How neurodiversity drives innovation and performance with Rachel Radway
In this episode of The Workplace Therapy Podcast by Unity & Company, host Scott Arrieta sits down with Rachel Radway, certified leadership and executive coach, mentor, and award-winning author, to explore how differences in brain wiring shape the way we lead, communicate, and collaborate. With more than twenty-five years of experience across startups, nonprofits, Fortune 100s, and global enterprises, Rachel brings both expertise and lived experience to the conversation, helping leaders understand the reality that no two brains process the world the same way.
Drawing from her work with highly perceptive and neurodivergent leaders, Rachel introduces a practical and human-centered way to rethink performance, motivation, psychological safety, and team communication. She explains why many leaders misinterpret the behaviors of neurodivergent employees, how sensitivity and parallel processing can be powerful strategic strengths, and why organizations lose out when they default to judgment instead of curiosity.
Together, Scott and Rachel unpack why workplaces continue to overlook the inner experience of their people and how assumptions about “typical” behavior lead to mislabeling, disengagement, and unnecessary conflict. They also challenge the outdated idea that leadership requires uniformity. Instead, they make the case that recognizing neurological variability is a strategic advantage that unlocks innovation, clarity, and true collaboration.
Whether you lead a small team or an entire organization, this conversation offers a grounded, science-informed view of what it takes to create more inclusive environments where every brain can contribute at its best.
🧠 Key Takeaways
• There is no such thing as a truly “neurotypical” brain. Every person processes the world differently.
• Misinterpretation happens when leaders assume employees think the same way they do.
• Many behaviors labeled as difficult are simply signs of different processing styles or needs.
• Sensitivity, perceptivity, and parallel processing support strong strategic thinking.
• Masking takes significant energy and is a major driver of burnout for neurodivergent employees.
• Curiosity is a more effective leadership tool than judgment or control.
• Outcome-based leadership creates more space for neurodivergent strengths to shine.
• Understanding individual needs increases psychological safety, which directly improves performance.
• Small, intentional practices can transform team trust and collaboration.
🧩 Featured Frameworks and Concepts
Neurodiversity vs. Neurodivergence
A clear explanation of why neurodiversity is the natural range of human thinking and why individuals should be understood as neurodivergent, not “other.”
Parallel Processing
How highly perceptive or sensitive brains take in more data, make rapid connections, and often see downstream implications before others do.
Methods vs. Outcomes
Why leaders who over-rely on methods-based management create friction with neurodivergent employees and how outcome-based leadership unlocks autonomy and performance.
The Cost of Masking
How pressure to appear “typical” drains cognitive resources and leads to burnout, disengagement, and turnover.
Team User Manuals
A practical tool for helping teams understand one another’s preferences, communication styles, and needs, creating psychological safety and stronger collaboration.
💬 Memorable Quotes
“Labeling someone as difficult usually means we do not understand how their brain works.” — Rachel Radway
“You cannot assume someone thinks the way you think. No two brains process the world the same way.” — Scott Arrieta
“When people stop masking, they free up energy to do their best work.” — Rachel Radway
“Curiosity is one of the most powerful tools leaders have, especially when they are managing difference.” — Scott Arrieta
👥 About the Guest
Rachel Radway is a certified leadership and executive coach, mentor, speaker, and award-winning author of Perceptive: Insights for Leaders Who Feel More, Process Deeply, and Think Differently. She helps highly perceptive and neurodivergent leaders build confidence, clarity, and authenticity without burning out. Through her coaching and writing, she supports individuals and teams in understanding brain wiring, communication patterns, and the conditions required for real performance and psychological safety.
💡 About the Host
Scott Arrieta is the CEO of Unity & Company and host of The Workplace Therapy Podcast. Unity & Company partners with organizations to strengthen leadership, build cohesive teams, and transform culture. The firm helps leaders create environments where people and performance thrive together.