Different Wiring, Shared Solutions

Featured Talk

Conflict is inevitable, and the stress it creates can be particularly challenging for neurodivergent individuals who process emotions, interpret communication, and respond to tension in different ways. For dispute resolution professionals, like mediators and arbitrators, as well as workplace leaders, it's important to understand these differences and how traditional ADR practices can create barriers to resolution. This training offers practitioners insight on how to eliminate these barriers, implement inclusive practices that account for diverse thinking and communication styles and achieve better solutions for all parties.

What You'll Learn

  • Recognize how neurodivergence can affect how people experience stress and conflict
  • Understand how traditional approaches to dispute resolution may be ineffective or escalate the tension between parties
  • Learn how to adapt processes so they support all participants and their unique needs

Talk Description

Talk Description

Conflict is inevitable in any workplace or relationship, and the stress it creates can be particularly challenging for neurodivergent individuals who process emotions, interpret communication, and respond to tension in fundamentally different ways. For dispute resolution professionals—mediators, arbitrators, ombuds—as well as workplace leaders, understanding these differences isn’t just helpful, it’s essential for effective resolution.

Traditional Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) practices, while well-intentioned, can inadvertently create barriers to resolution when they don’t account for neurodivergent processing styles. What works for neurotypical participants may actually escalate tension or prevent meaningful engagement for others.

This training offers practitioners and leaders insight into how to eliminate these barriers, implement inclusive practices that account for diverse thinking and communication styles, and achieve better, more sustainable solutions for all parties involved.

This session combines conflict resolution expertise with neurodiversity science, providing evidence-based strategies that improve outcomes for all participants, not just neurodivergent individuals.

What You’ll Learn

Through case studies and practical exercises, attendees will gain:

Understanding Neurodivergent Conflict Experiences

  • Stress processing differences: How neurodivergent individuals experience and respond to conflict
  • Communication barriers: Recognizing when traditional approaches create obstacles
  • Sensory considerations: Environmental factors that impact participation
  • Executive function impacts: How stress affects planning and decision-making

Adaptive Resolution Strategies

  • Process modifications: Adjusting mediation and arbitration procedures
  • Communication adaptations: Multiple ways to ensure understanding and participation
  • Environmental accommodations: Creating accessible physical and virtual spaces
  • Timeline flexibility: Working with different processing speeds and needs

Enhanced Practitioner Skills

  • Recognition techniques: Identifying when standard approaches aren’t working
  • Intervention strategies: Pivoting methods mid-process when needed
  • Inclusive facilitation: Ensuring all voices are heard and valued
  • Solution validation: Confirming understanding and buy-in from all parties

Real-World Applications

Participants will develop practical competencies including:

  • Pre-process screening and preparation techniques
  • Environmental and procedural accommodation strategies
  • Communication method alternatives (verbal, written, visual)
  • De-escalation techniques tailored to neurodivergent stress responses
  • Follow-up approaches that ensure lasting resolution
<span class="highlight highlight--callout " role="mark" aria-label="Highlighted text">When we design processes that work for neurodivergent minds, we create better outcomes for everyone involved.</span>

Ideal For

This session is essential for:

  • Mediators seeking to improve their practice effectiveness
  • Arbitrators looking to ensure fair and accessible processes
  • Ombuds supporting diverse organizational populations
  • HR Leaders handling workplace conflicts
  • Managers resolving team disputes
  • Legal Professionals working in ADR settings

Interactive Elements

This presentation includes:

  • Case study analysis of neurodivergent conflict scenarios
  • Process adaptation workshop activities
  • Communication technique practice sessions
  • Environmental assessment exercises
  • Role-playing with diverse conflict styles

Takeaways and Resources

Every attendee receives:

  • Neurodivergent conflict assessment framework
  • Process accommodation checklist
  • Communication adaptation guide
  • Environmental accessibility toolkit
  • Resource directory for continued learning and implementation

A Leadership Mindset for All Minds

Leadership is evolving and one of the most transformative shifts is the recognition and leveraging of neurodiversity within teams. This session equips team leaders to foster neuroinclusion in talent acquisition and development, moving beyond accommodations to systems where all minds thrive. By understanding how we think and communicate differently, attendees will learn to how be an inclusive leader, reduce bias and build collaborative teams where neurodiversity drives innovation and growth. This isn't just a talk about inclusion—it's a practical roadmap to help leaders innovate and harness their team's full potential.

Great Minds Don't Think Alike

As AI and automation shift talent needs, skills like creativity, innovation and complex problem solving are becoming more critical. And these skills are exactly where neurodivergent talent excel. With up to 20% of the workforce identifying as neurodivergent, smart organizations are moving beyond inclusion to harnessing these cognitive differences as competitive advantages. This session equips leaders with practical tools to recognize, develop and leverage the unique strengths of their neurodiverse talent. Because embracing neurodiversity isn't just the right thing to do—it's a powerful differentiator in an AI-dominated future.