Tips for Employers: What not to do with Aspergers workers

Don't let the title mislead you, this article is actually aimed at helping people with Aspergers in the workplace. From Psychology Today: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/aspergers-diary/201107/15-ways-exclude-associates-aspergers

Making small talk is not lying to the other person

I had a client at one point refuse my suggestions on small talk as it felt like lying to the other person; "I don't care about what interests them and it feels false to pretend I do." It made me re-evaluate my suggestion to clarify what small talk meant both for the interview and the workplace.

Before I get into the tip part though I will once again plug the need to connect with people interviewing you or that you work with. It makes hiring smoother and retention easier if the person knows that you see them as a human being. You do not have to suck up with pointless comments or pretend to be interested in something you do not like. Rather you just need to let them know, even once, that you see them beyond the facade we erect at work.

So when interviewing try to Google your interviewers and most certainly the company. Look for a 'human interest' angle that you like and can talk about. Be sure to bring it up. Say you do not know the name of the person you are interviewing with but you found out via Googlebating (or masterGoogling if you prefer) the company that they recently moved to the new office. Even though it is likely that the person you are speaking with is NT, office moves are still sources of stress and humor. Mention the move and let them talk about it for a while. You will find a sympathetic response in yourself that is a surrogate for empathy in that you likely hate that sort of disruption too. That will come across in the interview.

If you are working with people just keep an ear out for their interests and look for news items that tie into that interest and mention it. Certainly you will illicit some sort of response from them and again, choose something you can tolerate. I have had several conversations with plane owners even though I have never actually owned a plane or even have a pilot's license. In fact it was one of the first things that I spoke about with my future father-in-law (got a good review from him too).

Making small talk with co-workers and interviewers is an effort but does not have to be a lie (or painful). Just keep on the look out for something that interests you too. Read blog aggregators, news web sites or some of the Gawker family of sites for general things to speak about.

And keep the stuff non-controversial (i.e. no religion or politics ).

Starving for a job

Hunger drives us to do strange things. I wonder how much of human endeavors could be traced back to being hungry. Societies undertake major migrations in search of food; humans will attempt to eat things previously not considered edible when they are hungry. Each of these are risks with either great or tragic outcomes; as an example consider what sort of trial and error went into realizing that rhubarb leaves were the toxic part of the plant.

Consider then how each of us may get when it comes time to evaluate if a particular job is good for us. Given the chronic under- and unemployment of ASD folk it is not surprising that many of us want any job as long as it shows promise of being better than where we are at. And it is hard to argue against that when we and/or our families lack something... especially food.

However how are you to protect against eating the toxic leaves and joining a place that will ruin you? Given the horrendous working conditions at some places it is possible that a bad work environment will harm you, your relationships or even drive you to attempt to harm yourself. If nothing else you could find yourself out of work soon enough.

Turning the traditional logic on its head-- it's easier to look for a job when you have a job-- it is easier to conceptualize your ideal job when you are not looking for one. So take a moment when you have a job to write out the criteria you would want in an ideal job and then stash it with copies of your resume on your machine. Later when you have to find a job you will have the clarity of the good times there to ground you when you go back out to find work. You may still not be able to find your ideal job but at least you will know how the current job in question deviates from your ideal and consciously know the deficiency rather than be surprised later.

Aspergers Software Engineers: a 12 question list by Joel Spolsky that you should use

For those of you in software development who are looking for a way to determine if a place is good to work for or with, I suggest you look at the Joel Test created by Joel Spolsky.  While not oriented towards Aspergers or ASD specifically it does address a major concern that many of us have regarding a workplace; namely, does it aim to produce something that we can be proud of. If there is one unifying thing I have noticed about ASD folk in software development is that we hate putting out schlock.

Joel's test focuses on asking questions about whether the tools and material are present in a company to produce quality software. Even non-software Aspies can identify some of the questions as useful: do you have quality testers? do you have a product specification? Seriously, some software shops are so bad that these would be revolutionary questions. The most appealing question for ASD folk would be: do people have a quiet working atmosphere?

So those of you in IT, the next time you go to interview, take these questions along and check them off as they are answered in the interview or ask them when it is your turn to interview them. Asking questions in the interview is strongly encouraged and here are ready made questions for you that will at least give you an idea if it is a good place to work for you.

And if you are not in IT, consider how they may apply to your own job hunt or check back here... I hope to have my own 12 question check list for Aspies that I shamelessly admit was inspired by Joel's questions.

