What motivates you at work?

[Peacelily76]

Hi,
I'm NT but my dad had AS and I'm an advocate for ASD colleagues at work.
Right now, I'm working on a project to develop the behaviour of managers so they can encourage and support their teams to show their talents and be very productive. We want people to enjoy coming to work and be very innovative.
I'm lucky because my employer is very supportive of people with ASD and I have an opportunity to work with our Autism Lead Manager to develop some ideas to help people with AS / ASC / ADHD to feel comfortable, focused, happy and productive.
I know appraisals or face to face meetings with a manager can be really stressful! Also, team meetings and noisy workplaces can bring on overload.

Please can you help me by suggesting some things that motivate you or help you to enjoy your job?
Do you like systems best?
Do you like pictures and visuals?
Do you like thank yous?
Do you value one to one meetings with your manager or do you find these stressful?

Thank you for your help and expert advice.

 

[xudo]

Please can you help me by suggesting some things that motivate you or help you to enjoy your job?
Do you like systems best?
Do you like pictures and visuals?
Do you like thank yous?
Do you value one to one meetings with your manager or do you find these stressful?

To be honest, every single person here on the spectrum may well tell you they like completely different things. None of us will be exactly the same in terms of what we find helpful, and what would only hinder us.

I don't work, but in terms of my last job (office junior), I would say that I do prefer systems, but not necessarily the ones put in place by the workplace. I like to do things in a way that make the most sense to me, and are (in my own mind at least) the best and most effective way to get them done. I would prefer things to be written down rather than pictures and visuals, but I need pretty robust instructions for stuff. I don't do well with ambiguity or vague instructions. I like to be thanked if I have done a good job, but literally just a plain and simple 'thank you'. Anything more than that (someone really praising how well I've done something beyond thank you) makes me very uncomfortable. I would personally find one to one meetings stressful, but others may not.

 

[Peacelily76]

To be honest, every single person here on the spectrum may well tell you they like completely different things. None of us will be exactly the same in terms of what we find helpful, and what would only hinder us.

I don't work, but in terms of my last job (office junior), I would say that I do prefer systems, but not necessarily the ones put in place by the workplace. I like to do things in a way that make the most sense to me, and are (in my own mind at least) the best and most effective way to get them done. I would prefer things to be written down rather than pictures and visuals, but I need pretty robust instructions for stuff. I don't do well with ambiguity or vague instructions. I like to be thanked if I have done a good job, but literally just a plain and simple 'thank you'. Anything more than that (someone really praising how well I've done something beyond thank you) makes me very uncomfortable. I would personally find one to one meetings stressful, but others may not.

Thank you! This is excellent input and feedback

 

[clg114]

What motivates me at work is the fact that I really enjoy working. My special interest is machines and I have made a living working on machinery for 50+ years. How lucky can a Aspie be?

 

[Peacelily76]

What motivates me at work is the fact that I really enjoy working. My special interest is machines and I have made a living working on machinery for 50+ years. How lucky can a Aspie be?

Wow, you are so lucky to be working on your passion! That is the best motivation. Thank you for sharing your story!

 

[Gritches]

Greetings and salutations, I work in an office that (exclusively) employs about 20 Aspies at any given time. That's a small enough number where we can take an individual approach, because everyone's needs and likes are going to be different. My job in particular is to act as a bridge between us Aspies and NT management; I make sure nothing and nobody falls through the cracks.

I'll spare you the 6-paragraph explanation of our corporate structure that I just wrote and deleted and stick to the highlights:

-One issue we Aspies have that almost always gets overlooked is our difficulties/anxieties with initiating a dialogue. This can cause an employee not to speak up if they identify a problem or have a concern. My solution: a non-verbal way to get someone's attention. My choice was to provide laser pointers to use as a sort of "bat signal" to get my attention, but in theory it could be anything non-verbal.

-In that same vein, we're sure to have a 1-to-1 meeting at the same time/day every week for each employee. Yes, it is true that 1-on-1 meetings can be intimidating, but the routine and predictability softens that. The reason behind the meeting is that people tend to stay quiet in team meetings and won't typically initiate a dialogue to voice their concerns on their own. It varies from person to person, but initiating communications in general is something I've made sure not to overlook, and it has panned out nicely.

-If we have important information to convey to the entire team, we will cover all our bases and provide visuals - and if applicable, demonstrations - in addition to verbal instruction. That's "seeing, hearing, doing", and covers most learning styles. Individually, most of us Aspies do appreciate visuals, but it's specific to the individual.

-As far as systems go, some of our people pick up systems right away and have a real knack for it while others may struggle to see the bigger picture. I'm not sure what to tell you on this one, it's an individual issue, like most things.

-In regards to "thank yous", again it's an individual thing. Personally, I find a sincere "thank you" from my boss for something substantial I've done to be very validating, but others get embarrassed or ashamed from getting recognition. Again, it's individual.

In summary, our sets of issues are very unique to the individual. As such, it's unavoidably necessary to have a close relationship with each individual if you want to accommodate their personal needs to the best of your ability. I hope that helped.

