Universal Music’s Love For Neurodiversity Is Music To My Ears

Growing up in England, I thought of differences like dyslexia, dyspraxia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, etc. as a disadvantage. I went to a strict private school with a rigid entrance exam and, believe me when I say, there was no room for those who thought "differently." Today, I’m proud to say that I respect and value these differences, (just like any other human difference,) and I strongly believe that you should too.

Lucian Grainge, the CEO of Universal Music Group (who I had the pleasure to firstly meet in 2015,) and David Joseph, the CEO of Universal Music UK, seem to agree. David first realized the potential of neurodiverse people when a talented and influential artist sent him a text message with the words in the wrong order. He finally concluded that some people just think differently, and since then he views this different thinking as a strength. So much so that he recently launched Universal's Creative Differences program, which aims to ensure that neurodiverse people have an equal chance during the company’s recruitment process. Good going, David!

It's hard to believe that one in seven people have some form of neurodivergence, so when people ask me to look into my crystal ball... I only see a world in which initiatives like Creative Differences are going to become increasingly important, especially within the creative industries. Autism spectrum disorders are becoming increasingly prevalent too; the overall prevalence of ASDs is currently estimated at one out of every 59 people.

I think we can all agree that the need for innovative minds has never been greater. By viewing neurodiverse people as having the potential to bring innovation to marketing campaigns, to new product development initiatives and even to leadership styles, I’m convinced that brands can significantly benefit from these novel approaches. In fact, studies prove it. Organizations participating in initiatives to recruit people with autism spectrum disorders have found that those with autism tend to bring new approaches to problems that improve processes and increase productivity.

But you’re going to have to be flexible...

According to the Harvard Business Review, if you want to create neurodiverse workplaces, you've got to work harder to more closely match employees to jobs according to their skills. I’ve had the privilege of working with people with autism and I find they’re often highly focused and productive when they're working on something that interests them. If they start to lose interest, their productivity can fall. So, it’s extra important to keep them interested.

Other neurodiverse employees might need adjustments to help them grow in their careers. These don’t have to be costly and can instead include things like noise-canceling headphones, desks that convert from sitting to standing positions or reading material that is printed with black typeface on cream-colored backgrounds, which is something that has been shown to help people with dyslexia. When leaders are looking to integrate neurodiverse people into the workplace, they should also take time to educate their other employees. This can help to encourage inclusion and allow for the new employees to feel more comfortable and grow.

In retrospect, I had always heard of highly talented neurodiverse people. Actors like Anthony Perkins, Dan Akroyd, and Darryl Hannah have autism spectrum disorders. Olympic athletes, Simone Biles and Michael Phelps have ADHD. And they’re not all just actors and sports stars. Pokemon creator, Satoshi Tajiri has autism, and arguably the most famous person with autism is Temple Grandin, a professor at Colorado State University who worked out new methods to herd cattle. I just never celebrated them for their differences, only for how they overcame their differences.

So here’s my effort to educate and raise awareness of this untapped opportunity amongst you all. Let’s help correct the fact that young adults with autism spectrum disorders have the lowest employment rates, by asking the question: Do we nurture neurodiverse talent?

Named Esquire’s Influencer Of The Year, Jeetendr Sehdev is a media personality, international speaker and the author of the New York Times best-selling book, “The Kim Kardashian Principle: Why Shameless Sells (and How to Do It Right).” Follow him on Twitter @jeetendrsehdev, Instagram @jeetendr_sehdev.