What if the problem isn’t your brain, but the systems you’ve spent your life trying to fit into? In this episode, I sit down with David Flink, founder of the Neurodiversity Alliance. We talk about what it means to navigate work, leadership, and identity as a neurodivergent person. David shares how he learned to stop forcing himself into systems that didn’t fit, how metacognition changed his life, and why today’s younger workers are approaching neurodivergence differently. Get ready to build your life around your strengths instead of constantly trying to fix your weaknesses.

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In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 How do you define leadership?

04:00 What became easier for you as you got older as a neurodivergent leader?

08:00 The strengths David has come to love about his dyslexic ADHD brain.

11:15 Why neurodivergent adults spend years unlearning shame.

17:15 Why kids need to become detectives of their own learning styles.

19:00 What metacognition means and why it matters so much.

24:00 Don't let your current environment define your potential.

27:45 Why neurodivergent people often develop extraordinary resilience.

31:15 Can workplaces change for neurodivergent employees?

37:15 How remote work transformed David’s company culture.

41:30 Why Gen Z approaches disability and neurodivergence differently.

45:15 How focusing on deficits causes companies to miss great talent.

47:30 What happens to neurodivergence in midlife.

51:45 What is inter-able relationship?

54:15 Why the best teams are built around complementary strengths.

Resources + Links

Pre-order your copy of David Flink’s book, 20% Smarter HERE

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Watch the podcast on YouTube

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam

Follow David on LinkedIn @dflink