 

[Peacelily76]

Greetings and salutations, I work in an office that (exclusively) employs about 20 Aspies at any given time. That's a small enough number where we can take an individual approach, because everyone's needs and likes are going to be different. My job in particular is to act as a bridge between us Aspies and NT management; I make sure nothing and nobody falls through the cracks.

I'll spare you the 6-paragraph explanation of our corporate structure that I just wrote and deleted and stick to the highlights:

-One issue we Aspies have that almost always gets overlooked is our difficulties/anxieties with initiating a dialogue. This can cause an employee not to speak up if they identify a problem or have a concern. My solution: a non-verbal way to get someone's attention. My choice was to provide laser pointers to use as a sort of "bat signal" to get my attention, but in theory it could be anything non-verbal.

-In that same vein, we're sure to have a 1-to-1 meeting at the same time/day every week for each employee. Yes, it is true that 1-on-1 meetings can be intimidating, but the routine and predictability softens that. The reason behind the meeting is that people tend to stay quiet in team meetings and won't typically initiate a dialogue to voice their concerns on their own. It varies from person to person, but initiating communications in general is something I've made sure not to overlook, and it has panned out nicely.

-If we have important information to convey to the entire team, we will cover all our bases and provide visuals - and if applicable, demonstrations - in addition to verbal instruction. That's "seeing, hearing, doing", and covers most learning styles. Individually, most of us Aspies do appreciate visuals, but it's specific to the individual.

-As far as systems go, some of our people pick up systems right away and have a real knack for it while others may struggle to see the bigger picture. I'm not sure what to tell you on this one, it's an individual issue, like most things.

-In regards to "thank yous", again it's an individual thing. Personally, I find a sincere "thank you" from my boss for something substantial I've done to be very validating, but others get embarrassed or ashamed from getting recognition. Again, it's individual.

In summary, our sets of issues are very unique to the individual. As such, it's unavoidably necessary to have a close relationship with each individual if you want to accommodate their personal needs to the best of your ability. I hope that helped.

Wow, this is so helpful and informative. Thank you. I really like the idea of bat signals for non-verbal communication. And the regular, routine 1-1 dialogue is a good idea too. I'm meeting with our focus group of AS colleagues to also obtain their views. I think they will find your suggestions very helpful.
I note that the need to understand each individual's requirements is key to success, just as it is with any person.
Thank you very much.

 

[Questella]

I'd rather have one to one meetings over them having group meetings in which they reprimand everyone about something idk who was doing but it wasn't me. These stress me out to no end.

 

[Peacelily76]

I'd rather have one to one meetings over them having group meetings in which they reprimand everyone about something idk who was doing but it wasn't me. These stress me out to no end.

Yes, those kind of group meetings don't add any value for anyone and they are stressful. Thank you for your feedback

 

[dkpfrog]

I am motivated by recognition, a "thank you" or a "good job" goes a really long way especially since as a middle manager I almost never get them. I hate that I only really ever hear from my own boss when something is going wrong, super depressing and anxiety-driving.

 

[EricD]

I'm the Cart Boss at Bardstown Country Club, and for me it's my As pie obsession with golf.

 

[Peacelily76]

I am motivated by recognition, a "thank you" or a "good job" goes a really long way especially since as a middle manager I almost never get them. I hate that I only really ever hear from my own boss when something is going wrong, super depressing and anxiety-driving.

Thank you, your feedback shows it's really important that bosses know when to praise and encourage their team. If people are made to feel anxious, this won't make them feel productive. Great input and it proves good leadership helps everyone at work.

 

[Peacelily76]

I'm the Cart Boss at Bardstown Country Club, and for me it's my As pie obsession with golf.

Great to hear you get to pursue your passion with golf, a great sport! Thank you!

 

[Khendra]

I do like systems, and I'm a better systems analyst than empathist -- but perhaps as an extension of my faith and being a female, I nonetheless like to use systems to help other people. I get to do both as a direct support worker.

I'm not the typical "visual thinker" stereotype of autism. I'm actually more of a word thinker. I do have some visual tendencies, like synesthesia when hearing music, and excitement when seeing pleasant looking members of the opposite sex -- but I also have lots of visual deficits, like being unable to navigate well around cities without the aid of GPS. I scored a mere 98 on Perceptual Reasoning on the WAIS, but 132 on the verbal comprehension portion! I graduated with a degree in English. Everyone acknowledges writing is my greatest gift.

Thank-yous are nice, but I am best boosted when I get good performance evaluation marks. I was big on getting good grades in school, so objective criteria measuring success is preferable to just mere thank-yous.

One-on-one meetings can be helpful when communication is direct and respectful. They are only stressful if boss and I aren't on same page and can't come to agreement.

 

[WereBear]

The biggest thing my boss did for me was concentrate on things I was good at, and avoiding things I'm not, and crafting the job to my strengths.

