ADHD reWired, Episode 546: Reducing Miscommunication Among Neurodiverse Teams with Chris Hooten

Release Date: February 28, 2025
Host: Eric Tivers, LCSW, ADHD-CCSP
Guest: Chris Hooten, LinkedIn Top Facilitation Voice, Certified Neuro Mindfulness Coach

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the challenges and solutions surrounding miscommunication in neurodiverse work teams. Host Eric Tivers and guest Chris Hooten explore why communication can be so fraught in these environments, systemic and cultural influences, and practical, affirming strategies for building more inclusive, connected teams. Chris also introduces the “4D Model of Neuroinclusive Communication,” offering a fresh framework for reducing miscommunication and fostering belonging. The conversation is grounded in lived experience, intersectionality, and a call for workplaces to move beyond surface-level inclusion efforts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Intersectionality, Identity, and Neurodiversity

[06:13–18:02]

• Chris Hooten shares their background as a late-discovered neurodivergent (ADHD, autism, dyscalculia) and as a gender expansive Black American.
• They emphasize rejecting deficit-based, medicalized perspectives on neurodiversity in favor of an affirming, intersectional approach.
  • “We’re moving it away from the medicalized, sterile, sanitized deficit mindset to this is who we are. This is how we’ve always been here.” – Chris Hooten [07:00]
• Chris notes a lack of representation and culturally-responsive frameworks in neurodiversity conversations—pushing them to “be the person they didn’t see.”

2. Language & Models of Disability

[10:25–12:17]

• Discussion on person-first vs. identity-first language, shaped by readings like Nick Walker's Neuroqueer Heresies.
• Eric reflects on shifting beliefs:
  • “Definitely this idea of the social model of disability, which is a big part of what this neurodiversity idea comes from. I love in the book that the author says to stop using neurodivergent as code for autism.” – Eric Tivers [11:10]
• Chris stresses using “discovery” instead of “diagnosis,” challenging the medicalization of difference and highlighting how systemic issues, not individuals, generate disabling environments.

3. Cultural Contexts in Neurodiversity

[12:17–18:02]

• Chris positions neurodiversity within social constructs of race, gender, and economic status.
• Importance of understanding societal expectations, internalized ableism, and how “normative” behavior is context-driven.
• Grieving and empowerment after late discovery of neurodivergence, and how frameworks and support systems are often not truly inclusive.

4. Representation and Systemic Change

[18:02–21:45]

• Eric notes the historical whiteness of ADHD spaces, and both discuss gradual improvement through advocacy.
• Chris describes a practitioner approach grounded in lived experience, community, and authenticity—focusing on storytelling and education over winning over executives.

5. Barriers and Approaches to Organizational Change

[21:45–26:52]

• Chris describes avoiding situations where “decision-makers” are absent and stresses the importance of working with organizations willing to listen and change.
  • “I don’t work with people who don’t tell me the truth.” – Chris Hooten [44:57]
• Advocacy is often bottom-up, catalyzed by allies and empowered employees.

6. The 4D Model of Neuroinclusive Communication

[26:52–41:40]
A foundational segment where Chris introduces and unpacks their signature framework for improving communication on neurodiverse teams:

The 4Ds Explained:

1. Deliberate – Communicate with intention; move away from autopilot interactions.
2. Descriptive – Be explicit in instructions, expectations, and process. Avoid jargon, use direct descriptions.
   • “Descriptive is really about acknowledging the cognitive bandwidth… moving away from jargon.” – Chris Hooten [32:51]
   • Example: Instead of idioms or vague phrases, state clear tasks and reasons.
3. Direct – Minimize information relayed through chains (i.e., “telephone game”); communicate feedback, praise, and requests promptly and person-to-person.
   • “Instead of telling Sally to tell Jim to tell John to tell Mike…” – Chris Hooten [39:01]
   • Deliver praise as close as possible to the action being praised, especially for ADHD team members.
4. Diverse – Recognize and value multiple communication styles and cultural backgrounds. Identify what works based on individual and collective needs.

• Chris notes that descriptive and deliberate may be easier to implement, while direct and diverse require cultural sensitivity and flexibility.
• The model gives teams positive targets (“what to build toward,” not just “what to avoid”).

