmane-Boot: I’m a Scrum Master (7–8 years), currently at a European company called Bauage. Neurodiversity matters because many neurodivergent folks talk inside their own communities, but not enough with people who aren’t neurodivergent. We hear a lot about parenting neurodivergent kids, but less about supporting neurodivergent colleagues so they can work and stay employed. I’m on a mission to talk to non-neurodivergent people: what it means, how it affects us, and how to support colleagues so they can succeed.
• Andrew Murphy: I was diagnosed early with ASD (Asperger’s back then). There’s a spectrum of traits—positives and negatives. Understanding that diversity has helped me lead better. Folks watching live: post your questions in chat on LinkedIn/YouTube/Twitch.

[14:39] Defining neurodiversity and breaking stereotypes

• Andrew Murphy: Let’s define terms. What do we mean by neurodiversity? Examples?
• Anita Kalmane-Boot: Neurodiversity refers to differences in how brains are wired. Roughly 80% of people are “neurotypical,” ~20% are “neurodivergent” (numbers vary). It’s not better or worse—just different, like eye or hair color, but less visible. Examples include autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia. Some (like high sensitivity) are debated. Some require formal diagnosis (varies by country); others are self-diagnosed—hence fuzzy stats. Rather than box-checking what’s “in or out,” focus on: many people are neurodivergent, often with overlapping conditions, and brains function differently.
• Andrew Murphy: Spectrums matter. Two autistic people might look very different. TV stereotypes (Rain Man, The Good Doctor) reflect some, but not all. “You must like trains” is a classic stereotype—plenty don’t.

[18:50] How common is neurodiversity in tech? Gender differences and masking

• Audience (Mike): What percentage of tech folks do you estimate have undiagnosed neurodiversity?
• Anita Kalmane-Boot: Broadly, ~20% of the general population (diagnosed in Western contexts). In tech, it’s higher—tech seems to attract certain neurotypes (not all spectrums equally; e.g., I personally haven’t met many with bipolar disorder in tech, though it exists). People may not identify as neurodivergent; they’re just drawn to the work.
• Andrew Murphy: I’ve seen a similar draw in actuarial science—big overlap with tech personalities.
• Anita Kalmane-Boot: Research shows many neurodivergent women cluster in healthcare—surprising but certain attributes attract them. Gender matters: tech is male-dominated, which may shape observed patterns.
• Andrew Murphy: Women are diagnosed at lower rates and later, partly due to masking—so the apparent male skew is real but also diagnostic bias.
• Anita Kalmane-Boot: Yes—women often get diagnosed as adults. More female researchers are improving understanding of female presentations, which can differ.

[23:49] Handling leaders’ negative ADHD stereotypes; sharing diagnosis vs accommodations

• Audience (Twisty): How do you handle leaders who stereotype ADHD (e.g., “throws chairs like a kid”)?
• Anita Kalmane-Boot: Start with empathy. Understand why they think that—past experience? Then expand their perspective: real colleagues willing to share their stories (with consent) or provide resources. This helps if leaders are open to learning. If not, be nuanced about disclosure. People often ask if they should share a diagnosis at work—my answer: it depends. What do you want to achieve? What’s your workplace like? Often you can skip the diagnosis and share specific needs instead:
• Andrew Murphy: Accessibility in software taught us a useful lesson: making products better for people with disabilities improves them for everyone (e.g., I now use voice commands with kids in my arms). The same is true for teams—neuro-inclusive practices help everyone.
• Anita Kalmane-Boot: Exactly.

[29:00] To diagnose or not? Labels can empower or constrain; when to disclose to colleagues

• Audience (Shirley): Late ADHD diagnosis would have helped me in my early 20s.
• Andrew Murphy: Better late than never—you can get the support you need now.
• Anita Kalmane-Boot: Some wonder whether to seek a diagnosis. Ask: What do you want from it—peace of mind? Access to healthcare or formal accommodations (country-dependent)? I have a 60+ family member who likely has ADHD but chose not to get diagnosed—they’ve built systems that work. That’s valid too.
• Andrew Murphy: Labels can be empowering (a trigger for action) or disempowering (an excuse). Same label, different impact by person.
• Anita Kalmane-Boot: Sharing with colleagues also “depends.” What’s your goal? Will it help them support you, or lead to boxing and bias? Some share in interviews because they want truly embracing workplaces—admirable, but not all companies are there. Time, place, and purpose matter. When I was diagnosed, I told a colleague; they asked, “Why share?” My reason: sometimes my filter fails; if I say something impolite, please tell me—I want to know and improve.

