Let me tell you about the day I almost quit my job over a three-word Slack message.  

“We need to catch-up?”

My manager meant it innocently. But my ADHD brain? It launched into full threat mode. Heart pounding, palms sweating, I spent the next 45 minutes:  
- Rewriting my resume in my head  
- Replaying every mistake I’d made that month  
- Drafting apology emails for crimes I hadn’t committed  

Turns out? She just wanted to congratulate me on a client’s positive feedback.  

This wasn’t sensitivity. This was *neuro-divergent reality" and it’s why I now help organisations fix what I call  "Ambiguity Tax."  

Why Neuro-divergent Brains Pay Extra  

After my late ADHD diagnosis at 35 I realized:  

Most workplaces run on vague communication and neuro-divergent professionals pay the price.

We’re not being difficult when we:  
- Freeze at “Let’s circle back later”  
- Overprepare for “quick chats”  
- Misread tone in emails  

We’re navigating systems designed for linear thinkers in a world where 20% of high-potential employees are neuro-divergent.

What I Teach Teams (Because Trial-and-Error Cost Me Years)  

1. The “Why” Before the “When"  
Instead of:  
Can we talk at 3?

Try:  
Can we chat at 3? I’d love your input on the UX redesign—no prep needed!  

Why it works: My ADHD clients report a 70% drop in anxiety when context is provided upfront.  

2. Replace “Feedback” With “Future-building”  
The word “feedback” triggers rejection sensitivity dysphoria (RSD) in many neuro-divergent pros. I coach leaders to frame it as:  
“Here’s what’s working + where we can grow”  

Real impact: A tech client saw a 40% increase in neuro-divergent employees volunteering for side projects after this shift.  

3. Normalize “Pause & Process"  
I teach teams to add this to meeting invites:  
Need time to reflect? Feel free to Slack thoughts afterward. 

ADHD brains often articulate ideas better after initial processing time.  

This Isn’t Coddling—It’s Competitive Advantage  

Teams see measurable results:  
- Faster conflict resolution  
- More innovative solutions from neuro-divergent staff  
- Reduction in “miscommunication” escalations  

Why? Because clarity is the ultimate performance enhancer for everyone.  

Let’s Build Teams Where Everyone Feels Worthy  

If you’re ready to:  
- Transform vague meetings into idea incubators  
- Stop losing neuro-divergent talent to avoidable anxiety  
- Harness the creativity your “over thinkers” have been hiding  

Let’s talk. - clodagh@growitgroup.com

A need for change in processes - Penguin Strategies

Penguin Strategies is a sales and marketing agency with offices in Israel and the US. Penguin started its journey at the beginning of 2014. From HubSpot’s perspective, they are one of the few agencies with a presence in the US and EMEA warranting two channel account managers.

If you are passionate about your Agency Culture, then you know that team building and bringing your staff together for activities outside of the office are very important. By using Office Vibe, you will know how your team is feeling and this can dictate the activity you choose.

You might already know this, but your agency needs millennials. You need them because they are now at the age where they are building careers and they do it very well.