Episode 228: Resilience Beyond the Expected: Harnessing Neurodivergent Brilliance with Rita Ramakrishnan

"We have to reshape how we talk about neurodivergence in the workplace--shift from it being a disability that needs to be accomodated to a form of cognitive diversity we can cultivate and harness to drive success."

Rita Ramakrishnan ~ Founder and CEO of Iksana Consulting

What if the very things you’ve seen as challenges are actually your greatest strengths?

Rita Ramakrishnan was diagnosed as neurodivergent and autistic as a young adult, but she always knew she was different. Getting her diagnosis proved to be the proverbial light bulb, explaining much of what made Rita wonder about how she functioned in the world.

But labels like neurodivergence and autism can be scary--at least at first. The idea of a brain that operates differently can be difficult to understand by those who are neurodivergent as well as others, who may see different as a liability, especially in the workplace.

As founder of Iksana Consulting, Rita works with neurodivergent leaders as well as corporations and shares her powerful perspective that neurodivergence is not a flaw but a different operating system—one that often brings extraordinary gifts like creativity, rapid problem-solving, and unique pattern recognition. She reminds us that resilience isn’t about bouncing back, but about “bouncing forward” by experimenting, adapting, and embracing flexibility--a message relevant to us all. (In Sanskrit, "Iksana" means thoughtful observation, including a mindful and attentive presence to truly see and understand the needs and potential of a person or situation.)

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we know that Brilliance and Resilience come in all shapes and sizes--and there's room for everyone. Rita reminds us that brilliance doesn’t come from sameness—it comes from authenticity, diversity, and the courage to rise in your own way.

As we recognize differences and treat them with openness and respect, we become open to sharing the knowledge and wisdom of others, expanding our tribes, and our power to solve problems and build a better world, opening the door to grace and possibility rather than shame.

Find out more about Rita's important work at Iksana Consulting here, and tune into this week's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of Rita's wisdom. Be sure to listen for these additional bits of Brilliance:

• “For a lot of neurodivergent folks, you spend a lot of your life feeling like a square peg in a round hole… and getting a diagnosis or some understanding is really helpful to put that into context.”
• “I like to think of most neurodivergence as an operating system that processes inputs differently, and therefore the outputs look different too.”
• "I want us to stop labeling these things as different. Let's have a holistic view about how you process information."
• “Resilience for a neurodivergent person isn’t just about bouncing back—it’s about bouncing forward.”
• “To me, the resilient aspect of neurodivergence is acknowledging that you’re not broken. We are brilliant in our own respect. I love my brain.”
• “My clients have gifts that are going to be transformative for their organizations… this isn’t something to be tolerated, it’s something to be harnessed.”
• “Neurodivergent brains often see patterns much faster, process information more quickly, and generate creative alternative solutions.”
• “Half the time, all people want is to be understood… simply saying, ‘Tell me more,’ creates room for brilliance to emerge.”
• “The best definition of happiness I’ve seen is the intersection of peacefulness and productivity. Imagine if workplaces valued both equally.”

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran

P.S. I just LOVED this episode! Thank you, Rita!!!