Part 6: Autism and Geert Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions Theory - Masculinity v Femininity

->Part 5<-

The dichotomy I will be addressing in this post is bit problematic because the naming of it is challenging in its sexist titles. Hofstede decided that countries that show competitiveness, assertiveness, ambition, materialism and desire for power are Masculine in nature while those who value relationships and quality of life are Feminine. Certainly stereotypes of both genders can be used to support the naming but, on the contrary, anyone at a beauty contest can attest to female competitiveness and I  believe Quality of Life (at least in their minds) is pursued by men as well as women. Additionally, gender role distinction is higher for masculine societies than feminine which flies in the face of nearly every romance novel on the market today.  Nevertheless there is a polarization detailed by his research and thus requires some form of labeling. Various people have renamed the poles to Quantity of Life v Quality of Life... still problematic in my view but less sexist. I will stick with the original names to maintain continuity with the original research but keep in mind they are labels rather than descriptors.

Before I list the country scores also keep in mind that this is not capturing Foreign Relations policy but individual attitudes at a group level. For instance the US scores almost in the middle of the dichotomy with a 62. When viewing Foreign Policy over the past fifty years the ambition, power and aggression-- much less assertiveness-- immediately jump out as extreme examples. However that is from a nationalistic stand point and it is often true that national behavior and individual behaviors are different. Another conundrum is that Russia scores a 36 on the scale meaning it is heavy to the feminine side which would also go contrary to its foreign relations since it was first formed. Norway and Sweden fall at the extreme feminine side with single digit scores.

As a subculture in the United States, UK, Australia and other English speaking countries I think we would have the same confusion presented by our societies. However I will go out on a limb and say that we squelch our ambition, competitiveness and assertiveness out of a desire to avoid conflict. Research does indeed show a difficulty in identifying with a single gender (Williams, P., & Allard, A. (1996). Case study: Cross-gender preoccupations in two male children with autism. Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders, 26(6), 635-642. Retrieved from EBSCOhost, Aspergirls: Empowering Females With Asperger Syndrome). Additionally the traits of Higher Functioning Autism and Aspergers are more acceptable in women than men indicating that the groups are seen as more feminine from an outside view.

And again, as with Power Distance, you should attempt to make a determination about the nature of the people you work with and use the tips suggested by Kwintessential accordingly here in the US or other of the English speaking clusters.  With those on the 'feminine' side respect the boundary between business and life, expect men and women to have similar roles in the group and work to establish trust. For more 'masculine' individuals keep in mind that your work life boundaries may not mean much, or anything, to them and that business can occur at any time. This is especially relevant in terms of networking. For a 'masculine' person any event can be a place to discuss business and your actions in that setting will reflect on how they perceive you in the workplace. This extends to social sites one the web too. A professional LinkedIn account and an unprofessional Facebook account will hurt you with the more 'masculine' cultures.

->Part 7<-

Helpful resources:

World Map of Masculinity v Femininity

Masculinity/Femininity - Tips

Subtle workplace bullying; give yourself credit for saying something

I cannot say whether I like the book Moby Dick or not. This is only my second time reading. The first time I read it, 23 years ago, it impacted me so much I ordered a personalized license plate for my car that read PEQUOD.

In any case, on this my second reading, I was struck by the bravery of Starbuck to voice his concerns about the captain's mission of seeking revenge on the whale that took his leg. Captain Ahab is not portrayed as a very open boss and indeed implies that further disagreement from his first officer will be seen as potential mutiny. Faced with that threat and the fact that the crew seemed to back the Captain, Starbuck stands down and in a moment of foreshadowing remarks that he hopes the entire compliment is not doomed (SPOILER ALERT: all but Ishmael die).

It is easy to criticize Starbuck for his capitulation but in reality we should praise him for even offering resistance. How many times have we seen it where no one wants to risk the wrath of authority so does not say anything?

While working in the mortgage industry I saw first hand where people who knew certain practices were wrong or harmful did not say anything because the boss/leader wanted to pursue the course of action. Everyone around them followed the boss because they thought that was where their fortune lay.

It is a subtle form of bullying that comes into play at that time. The leader questions your loyalty, paints you as a traitor and worse, alone in your thoughts. Others see the humiliation or aggression and turtle up abandoning you. For those of us on the Spectrum any one of those things can be a devastating reminder of how we are not part of the majority group. Put together it is a psychological blow that is hard to recover from.

