Different Doesn’t Mean Deficient

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We say we value difference. But when someone works differently than we do, we often treat it as a problem.

In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins explores why “different” so quickly becomes “deficient” in the workplace — especially when we over-index on process, presence, and personality instead of outcomes. Autism isn’t ADHD. ADHD isn’t PTSD. Yet the leadership practices that support people are often the same: clarity, structure, written expectations, and psychological safety.

The real issue isn’t diagnosis. It’s design.

When we wait for disclosure before improving systems, we reveal how narrow those systems are. Inclusive leadership isn’t about lowering standards — it’s about widening the path so more than one way of working can lead to excellence.

Because there is more than one way to be effective.