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Person-Centered Workplace: Our Journey
Building workplaces where everyone thrives through empathy, clarity, and authentic leadership
Our Origin Story
From Purpose to Practice
Our journey began with a purpose—and an undeniable need—to change employment outcomes for autistic individuals. Our founder, a mother of both an autistic and an ADHD person, was deeply moved by the grim statistics surrounding neurodivergent employment. From that moment, grit & flow was created to address this inequity through research, consulting, and community engagement.
The Research That Changed Everything
As our research unfolded, we discovered a clear pattern: employment success for autistic workers was closely tied to the quality of time and understanding provided by their direct managers (Dreaver et al., 2019; Flower et al., 2019). When managers adopted "succinct, clear, and explicit communication styles" (Dreaver et al., 2019), autistic employees reported higher satisfaction, stronger relationships, and better performance. Over time, it became clear that person-centered communication and individualized understanding were the keys to success—not only for autistic employees, but for all neurodivergent professionals.
Manager Quality Matters
Time and understanding from direct managers directly correlates with employment success
Clear Communication Wins
Succinct, clear, and explicit styles lead to higher satisfaction and performance
Beyond Autism
Person-centered approaches benefit all neurodivergent professionals
Our research also revealed the significant overlap between autism and other neurodivergent traits such as ADHD, dyslexia, and learning differences—alongside mental health conditions like Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). These findings made it clear that focusing solely on autism was too narrow. Workplace inclusion required understanding the shared cognitive traits that shape how people think, work, and connect.
The Manager Moment
As our consulting practice expanded, we recognized that sustainable inclusion hinges on the skills and confidence of line managers. These are the individuals who shape the daily work experience. We saw that "one size does not fit all," and there is no universal playbook for inclusion. Instead, success depends on ongoing, contextual conversations—about each person, each environment, and each unique set of skills and needs. To support this, we began creating short, focused toolbox talks and practical resources that helped managers proactively address issues before they became performance concerns.

Key Insight: Line managers are the linchpin of sustainable inclusion—they shape the daily work experience for every team member.
A Remarkable Discovery
When Neuroinclusion Became Person-Centered Inclusion
Then something remarkable happened.
The same tools that supported neurodivergent employees began improving management across entire teams. Managers reported better relationships and communication with all employees. Teams described feeling more independent, empowered, and valued. What began as neuroinclusion had evolved into person-centered inclusion.
Through this evolution, we observed that the workplaces embracing person-centered approaches didn't just become more inclusive for neurodivergent individuals—they became better workplaces for everyone. Employees described a stronger sense of belonging and trust. Leaders reported less "diversity fatigue" because this holistic approach addressed inclusion across multiple dimensions simultaneously—neurodiversity, gender, culture, disability, and beyond.
And it made us ask ourselves:
What if the path to true inclusion and thriving workplaces lies in person-centered leadership?
What if belonging, innovation, and well-being aren't separate goals—but natural outcomes of seeing and supporting people as individuals?
What if we could build workplaces where diversity isn't a program but a practice?
We believe we can—and we already are.
Our Vision for the Future of Work
At grit & flow, our goal is to create workplace cultures where employees want to be—where they contribute meaningfully, bring their best selves forward, and help their organizations thrive. Through holistic, person-centered practices, we empower managers to embrace cognitive diversity and lead with empathy, clarity, and purpose.
The result?
A more engaged and productive workforce
Faster innovation and creativity
Improved well-being and lower absenteeism
A built-in culture of inclusion that welcomes every individual's uniqueness
These outcomes are not just aspirational—they're evidence-based. Research across disciplines demonstrates that person-centered management directly benefits diverse neurotypes and strengthens organizational culture.
How Person-Centered Management Benefits Different Neurotypes
What the research has informed us: How Person-Centered Management Benefits Different Neurotypes
The following evidence demonstrates how person-centered practices create measurable improvements across diverse cognitive profiles.

Research Foundation: The table ahead synthesizes findings across multiple peer-reviewed studies, showing consistent patterns of success when managers adopt person-centered approaches.