[33:01] Risks of disclosure and the “right thing” vs your best interests

• Andrew Murphy: Past guest April Lee shared that disclosing neurodiversity cost her a job offer (told in confidence later). There are risks. Sometimes the “right thing” and “your best interests” diverge—especially if you need the job.
• Anita Kalmane-Boot: Exactly. Interviewers may want to know, but you’re not obliged—it’s medical history. If you do share (e.g., Tourette’s), it still doesn’t tell how it specifically impacts your work. Better to share relevant impacts and accommodations needed. This is similar to laws prohibiting questions about pregnancy—you can see why companies want to know, but law and fairness protect candidates.

[35:26] Is Agile “not built for neurodiversity”?

• Audience (Scrum Master in an IT company): Someone told me Agile isn’t built for neurodiversity. Thoughts?
• Anita Kalmane-Boot: Until recently I’d have said Agile is great for neurodiversity. The confusion arises when companies implement Scrum poorly. The Scrum Guide says ABCD; many companies do something else. For someone (e.g., autistic) who relies on clear rules, that mismatch is stressful and confusing. However, core Agile elements help:

[38:03] Practical accommodations in daily work: lateness and time blindness

• Audience (Mike): Share a practical example of adjusting your behavior for a colleague’s neurodivergent trait.
• Anita Kalmane-Boot: Lateness. Many with ADHD experience “time blindness.” As someone (without ADHD) who’s time-obsessed, this used to stress me. The adjustment:
• Andrew Murphy: Great example. My own example: we tried pure Kanban (one card at a time) instead of assigning several cards per engineer. One teammate said they couldn’t work that way—being productive meant switching among multiple items through the day. That’s unproductive for me, but worked brilliantly for them. Lesson: experiment, ask why something doesn’t work for someone, and adapt.

[43:53] Workshop/meeting accessibility tips

• Audience (Rob): That’s me—I need many concurrent things or I struggle.
• Andrew Murphy (to Rob): Curious—how many do you actually finish?
• Audience (Rob): 7–8 within the expected timeframe; 2–3 stretch into months.
• Audience (Andras): Accessibility tips:
• Andrew Murphy: Yes—ideation workshops can be tough in-the-moment. Pre-reads and prompts help.
• Anita Kalmane-Boot: I often share topics a day before with colleagues who benefit from prep—even if I keep some workshop elements secret for others. It’s appreciated.

[46:08] Hiring: stop surprise questions; interview technique matters

• Andrew Murphy: Controversial opinion (thankfully less so now): stop surprising candidates with questions. “We need to see them think on their feet.” How often is that their real job? Give as much information upfront so candidates can prepare. It especially helps neurodivergent folks.
• Anita Kalmane-Boot: In the Netherlands, interviews often expect a lot of personal info (“I’m 40, wife, two kids, live in…”)—I don’t see why that’s needed. Is that an Australia thing too?
• Andrew Murphy: There’s an expectation to share some humanity, but many questions (age, marital status, kids) are illegal here—they can be discriminatory. You can volunteer, but interviewers shouldn’t ask.
• Anita Kalmane-Boot: The vague “Introduce yourself” question is tough—some give one sentence, some talk for 10 minutes. Now I say: “We’ve read your CV. Is there anything to add in 2–3 sentences?” It helps. Also, companies should teach interviewers how to interview—rare but needed.

[50:11] Job descriptions and inclusivity: salary, real benefits, and clarity

• Anita Kalmane-Boot: For many neurodivergent folks:
• Andrew Murphy: Also: people say “we don’t discriminate,” but if women don’t apply, the top-of-funnel is already biased. Fix the JD and how/where you market roles.
• Anita Kalmane-Boot: Yes. We’ve changed our JDs, but women still don’t apply—so we also need to spark interest earlier (education pipeline). That’s another big topic.

[53:03] Make the company neuro-inclusive first; then reflect that in hiring

• Anita Kalmane-Boot: First, make your company neuro-inclusive—then the JD/process follows. Talk to existing neurodivergent employees: what do they need? Examples to include in JDs/process once you have them:
• Andrew Murphy: This stuff is discussed in communities. If your environment isn’t inclusive, people share that (privately) and won’t apply. Example community:
• Anita Kalmane-Boot: Great—thanks! In the Netherlands, there’s a Dutch network for neurodiversity (events every ~6 months) where companies share practices. It’s country-specific, in Dutch, but valuable. I’ll share links to the site/LinkedIn group.

[57:48] Closing: links, how to connect, and what’s next

• Andrew Murphy: Time flew! We’re at the top of the hour. If this sparked your learning journey, fantastic.
• Anita Kalmane-Boot: Thank you for having me. If you want resource suggestions, message me on LinkedIn with your interests—it depends on what you need.
• Andrew Murphy: Thanks everyone for questions and comments. Thank you, Anita!
• Both: Goodbye!