Beyond Token Inclusion
To be bold, in the coaching spaces, we as a body have become rather good at talking about inclusion, haven't we? In some cases, we insert the word 'neurodiversity' into our LinkedIn profiles, attend the odd webinar about ADHD, and congratulate ourselves on being progressive. Inclusion isn't a box-ticking exercise or a trendy buzzword to pepper throughout our marketing content. It requires genuine commitment, ongoing learning, and sometimes, a complete rethinking of our approach.
What this blog explores
In the following sections, we'll examine how coaching can genuinely serve neurodivergent thinkers, consider the intersectional nature of human experience, and look at practical adjustments to our coaching approach. I'll invite you to question assumptions about physical space, language, and timing before considering implications for supervision and mentoring. Together, we'll discover how these adaptations create an improved coaching experience for everyone.
The elephant in the Zoom room
Picture this: A coaching session where your thinker isn't making eye contact, seems to be fidgeting incessantly, and appears to be looking everywhere but at you. Traditional coaching wisdom might suggest they're disengaged. The reality? They might be processing information more deeply than you've ever experienced. This is just one glimpse into the beautiful complexity of neurodivergent thinking.
Here's where it gets interesting. When we thoroughly incorporate neurodiversity in coaching, we stumble upon an unexpected truth: the adjustments we make for neurodivergent thinkers often benefit everyone involved. It's rather like a dropped kerb designed for wheelchair users but jolly useful for parents with prams, delivery drivers with trolleys, and anyone who's ever tried to wheel a suitcase down a British high street.
The Intersection of Everything
Neurodiversity doesn't exist in splendid isolation. Your autistic thinker might also be Black, transgender, and working class for example. Your client with ADHD could be a middle-aged woman who's spent decades being told she's just "scatterbrained." The point is, we're not dealing with neat, separate categories of difference, we're dealing with human beings in all their glorious complexity.
Moving beyond the obvious
Let's consider:
The physical space (real and virtual)
Gone are the days when coaching meant sitting in identical chairs, maintaining unwavering eye contact while speaking in hushed tones. Some of our best sessions might happen during a walk through a rainy park, or with a client who's knitting while they think. In our post-pandemic world, virtual sessions might include individuals who prefer to have their camera off, or who process better while moving about their space.
Imagine a coach who noticed their client repeatedly shifting position during Zoom sessions. Rather than viewing this as a distraction, they asked, "Would it help if we had our sessions while you're moving? We could both walk outside during our call." The client's relief was immediate, "You mean I don't have to sit still?" Their thinking flowed more freely after this simple adjustment.
2. The language we choose
Phrases such as … "Just focus." "It's not that hard." "Anyone can do this if they try." "Disability." "Disabled." "Can't do..."
…could be well-intended little linguistic bombs that litter our coaching vocabulary. When looked at critically, they are inbuilt and come from a place of deficit. They're the verbal equivalent of those hostile architecture benches designed to stop rough sleepers, they might seem practical on the surface, but they're rather cruel.
3. Time and timing
British punctuality is legendary, and perhaps it's time to question our rigid adherence to the sacred 60-minute session. Some thinkers might do brilliant work in 30-minute bursts, perhaps even in 15 minutes. Others might need 90 minutes to really get going. Who decided an hour was the perfect length of time for meaningful change, anyway?
The art of supervision
For coaching supervisors, this presents a delicious challenge. How do we support coaches in developing their practice while avoiding the trap of standardisation? Perhaps it starts with examining our own biases about what "professional" coaching looks like.
Imagine if a supervisor encountered a coach worried because their thinker preferred to communicate primarily through metaphor and drawing. What might happen if the supervisor responded, "Brilliant! They're accessing their thinking in a way that works for them. Now, how can we help you become more comfortable with this approach?"
Mentoring with mischief
In mentoring relationships, we could be a bit cheeky with conventional wisdom. Yes, there are core competencies to master, but there's also room for revolution. What if we encouraged new coaches to develop their unique style based on their own neurodiversity? What if we celebrated the coach who uses their pattern-recognition skills to make unexpected connections or the one who brings their experience of processing differences to help clients explore new ways of thinking?
Practical first steps for more inclusive coaching
If you're wondering how to begin adapting your practice to be more inclusive of neurodivergent thinkers, here are some practical starting points:
Ask preference questions: "How would you prefer we structure our sessions?" "What helps you think at your best?" "Would you like me to send questions in advance?"
Offer alternatives: "We could walk and talk, sit and chat, or even communicate through writing during our sessions. What might work best for you?"
Create sensory-friendly options: Consider lighting, background noise, visual distractions, and even the textures in your coaching space
Develop flexibility in your timing: Experiment with session lengths that match your client's optimal thinking patterns
Review your language: Notice phrases that assume neurotypical processing and find alternatives that acknowledge different ways of thinking
The way forward (or sideways, or whatever direction works)
The future of coaching isn't about becoming more inclusive, it's about becoming more human. It's about creating spaces where people can think, feel, and be in ways that work for them. This might mean:
· Recognising that professionalism doesn't have to look like neurotypical masking
· Understanding that silence might be processing and not resistance
· Accepting that the most powerful coaching moments might happen when we least expect them
· Acknowledging that our own neurodiversity (whether diagnosed or not) influences how we coach
Key takeaways
1. True inclusion of neurodivergent thinkers requires going beyond token gestures to rethinking fundamental coaching practices
2. Adaptations made for neurodivergent thinkers often enhance the coaching experience for everyone involved
3. The physical environment, our language choices, and session timing all impact how accessible our coaching is
4. Supervision and mentoring can support coaches in developing genuinely inclusive approaches
5. Small, thoughtful adjustments can make significant differences in how effectively we serve all our thinkers
A final thought
To close, this isn't only about making coaching more accessible to neurodivergent individuals. It's about creating a profession that truly reflects and serves the rich tapestry of human experience. It's about moving beyond the polite inclusivity of dropped kerbs and large-print handouts to something more radical: a recognition that different ways of thinking, being, and doing aren't just valid, they're valuable.
And perhaps most importantly, it's about approaching this work with warmth, creativity, and a willingness to be wonderfully wrong sometimes. After all, isn't that how real learning looks?
Ready to Develop Your Inclusive Coaching Practice?
If you're a coach wanting to expand your approach to working with neurodivergent thinkers, or simply interested in developing a more flexible, responsive coaching style, coaching supervision might be your next step.
As an ICF and Henley Business School Certified Coaching Supervisor with over 20 years of experience in Coaching, Coach Training, and Facilitation, I provide a space where you can explore your coaching practice, address challenges with neurodiversity, and refine your approach.
Whether you're drawn to individual supervision or the collective wisdom of group supervision, I'd be delighted to support your journey towards more inclusive coaching.
Email me at amanda@loreconsultancy.com to arrange an initial conversation about how supervision might enhance your practice.