The Neurodiversity Dilemma: Would You Trade Your Brain?

Above, from left to right: Sayako King, Ore Aofiyebi, Dan Northcote-Smith, Josh Markey, Jack Fargher, Priya Pallan. 
On screen clockwise from top left: Molly Gottlieb, Sandy Callander, Stuart Foy, Mikki Sandhu.

“There is a clear link between neurodiversity and working in a creative field like advertising,” suggest T&Pm’s Josh Markey and Dan Northcote-Smith. “This might be because many take unconventional routes into agency world, or it may be that neurodiverse brains suit the fast-paced, eclectic jobs on offer.

“Diagnoses are on the rise and agencies are increasingly willing to make the reasonable adjustments needed to support their neurodiverse staff. Unlike most medical diagnoses, neurodiversity can be a double-edged sword. Office life can be highly overstimulating, it’s a legal disability but in the creative world diversity of thought is cherished. So what is it, serious hindrance, or a superpower?”

Interested to explore their thoughts and feelings, Josh and Dan asked the members of the agency’s neurodiversity and disability community: “If you could magically become neurotypical, would you?”

Dan Northcote-Smith

Creative innovation director
ADHD

NO

I have never been able to sit still and often thought I had a better way of doing what I was supposed to be doing than my parents and my teachers. I loved to take things apart to see how they were made and often couldn’t put them back together. This made a lot of people pretty angry and landed me in detention, or sent to my room. The standard undiagnosed neurodiverse treatment.

Thankfully the things that held me back in school are exactly the things that work in my favour in advertising. Having my own ideas, breaking things and putting them back together, never sitting still – all seen as massive boons for a creative director. I love the novel, if I do the same thing too many times I get bored – my relentless curiosity has helped me find a place in the &Innovation team, chasing whatever’s coming next.

Sayako King

Social media manager
ADHD

NO

This is a complex question. While my ADHD certainly presents challenges – a tendency to be shy and hard on myself, to end up overstimulated, and to overthink – these very sensitivities are also the source of my strengths. Heightened awareness allows me to connect on a deeper level, fostering empathy and understanding for others. For me now, living with ADHD means experiencing life in vibrant colour. While the intensity can sometimes be overwhelming, it's also the wellspring of my passions.

It also enables me to approach my work with a unique perspective, layering in details and nuances that a neurotypical version of myself might have missed. While initiating tasks can sometimes be a hurdle, I produce work I'm genuinely proud of. Through patience, understanding, and the right structuring, I've developed effective day-to-day strategies that allow me to work with a level of organisation that might surprise some! It's a continuous process of learning and adapting, but ultimately, it's about unlocking the brilliance within my neurodiverse brain.

Jack Fargher

UX designer
Dyslexia

NO

I don’t always find it easy trying to articulate what my struggles are and what I need support with. Struggling to decide when and where to share my neurodivergence with others and how they might understand it. Saying that I love my ability to see connections between people, perspectives and processes. My holistic thinking abilities are a skill that I can bring to the table that others sometimes cannot.

Stuart Foy

Senior innovation designer
Autism / dyslexia / dysgraphia

NO but kind of YES

On one hand, I wouldn't give up the intense joy and unique perspective it gives me. It's given me the ability to find joy in things that no one else finds interesting, and being able to spend nights just learning for the sake of learning. My entire career was based on getting extremely excited about the concept of using Photoshop when I was 11.

But on the other hand, I'm exhausted by the countless cycles of burnout, the constant stress and anxiety, the constant feeling that something's not quite right. It’s hard trying to figure out the workarounds that allow me to exist in a world that’s built for the neurotypical.

Sandy Callander

People director
Dyslexia and probably other things, not sure what flavour

NO

I wouldn't trade my neurodivergent brain for a neurotypical one. I now know that the way my brain processes information allows me to see connections and solve problems creatively. I wouldn't want to give up that unique perspective.

