Here we are in April again, and once again I'm focused on raising Autism Awareness - which is a year long project in our house, but I get a little help in April from the rest of the world. In keeping with my tradition of posting about the what we can learn from the autistic community and apply to in house practice or law department management, here's my Autism Awareness post:
After first getting LG's diagnosis, I reflected a lot on what Autism would mean to him and our family. Over time, it's seeped into other aspects of my life and I've realized that there's so much I can take from him and apply to my professional life.
Lately, I've been focused on longer term issues - How do I help him reach his maximum potential while also helping him deal with limitations completely out of his control? How do I refuse to let him use his Autism as an excuse, but also recognize that it does put some things outside of his reach? And how do I, as his mother, know where to draw that line? Autism is a spectrum and his abilities are also spectrum like. He may be brilliant, but is probably not a savant. He is capable of behaving without tantrums, but is susceptible to melt downs. He may be able to hold down a job someday, but probably won't be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company (not saying that an Autistic individual can't be, there may very well be someone on the spectrum that would excel at that job, but LG is not likely to be one of them.) So how do I tell him to try hard in school, get the best grades he can, behave the best he can, be the best he can? All while knowing that Autism has taking some of his options away from him and the best that *he* can be will be drastically different than the best a NT person could be? - Not worse, just different, and a different that I can't predict.
As I struggle with these thoughts, I'm struck by the fact that they aren't so far removed from my job as a manager. How do I help my employees reach their full potential (productivity, professional growth, etc), when there are budget, process or technology limitations that they have no control over? How can I make sure that they use all the resources we have while knowing that we may not yet have what they need, and may never get it? How do I keep them from using the external limitations as an excuse not to succeed? Where to I draw the line between "just get it done" and "it is what it is"?
For now, I'm focused on open communication - clear expectations of both LG and my employees, along with an candid acknowledgement of the things outside of our control. We all have outside factors that shape our world, but we still have a responsibility to make our world the best it can possibly be. If everyone understands that mission, then hopefully we'll get there together and I'll be able to help LG and my employees be their best in spite of the limitations the world puts on us. I still don't have all the answers to either side of this challenge. I'm all ears if you do! I'm confident I'll figure it out, both as a mother and a boss (but I reserve my rights to get it wrong along the way)!
After first getting LG's diagnosis, I reflected a lot on what Autism would mean to him and our family. Over time, it's seeped into other aspects of my life and I've realized that there's so much I can take from him and apply to my professional life.
Lately, I've been focused on longer term issues - How do I help him reach his maximum potential while also helping him deal with limitations completely out of his control? How do I refuse to let him use his Autism as an excuse, but also recognize that it does put some things outside of his reach? And how do I, as his mother, know where to draw that line? Autism is a spectrum and his abilities are also spectrum like. He may be brilliant, but is probably not a savant. He is capable of behaving without tantrums, but is susceptible to melt downs. He may be able to hold down a job someday, but probably won't be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company (not saying that an Autistic individual can't be, there may very well be someone on the spectrum that would excel at that job, but LG is not likely to be one of them.) So how do I tell him to try hard in school, get the best grades he can, behave the best he can, be the best he can? All while knowing that Autism has taking some of his options away from him and the best that *he* can be will be drastically different than the best a NT person could be? - Not worse, just different, and a different that I can't predict.
As I struggle with these thoughts, I'm struck by the fact that they aren't so far removed from my job as a manager. How do I help my employees reach their full potential (productivity, professional growth, etc), when there are budget, process or technology limitations that they have no control over? How can I make sure that they use all the resources we have while knowing that we may not yet have what they need, and may never get it? How do I keep them from using the external limitations as an excuse not to succeed? Where to I draw the line between "just get it done" and "it is what it is"?
For now, I'm focused on open communication - clear expectations of both LG and my employees, along with an candid acknowledgement of the things outside of our control. We all have outside factors that shape our world, but we still have a responsibility to make our world the best it can possibly be. If everyone understands that mission, then hopefully we'll get there together and I'll be able to help LG and my employees be their best in spite of the limitations the world puts on us. I still don't have all the answers to either side of this challenge. I'm all ears if you do! I'm confident I'll figure it out, both as a mother and a boss (but I reserve my rights to get it wrong along the way)!
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