To boss of aspie, I commend you for caring enough about this employee to seek information on dealing with us aspies at work! I realize we can often challenge the patience of even the mildest temperment. My advice: 1) Sit down with this employee and request that they tell YOU the best way for you to give them instructions, etc. If you put the ball in their court, they'll hopefully be able to tell you why the current workflows are giving them problems. Be as flexible as possible with their suggestions, but put full responsibility on them to come up with ideas of their own that will make them a more efficient worker. 2) This is so important! TELL them, in a very direct but kind way (in private) whenever they make professional/social gaffes. We often don't realize when we've made an inappropriate or unprofessional comment until it's too late! That's because the things that offend other people usually don't bother us! Many of us aspies are significantly impaired in the "theory of mind" area; that means we're often unable to intuit when we're driving someone else crazy. We have to "book-learn" this ability of reading people, and it still often remains a touch-and-go skill for many of us. Be sure that when you give them feedback, that you not only tell them what they did/said wrong, but what they SHOULD have done/said in the first place! I was in the insurance field for 17 years prior to my AS diagnosis, and I was constantly told to change my attitude, be a team player, use more tact, etc. but I never knew exactly what I'd done wrong because no one gave me specifics!! Please remember that this person needs concrete, specific guidance on the job, both professionally and inter-personally. Believing that you "shouldn't have to tell" us aspies something is a recipe for constant communication breakdowns! Again, I commend your initiative and compassion in asking for help in working with your employee. All bosses should be so willing to meet their employees half-way! Best of luck to you.
27 Feb 2007, 1:27 pm