I also cherish the connections I have with other neurodiverse people. We understand each other in a way that neurotypical people often don't. We share similar experiences and can relate to each other's struggles and triumphs.

Working with other neurodiverse people is incredibly rewarding. Because it feels like we're on the same wavelength, we can communicate effectively and efficiently. We can also leverage our different strengths to create innovative solutions.

Overall, I'm grateful for my neurodivergent brain and the community it has connected me with. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Priya Pallan

Diversity and community lead
ADD

NO

I love my ability to problem solve and how energised and committed I can be to something that I am excited or passionate about! This also means when I truly believe in something I am tenacious and resilient – which is great for my line of work!

I've been trying to fit into a neurotypical mould of what 'good' and 'successful' looks like across all spectrums of my life. That's caused a lot of frustration and unnecessary overthinking – energy which could definitely be better spent elsewhere!

Oreoluwa Aofiyebi

Business development executive
ADHD

NO

I love the way my mind works when it comes to visual creativity. I can see things so vividly in my head that it gives me an edge when bringing ideas to life – it’s like I have a blueprint in my mind before I even start. Sure, ADHD can make it hard to actually get started on the execution – but hey, a win is a win! It also amplifies my passions. When I care about something, I feel it more deeply – the excitement hits harder, and the joy of it sticks with me longer.

Living with ADHD often feels like swimming against the tide. I constantly battle a force that pulls me back – struggling to start and/or complete tasks (and then beating yourself up about it!), feeling overwhelmed by too much stimulation, and fighting to maintain focus. It’s an exhausting, slow, uphill swim, yet it’s this very struggle that makes the moments of triumph even more meaningful. Wishing away the struggle might make life smoother, but I’d lose the sharpness of those triumphs – and perhaps a part of who I am.

Mikki Sandhu

Innovation lead
ADHD

NO

I think and see the world in a way that's different to others, and that it gives me a unique perspective on things. I see positives everywhere. ADHD is related to divergent thinking, and this enables me to make connections where others often won't see them, or take leaps of faith on my intuition. I feel incredibly connected to the world and my surroundings.

From this, I’m great in crisis! I find I'm very quick on my feet, and due to being so connected to everything I am able to hyper focus on the situation and creatively problem solve on the spot. I'm the friend you call at 3am when it’s urgent because you know I'll be able to solve it.

Josh Markey

Creative
Autism

NO

If I were told today my autism could be removed, I’d say no.

Even though I get overstimulated and I get anxious without knowing why, the answer will always be no.

Autism is the reason why I have a hyperfixation on the creative arts. Autism is the reason why I sweat the small stuff and move an element of a key visual 1mm to the right and 1mm down over and over again until it scratches the itch on my brain. Autism is the reason why I obsess over one particular word in an idea, changing it 20 times until it feels right – then change it back to what it was in the first place.

Now I'm not suggesting that my approach to creative work is flawless; far from it. I stumble, I misjudge, and misjudge again. I know that my learning journey is far from over, and I’m lucky to have both neurodivergent and neurotypical CDs to guide me along the way.

To me, all this is not just a quirk – it's me and it's my autism.

So no, I wouldn’t trade my brain.

Molly Gottlieb

Planning business director
ADHD

NO

Although there are many challenges associated with my neurodivergence, if I could take a magic pill to get rid of it, I would say “hard pass.” Most significantly, it fuels my creativity, which is one of my biggest passions in life (if I can actually get around to finishing the projects I start...). It's helped me excel in my career, as I'm highly attentive to detail and have strong pattern recognition, allowing me to spot issues before they arise and develop effective problem-solving skills. My perfectionism, although debilitating at times, means I’m constantly striving for excellence.

My ADHD also fuels a youthful, vibrant sense of curiosity and wonder, where I’m always looking to inject excitement into life – you’ll probably find me dancing at the local bar when I’m ‘80. Let’s be real.