So if you ever have stood up to someone in that setting do not get down on yourself for what followed. Instead, give yourself credit for saying something... and try to find the nearest life raft; don't gamble that you will be the Ishmael of the group.

ASD folk start as rookies at every new workplace; take advantage of it

The Harvard Business Review blog ran an article by JD Schramm about the benefits of being a rookie employee. In many cases I think any of us on the Spectrum are rookies when we first enter a workplace when it comes to the interactions between people. It is a new environment with new personalities and while they may be similar to past personalities it is difficult to abstract that past experience.

So Schramm's points are valuable for any new job you encounter. Some of them are very useful to those of us moving from one place to another:  http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/07/leveraging_the_benefits_of_bei.html

Aspies and Authority in the workplace

Garry Burge has another of his excellent posts on having Aspergers and trying to survive in the modern corporation. Check it out at: http://garrysaspieblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/aspies-and-authority-in-workplace.html

ASD & Aspergers at work: Colored Lenses?

I just read a scientific study by Amanda Ludlow, Arnold Wilkins & Pam Heaton discussing the increase in reading comprehension among ASD children when using a color overlay on their paper.

It may be that a similar process can be used by ASD adults in the workplace or at home. Try taking a color transparency and laying it over something you are reading and note your response. In the study color did not seem to matter so go with something pleasing to you.

If you do a lot of reading on the computer explore changing the default fonts and background of the application (e.g. Microsoft Word) and judge the effectiveness.

Or you can simply get a pair of Rose Colored glasses and see if that makes your whole day go better. If anyone asks just tell them you have an eye condition similar to Bono requiring that you protect your vision.

Article Citation: Ludlow, Amanda; Wilkins, Arnold; Heaton, Pam. Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders, Aug2006, Vol. 36 Issue 4, p507-516, 10p

When good things happen to bad people

Some of you may noticed that the title of today's post is a play on the title of Harold S. Kushner's incredible spiritual meditation When Bad Things Happen to Good People, a deep and moving discussion on the nature of God and the misfortunes of our life. If you do believe in God yet have struggled with personal or external tragedies that seem senseless it is an excellent read. If you do not believe in God the book gives excellent points to argue with fundamentalists of many religions.

But the purpose of my post today is discuss our struggle with envy of co-workers who get ahead even though we think they are lazy, evil or stupid. I might have titled the post "why is that <bleep> driving a Porche" or "how did that <bleep> get a promotion". It just sounds nicer to say "when good things happen to bad people".

Some people will tell you that you should let go of your negative emotions in this regard, that they will hold you back. I am not one of those people. I suggest you limit the effect of those emotions on your life. Someone will always be better than you in one regard or another. Always. With nearing 7 billion people on this planet chances are they are in India or China at least. Wasting time hating someone on another continent is pretty silly... and it is the same with someone you work with. Don't hate them.

Let the envy drive you to be better than them. Look for the challenges and pass them like you would with a favored game. Imitate the things they do until you have them down. I once worked with a guy who literally did nothing but was loved and promoted. After a few months of resenting the hell out of this useless lump of flesh I decided to follow him around and see what he did all day. Turns out he had a very effective strategy to avoid work.

He would store up questions, even simple ones, that he needed to ask people in various departments. He would drop by their offices to talk about the questions and engage them in chats about topics he knew they would speak at length about. The question itself would take, maybe, ten minutes but he would ask about it at the end of the conversation. So, when you asked later, the two people had spent an hour discussing 'work' when in reality they only spent 10 minutes on work and anywhere from 50 to 80 minutes on interesting topics. And he was beloved as someone interested in them and dedicated to his work. He currently has a job flying around the world talking to people about topics that interest them while spending 10 minutes talking about his current company... and everyone thinks he is great.

So don't hate, imitate and vanquish those jerks.

My Account as an Aspie: Meeting with Peter MacDonald Autism Works

My Account as an Aspie: Meeting with Peter MacDonald Autism Works: "Today I met with Peter MacDonald from Autism Works..." Garry Burge writes about meeting with some executives at Autism Works UK.

Carbon Crafters employing people with disabilities

Not ASD specific but it offers a different job area than the traditional software testing route that many ASD specific companies have gone. They offer accommodation and are looking for funding.

