Paying it Forward: Neurodiversity is changing the workplace. Are you ready? #152
Every generation sees increasing complexity. Gen Z is becoming half the workforce, yet half of Gen Z identifies with neurodiversity -- meaning they think, communicate, learn and interact differently.
Jack Browne, Wichita Falls Times Record News edition, Sunday February 2, 2026
There’s a moment every parent and grandparent recognizes when the wide‑eyed wonder of childhood begins to mature into something deeper. My grandchildren are stepping into those pre‑teen and teen years now, and I see the transformation happening.
Their questions change. “Why is the stove hot?” becomes “Where does the energy come from?” and eventually “How does everything connect?” Those questions aren’t simply about heat or electricity. They’re about systems, relationships, and the invisible threads that hold our world together.
Watching them learn reminds me that curiosity is the first step toward wisdom. It’s also a reminder that adults are still learning, still questioning, still trying to make sense of a world that seems to grow more complex by the day.
Every generation believes the world has become more complicated than the one before it. Maybe that’s true. But complexity isn’t something to fear. It’s an invitation to pay attention.
My oldest son started a new job last week as a sales executive at a tech company, leading a team scattered across different time zones, cultures, and backgrounds. The range of skills required to lead effectively today had me reflecting on how much the workplace has changed since I first walked into it—and how much it hasn’t.
Technology is evolving at a pace that feels almost impossible to keep up with. Artificial intelligence is reshaping industries, workflows, and expectations faster than most of us can process. Yet the core of every job still comes down to people. Tools change. Human nature doesn’t.
That’s why communities endure even as technology accelerates. We’re wired for connection, not constant optimization.
And yet we live in a culture that celebrates multitasking as if it’s a badge of honor. Research shows that switching rapidly between tasks can drop our effective IQ to that of an eight‑year‑old. We lose clarity. We lose presence. We lose the ability to think deeply. In trying to do everything, we end up doing nothing well.
The modern workplace demands something different—not more speed, but more awareness. Not more noise, but more discernment.
The challenge today isn’t just being smart. It’s having the common sense, resilience, and emotional intelligence to survive, thrive, and endure in a world that rarely slows down.
One concept I’ve been exploring lately is neurodiversity as I coach an master’s degree in business administration student through his Organizational Behavior course. It’s not a trend. It’s not a label. It’s a reality. Neurodivergent simply means having a brain that diverges from typical neurological patterns.
It encompasses a wide range of conditions and traits that influence how individuals process information, communicate, learn, and interact with the world. Neurodivergence exists on a spectrum, and there is no single correct way for a brain to function. Rather than viewing these differences as deficits, the neurodiversity movement recognizes them as natural variations in human neurology.
Neurodivergent people may experience the world differently through their senses — sights, sounds, lights, textures, and smells. Their social communication may differ, including how they interpret non‑verbal cues or sarcasm, as is often the case with autism. They may struggle to stay focused on tasks that feel uninteresting or repetitive, a common experience for people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
Others may learn differently or process written language in unique ways, as with dyslexia. These examples only scratch the surface of the broad range of neurodivergent experiences.
Roughly half of Gen Z identifies with some form of neurodivergent traits. With more than 70 million people, Gen Z is becoming the largest generation in the United States. That means today’s workforce entrants think differently, process differently, communicate differently, and contribute differently than the generations before them.
If half of an entire generation experiences the world through a different cognitive lens, then the systems we build — from classrooms to boardrooms — need to evolve.
Neurodiversity isn’t a challenge to be managed. It’s a strength to be understood. When people are allowed to work in ways that align with how their brains function, creativity expands. Problem solving improves. Teams become more dynamic. The workplace becomes more human.
The Marines have a saying: improvise, adapt, overcome. The world isn’t slowing down. The questions our kids and grandkids are asking aren’t getting easier. But we can choose how we respond. We can choose curiosity, flexibility, and humanity.
And that brings to an old Chinese proverb, often described as either a blessing or a curse: “May you live in interesting times.”
Interesting times aren’t something to fear. They’re something to engage with.
Jack Browne is a community activist and former technology executive who believes in the power of connection and service.