Slack & Communication Tools:

[35:48–37:10]

• Both discuss Slack as a source of stress and overstimulation for neurodivergent people. Chris shares the neurobiological impact of notifications:
  • “There’s an evidence of…a little bit of cortisol, just a little bit of a heart jump, right? Because you’re not sure what it is…Slack’s a little bit like that. But during the whole day.” – Chris Hooten [35:50]
• Solutions: Turn off notifications, set boundaries for digital communication, and reduce interruptions for smoother transitions.

The “Spirit” of Communication

[32:51, 45:38–46:06]

• Rather than focusing only on scripts or “what not to do,” prioritize the underlying spirit, motivation, and relationships:
  • “Much of my work is more focused on the spirit. How do we want people to feel?” – Chris Hooten [45:38]
• Intention and relational care are crucial; you can say all the right words, but if care and dignity aren’t evident, the connection fails.

7. From Masking to Authenticity

[51:40–52:55]

• Eric shares his experience with masking, burnout, and the need to move toward sustainable work-life balance and authenticity.

• Both agree that current work systems are unsustainable and that neurodivergent people are “canaries in the coal mine,” often experiencing the harm first and pushing for necessary change.

  • “We’re the canaries in the coal mine. We’re the ones that notice the problem first as it affects us most…and first.” – Eric Tivers [51:41]
  • “The planet, people, families, it’s not an accident that we’re seeing…things falling apart. Or what if they’re falling into place?” – Chris Hooten [52:55]

8. Practical Takeaways for Organizations

• Give employees explicit strategies, not just lists of “what not to do.”
• Build psychological safety so people can voice challenges.
• Prioritize relationships and care over avoiding lawsuits or “getting canceled.”
• Ensure dignity and inclusion are active, ongoing practices—not checkbox exercises.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Descriptive is really about acknowledging the cognitive bandwidth that often is extended by neurodivergent people and trying to understand what neurodominant people.…being very clear about what it is that you’re doing and moving away from jargon.” – Chris Hooten [32:51]
• “Oftentimes…if you’re in the DEI space, [the approach is:] let’s all come together and learn what not to do. That's lovely. But now you’re thinking to yourself, okay, that's great, now what?...The 4D model gives people something they can work towards.” – Chris Hooten [31:30]
• “I don’t work with people who don’t tell me the truth…you don’t get better, you don’t go to the doctor, you don’t get change until you hit rock bottom and things get really, really spicy.” – Chris Hooten [44:57]
• “You can say all the right things, but the spirit is not coming through…they’re trying to get a deposit that they can’t cash because they haven’t deposited that good feeling, that care, that demonstration of respect.” – Chris Hooten [46:06]
• “We are not separating those—wellbeing and work. And maybe as neurodivergent people we’re the canaries in the coal mine…notice the problem first.” – Eric Tivers [51:40]
• “It's not an accident that we're seeing so much breaking down, things falling apart. Or what if they're falling into place?” – Chris Hooten [52:55]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Host & context / current events: [00:00–06:12]
• Chris’s background & identity: [06:13–12:17]
• Medical vs. Social Model of Disability: [10:25–12:17]
• Intersectionality and representation: [12:17–18:02]
• Barriers in neurodiversity spaces: [18:02–21:45]
• Advocacy strategies / organizational approaches: [21:45–26:52]
• Common workplace miscommunication, 4D Model intro: [26:52–32:40]
• Descriptive communication detailed: [32:45–35:48]
• Slack and digital communication issues: [35:48–37:10]
• Direct communication, feedback, and trust: [39:01–41:40]
• Practical adoption and organizational appetite: [44:20–46:06]
• The spirit vs. the script: [45:38–48:24]
• Workplace change, post-pandemic shifts, sustainable inclusion: [48:24–52:55]
• Closing reflections and where to find Chris: [53:09–end]

Where to Find Chris Hooten

• Website: chrishootenconsulting.com
• LinkedIn: Chris Hooten
• Instagram: @ChrisHootenConsulting

Tone & Style

This episode blends warmth, directness, and a sense of social urgency. Chris and Eric are candid—sharing personal insights, failures, and hopes. There’s humor, vulnerability, and a refusal to accept business-as-usual in organizational neurodiversity. Listening feels both like a practical workshop and an affirming, sometimes cathartic, community dialogue.

Summary for New Listeners

If you’re looking for a roadmap to healthier, more genuinely inclusive neurodiverse teams—and an honest reckoning with how far we still have to go—this conversation offers both critical context and practical frameworks. Chris Hooten’s 4D Model and insistence on care, clear communication, and intersectional awareness are must-listen takeaways for anyone navigating ADHD, workplace belonging, or DEI work.

End of summary.