Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Day 25: My Favorite Autism Book

I’ve read half a dozen in the past few years, among them, “Neurotribes” by Steve Silberman, “In a Different Key”, by Jon Donovan and Caren Zucker, “Uniquely Human” by Barry M. Prizant, “Understanding Autism for Dummies” by Stephen Shore and Linda G. Rastelli with foreword from Temple Grandin, and “Look Me In the Eye!” by John Elder Robison. These were all very inspiring and educational, but I like things with a practical bent, too.

So instead I call my favorite book, “An Employer’s Guide to Managing Professionals on the Autism Spectrum” by Marcia Scheiner, founder of Integrate. It’s a very practical expository work on accommodating workers on the autism spectrum and a usable reference work with easily retrievable information on how to handle different situations.

What I find most likeable about the book, though, is how the management advice given is applicable to all employees. It encourages you to listen, look for the cause of performance disruptions, address them in a personal and tailored manner, and harmonize your team. It advises using clear instructions and providing accommodations that are useful for all people.

I so enjoyed the book I bought a copy for my daughter, an HR professional in Westchester County, New York, and sent two copies to Lansing, MI for the managers there to benefit from. I encourage anyone who is a manager to read it, whether they have employees on the spectrum or not.

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