ADHD & Autism: Evidence-Based Benefits
Dyslexia & Learning Disabilities: Research Insights
Cross-Neurotype Themes: Universal Benefits
Hyland & Connolly (2018); Hayward et al. (2019); Nicholas et al. (2019); Coplan et al. (2021)
Across studies, Person-Centered Management consistently mirrors empirically validated best practices for supporting neurodivergent employees. The approach's grounding in empathy, individualization, and strengths alignment correlates with improved well-being, innovation, and organizational outcomes. By emphasizing understanding over standardization, PCM offers a unifying framework that not only benefits neurodivergent professionals but also cultivates inclusive excellence across the workforce.
Join the Person-Centered Manager Movement
The future of work isn't built on policies—it's built on people. At grit & flow, we believe that when managers lead with empathy, clarity, and authenticity, organizations don't just become more inclusive—they become more innovative, resilient, and alive.
If you're ready to move beyond "checking the box" on inclusion and start building a workplace where everyone thrives—where neurodivergent brilliance, diverse perspectives, and human connection fuel performance—your journey begins here.
Join Dr. Tiffany and the grit & flow team on your Person-Centered Manager journey. Together, we'll equip you with the tools, strategies, and mindset to create workplaces that bring out the best in every individual—and the collective potential of your organization.
Start your journey today. Let's build workplaces where people want to be—where they feel seen, supported, and inspired to thrive.
References
Coplan, J., Crocker, L., Landin, J., & Stenn, T. (2021). Building supportive, inclusive workplaces where neurodivergent thinkers thrive. SAM Advanced Management Journal, 86(1), 21–30.
Dreaver, J., Thompson, C., Girdler, S., Adolfsson, M., Black, M., & Falkmer, M. (2019). Success factors enabling employment for adults on the autism spectrum from employers’ perspective. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-03923-3
Edwards, A. V. (2021). Neurodiversity and workplace social capital effects on employee attitudes and intentions (Publication No. 28261932) [Doctoral dissertation, The University of Alabama]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.
Flower, R. L., Hedley, D., Spoor, J. R., & Dissanayake, C. (2019). An alternative pathway to employment for autistic job-seekers: A case study of a training and assessment program targeted to autistic job candidates. Journal of Vocational Education & Training, 71(3), 407–428. https://doi.org/10.1080/13636820.2019.1636846
Hayward, S. M., McVilly, K. R., & Stokes, M. A. (2019). Autism and employment: What works. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 60, 48 – 58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2019.01.006
Hyland, S., & Connolly, J. (2018, October 28). Companies leading in disability inclusion have outperformed peers. Accenture Newsroom. https://newsroom.accenture.com/news/companies-leading-in-disability-inclusion-have-outperformed-peers-accenture-research-finds.htm
Logan, J. (2013). Dyslexic entrepreneurs: The key strengths and challenges. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 17(4–5), 243–256.*
McKnight-Lizotte, A. (2018). Job matching and performance in employees with ASD. Australian Journal of Rehabilitation Counselling, 24(1), 12–26. https://doi.org/10.1017/jrc.2018.4
Nicholas, D., et al. (2019). Employer perspectives on engaging autistic employees. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 50(3), 353–364. https://doi.org/10.3233/JVR-191018
Orr, A. C., & Hammig, S. B. (2009). Inclusive postsecondary strategies for teaching students with learning disabilities: A review of the literature. Learning Disability Quarterly, 32(3), 181–198. https://doi.org/10.2307/27740367
Patton, E. (2019). Autism, attributions and accommodations: Overcoming barriers and integrating a neurodiverse workforce. Personnel Review, 48(4), 915–934. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-04-2018-0116
Thurik, R., Khedhaouria, A., Torrès, O., & Verheul, I. (2016). ADHD symptoms and entrepreneurial orientation of small firm owners. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 65(3), 568–586. https://doi.org/10.1111/apps.12057
Verywell Mind. (2023). What is holism? https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-holism-4685432
Wei, X., et al. (2021). ADHD and entrepreneurial innovation. Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, 7(2), 145–163.*
Whelpley, C. E., et al. (2020). Tensions on the spectrum: Employee and manager experiences of autism. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 39(8), 881–899.*
Wiklund, J., Patzelt, H., & Dimov, D. (2016). Entrepreneurship and psychological well-being: The role of passion. Journal of Business Venturing, 31(2), 183–203.*
Wiklund, J., Yu, W., Tucker, R., & Marino, L. D. (2017). ADHD, impulsivity, and entrepreneurship. Journal of Business Venturing, 32(6), 627–656.*