 

[Questella]

Yes, those kind of group meetings don't add any value for anyone and they are stressful. Thank you for your feedback

It's really reflects straight laziness on the managers part imo...

 

[Abe1]

e

Hi,
I'm NT but my dad had AS and I'm an advocate for ASD colleagues at work.
Right now, I'm working on a project to develop the behaviour of managers so they can encourage and support their teams to show their talents and be very productive. We want people to enjoy coming to work and be very innovative.
I'm lucky because my employer is very supportive of people with ASD and I have an opportunity to work with our Autism Lead Manager to develop some ideas to help people with AS / ASC / ADHD to feel comfortable, focused, happy and productive.
I know appraisals or face to face meetings with a manager can be really stressful! Also, team meetings and noisy workplaces can bring on overload.

Please can you help me by suggesting some things that motivate you or help you to enjoy your job?
Do you like systems best?
Do you like pictures and visuals?
Do you like thank yous?
Do you value one to one meetings with your manager or do you find these stressful?

Thank you for your help and expert advice.

I'll try to answer as well as I possibly can.

As for motivations I find satisfaction in getting things to balance (working in finance)

A am very adept at wordplay and I am very quick with witty remarks, and I like to say these.

I also like to try to help people, which can be a downside, as it can be taken advantage of.

Management of people in the spectrum is very difficult getting the balance right between ignoring the effects and treating people like idiots. My current boss while well intentioned is very much towards the former.

Management should see people on the Spectrum as people first, then the Autism not the other way around. I think is also a very important Management tool, everyone should be treated with respect whoever they are, male female black, white, NT or Autistic.
I always like thank yous as I have very low self-esteem.

I think one to one meetings are better than group meetings where it is easy to get overloaded.

I work in an open plan office and this really is problematic. All that noise from so many directions, so easy to be worn out.

One of my colleagues I am almost certain is also on the Spectrum and I am ashamed to say, he drives me mad and is very frustrating.
Perhaps though this is useful information I know what I put others through.

 

[Peacelily76]

I do like systems, and I'm a better systems analyst than empathist -- but perhaps as an extension of my faith and being a female, I nonetheless like to use systems to help other people. I get to do both as a direct support worker.

I'm not the typical "visual thinker" stereotype of autism. I'm actually more of a word thinker. I do have some visual tendencies, like synesthesia when hearing music, and excitement when seeing pleasant looking members of the opposite sex -- but I also have lots of visual deficits, like being unable to navigate well around cities without the aid of GPS. I scored a mere 98 on Perceptual Reasoning on the WAIS, but 132 on the verbal comprehension portion! I graduated with a degree in English. Everyone acknowledges writing is my greatest gift.

Thank-yous are nice, but I am best boosted when I get good performance evaluation marks. I was big on getting good grades in school, so objective criteria measuring success is preferable to just mere thank-yous.

One-on-one meetings can be helpful when communication is direct and respectful. They are only stressful if boss and I aren't on same page and can't come to agreement.

Wow! I have slight synesthesia when listening to music. I loved listening to Vivaldi's Four Seasons as a child because I could visualise the weather and colours.
I really like the idea of objective scoring if that is something that helps colleagues understand when they're doing a great job. I will ask my AS colleagues if they think that would be good for them.
I like your use of the word respectful. I think this can only be achieved when a boss is thoroughly educated in neurodiversity and they have discussed and planned individual requirements for each co-worker.
Thank you for your time and valuable feedback.

 

[Peacelily76]

The biggest thing my boss did for me was concentrate on things I was good at, and avoiding things I'm not, and crafting the job to my strengths.

Fantastic! We call this the strengths based approach in the UK, focusing on what a colleague CAN do as opposed to what they can't. Everyone has unique talents and we need to strengthen these.
Thank you for your insight and feedback.

 

[Peacelily76]

e

I'll try to answer as well as I possibly can.

As for motivations I find satisfaction in getting things to balance (working in finance)

A am very adept at wordplay and I am very quick with witty remarks, and I like to say these.

I also like to try to help people, which can be a downside, as it can be taken advantage of.

Management of people in the spectrum is very difficult getting the balance right between ignoring the effects and treating people like idiots. My current boss while well intentioned is very much towards the former.

Management should see people on the Spectrum as people first, then the Autism not the other way around. I think is also a very important Management tool, everyone should be treated with respect whoever they are, male female black, white, NT or Autistic.
I always like thank yous as I have very low self-esteem.

I think one to one meetings are better than group meetings where it is easy to get overloaded.

I work in an open plan office and this really is problematic. All that noise from so many directions, so easy to be worn out.

One of my colleagues I am almost certain is also on the Spectrum and I am ashamed to say, he drives me mad and is very frustrating.
Perhaps though this is useful information I know what I put others through.

Oh yuck, open plan offices are horrible! I'm NT and I find them a nightmare! Do you have a quiet zone you can go to if you get overload?
I totally agree that we should always see the person first before the autism. Some bosses will be better than others at doing this. I guess more education and raising awareness about ASC will help us achieve that goal.
Thank you for your feedback and comments.