"Carbon Crafters is a composite manufacturing company that will bring innovative products to market while employing a workforce primarily made up of adults with disabilities.  With budget cuts being made in local government municipalities across the nation, programs developed for those with special needs are being cut at an alarming rate.  These people are just like you and me, but they couldn’t keep up in school due to learning disabilities or conditions like Autism or Down Syndrome."

Should you disclose your ASD condition?

An often asked question by those on the Spectrum is "should I disclose my condition to my employer". Almost always the answer posted by the blogger is "it depends".

Disclosure is up to you but if you are reluctant then may I suggest asking for specific reasonable accommodations during the interview process? For instance ask if they can provide noise canceling headphones. As with any work equipment it would stay with them after you leave.

If during your office tour you noticed that their open floor design would be more than a little distracting. See if they can find you a desk with one or two of the sides against walls to help shield you from being surrounded by distractions.

It is very common for people to complain about the lighting in a place. Consider asking that one of the bulbs in the fluorescent lights be removed.

You can even do this while tied into your tasks. "I find concrete instructions work best with me. How would tasks be presented?" "I am much more effective if I have a recording of meetings that I can review later on." "How does the team resolve conflicts?" All of these force the conversation towards the work and how you can perform best without announcing "I have Asperger's!"

Speaking up ahead of time and making reasonable demands will go a long way to resolving any workplace accommodation issues that you might have without revealing private information.

Kaien: Japanese company like Aspiritech, Specialisterne, Uzmanlar & Autism Works

To my shame I forgot to mention Kaien early on as a company that was founded to provide employment for ASD folk. Check them out at: http://www.kaien-lab.com/en/index.html

Corporate America's Efficiency

As children we're taught how capitalism and corporations are efficient entities always trying to do more with less. Here is an article from the Business Insider that picks that apart: http://www.businessinsider.com/corporate-america-really-really-cares-about-its-employees-really-2011-6

Global Business Etiquette Help

Wrong Planet is one of the most aptly named internet resources for ASD and Aspergers as all of us feel like we are strangers traveling in a strange land. As such we seek guidance on how to deal with the social and business mores of this strange culture we are in.

Kwintessential has thumbnail guides on the business etiquette for various countries that can help demystify it a bit for us especially if we have to do business abroad.

http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/etiquette/doing-business-in.html

Their general Etiquette, Customs and Protocol Guides are useful too: http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/country-profiles.html

A promotion without a raise

I once turned down a promotion because there was nothing in it for me. No new challenges, no additional vacation or bonus, no exposure and most importantly no raise. Alison Doyle addresses this same issue in here article here: http://jobsearch.about.com/b/2011/06/14/job-promotions-without-a-raise.htm?r=twt

For ASD folk keep in mind that just because they say Promotion does not mean it is a promotion. In reality someone is trying to get you to do more for the same amount of money/compensation as before. Tread lightly and be polite if you turn them down.

Tips for employers to accommodate an AS employee

Say you find an employer who is willing to hear about how to work with you or someone asks "How do I accommodate an Aspergers employee?" You could send the AskJan site but that might seem a bit intimidating to them since it is the US Department of Labor. My Aspergers Child has a wonderful post on ways an employer can accomodate an AS person in the workplace: http://www.myaspergerschild.com/2009/06/dealing-with-aspergers-employees-what.html

Conflict in the workplace: Introduction to Psychopaths, Sociopaths and Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Psychopath. Sociopath. Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD). Whatever you want to call it, in the workplace, these individuals are poison and prey upon their coworkers as means to get an end... whatever that end might be. It is my contention that these people will prey upon ASD folk first as the ASD weaknesses align with the main symptoms of ASPD:

• Deception as means of getting ahead? Meet the ASD difficulty with abstraction.
• Impulsiveness? Meet the ASD difficulty in adapting to rapid change.
• Aggression? Meet the ASD difficulty in standing up for ourselves

This is an introduction to a series of articles for this week dealing with the difficulties of dealing with psychopathic/sociopathic behavior in the workplace as well as their cousin Narcissistic personality disorder. I have fallen victim to each of these types in business and I wager I am not the only one on the Spectrum to have encountered the same problems.

Aspergers job tips from a Job Coach perspective

Here are some tips for the Job Coach in handling someone with Aspergers. Interesting take and some tips for those on the Spectrum seeking to change their work environment. Props to Aspiritech for finding and tweeting it out.

Check it out: http://spectrumes.visibli.com/share/oKSG8D