What if the traits that get someone labeled difficult in one workplace are exactly what makes them extraordinary in another? Tara May, CEO of Aspiritech, a technology company where more than 90 percent of the team is autistic, joins us to talk about what she calls the ROI of kindness, and why building for neurodivergent talent makes every workplace better.
In this episode
Why Tara calls it “the ROI of kindness,” and what that means for the bottom line
The “spiky cognitive profile” reframe: why focusing only on deficits misses extraordinary strengths
A simple workspace fix that removed daily anxiety for one team member, and what it teaches every manager
Why psychological safety isn't optional if you actually want a team to innovate
One action any listener can take this week to build a more neuro-inclusive team
About Tara May
Tara May is the CEO of Aspiritech, a Chicago-area technology services company where more than 90 percent of the workforce is autistic, serving clients including JPMorgan Chase, Bose, and Goldman Sachs. A former digital media executive turned neurodiversity advocate, she also leads NeuroGrowth, an educational consultancy helping other organizations build neuro-inclusive workplace cultures.
Timestamps
00:00
Welcome, and why Aspiritech's mission is personal for Tara
01:24
Two reasons Tara does this work: her son and her career in digital transformation
03:05
Tara's own diagnosis, and why having needs is not a weakness
08:03
Why “we're human, not superhuman” matters in Silicon Valley
10:03
Support success factors, and the water bottle story
11:46
A simple workspace fix that removed daily anxiety for one team member
12:52
Why neurodivergent talent is so often overlooked
13:20
The “spiky cognitive profile” reframe
17:03
The index card exercise that gave quiet voices a seat at the table
20:44
Universal design, and the canary in the coal mine concept
25:27
Where to start if you want a more neuro-inclusive workplace
27:58
Psychological safety as the foundation of innovation
30:00
Why middle manager training matters so much
35:11
What success looks like at Aspiritech
36:21
A story of a neurodivergent-led app test for children
38:54
One action to take this week
Find Tara May at
Website: https://aspiritech.org | LinkedIn: Tara May
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