What leadership are we overlooking?
-
Leadership
-
Think Thank
-
Young professionals
-
Middle management & professionals
-
C-level / CEO
-
In-person
Difficult today, indispensable tomorrow?
Neurodiversity, talent and the price of our trusted leadership image
Organizations seek people who make new connections, question assumptions, and spot problems before they become urgent. But what happens when someone makes that contribution in a way that causes friction? When a colleague keeps asking questions, has little patience with illogical agreements, or communicates differently than we expect?
With neurodivergent colleagues, our judgment of their behavior can determine how much room their talent is given. Who is heard? Who is given the responsibility? Who is seen as a potential leader, and who is primarily told to adapt?
During this panel discussion, we explore how our expectations regarding professional behavior and leadership impact opportunities for neurodivergent talent as well as the resilience of organizations. After all, being recognized as a leader does not automatically mean you are the one who leads most effectively. And the capabilities organizations need tomorrow are already present today, but are not always given the space to demonstrate.
Guided by moderator Muriel Van Gompel (Mindflow), Anton Maes (brainmove), Ilse Heylen (Takto) and Emily Rammant (Bright Lights) discuss concrete experiences and choices. When does adaptation help to collaborate, and when is a valuable contribution lost as a result? What do organizations miss when neurodivergent employees withdraw or leave? And what does it take to ensure their talent and leadership are fully realized?
We will send out a short survey in advance regarding how organizations deal with neurodivergence. The results will serve as the starting point for the panel discussion and bring the participants' experiences into the discussion. Afterwards, we will also share the findings with the general public.
How does your organization view neurodiversity? Share your insights via our survey .
A conversation for business leaders, managers, and professionals who want to explore how their own perspective determines which talent develops into the leaders of tomorrow.
Speakers
Anton Maes
CEO brainmove
Anton is an occupational and organizational psychologist and an expert in change management, internal communication, and workplace strategy. He has a background as a communications specialist and has developed tailored workplace concepts for both large enterprises and the government over the past few years. In doing so, he focuses on understanding and influencing user behavior. Anton attaches great importance to an evidence-based approach when developing an optimal (neuroinclusive) work environment. He is a member of the Board of Directors of IFMA Belgium and of the Transdisciplinary Workplace Research Network (TWR). He represents the Workplace Evolutionaries network WEHUB in Belgium. Additionally, he is an active speaker, facilitator, author, and lecturer. Since 2010, he has been the driving force behind the consultancy firm brainmove, which has guided countless large organizations towards a new work environment coupled with a different way of working.
Ilse Heylen
Tacto
Ilse has over 25 years of experience in commercial and operational management within the FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) sector. She has held various executive positions in sales, operations, and marketing, including as Chief Commercial and Operational Officer at Chaussea and Bristol. Throughout her career, she combines strategic and commercial insight with a strong focus on operational efficiency, team development, and change management. Adopting a coaching and future-oriented leadership style, she focuses on collaboration, business growth, and talent development. She is currently part of the Takto Management Team and focuses on supporting organizations in realizing their ambitions regarding themes such as (neuro-)inclusion and diversity.
Emily Rammant
Founding Partner Bright Lights
Emily combines strategic insight with strong analytical skills and helps SMEs and multinationals align their strategic objectives with the human side of organizations. Her expertise includes leadership, organizational culture, diversity and inclusion, emotional intelligence, and well-being. At Bright Lights, she is committed to giving gifted professionals the space to develop meaningful solutions with a positive impact on companies and organizations.
Muriel Van Gompel
Owner MindFlow.be
Muriel works at the intersection of neurodiversity, leadership, and organizational development. Through Mindflow, she guides organizations that want to transform differences between people into better collaboration and stronger results. She combines academic expertise with more than 25 years of experience in the business world and translates scientific insights into the daily practice of organizations.
