Why Trying Harder Isn’t Enough

You Love Them. But Would You Hire Them?

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2148584/fan_mail/new] We're often told that inclusion starts with awareness and empathy. But what happens when the people we love most are the same people our systems would quietly screen out?  In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins explores the uncomfortable gap between loving neurodivergent people personally and creating real opportunities for them professionally. From hallway conversations with parents and leaders to hiring rooms where "fit" often outweighs capability, she examines how workplaces continue to confuse social performance with actual potential.  The question isn't whether neurodivergent people exist in your life. The question is whether they'd get a chance in the rooms you're responsible for.

When It All Stops — and Your Brain Doesn’t

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2148584/fan_mail/new] We’re often told that when everything slows down, we should feel better. That once the deadlines are over and the pressure lifts, relief will follow. But what if that’s not actually how it works? In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins explores what happens in the space between high pressure and supposed rest—when the structure that’s been holding everything together suddenly disappears, and your brain doesn’t follow. This is especially relevant for neurodistinct individuals, whose ability to function is often closely tied to routine, urgency, and external demands. She also reflects on the tension between needing a break… and not knowing how to exist without the structure that made everything work. Because sometimes, it’s not about doing more—or doing less. It’s about learning how to land when everything finally stops.

What If Masking Was Never the Answer?

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2148584/fan_mail/new] We’re often told that if we work hard, follow the process, and do everything “right,” opportunity will follow. But what if that’s not actually how it works? In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins explores the gap between effort and access—the reality that some opportunities don’t come from the path at all, but from being seen by the right people at the right time. This is especially relevant for neurodivergent individuals, whose strengths don’t always show up clearly in traditional systems or processes. She also reflects on the tension between masking to fit… and what happens when someone is recognized without having to perform. Because sometimes, it’s not about doing more. It’s about whether anyone is actually looking.

Why Trying Harder Isn’t Enough

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2148584/fan_mail/new] We've all heard it. Try harder. Work harder. Push through. And sometimes that's true — effort matters. But for a lot of people, especially those with ADHD, autism, or different neurological wiring, trying harder isn't the problem. It never was. In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins makes the case that when effort stops producing results, it's rarely about capability or drive — it's about alignment. It's about being asked to work in a system that was never designed for your brain. If you've ever felt like you were working twice as hard as everyone else and still coming up short, this episode is for you.

Different Doesn’t Mean Deficient

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2148584/fan_mail/new] We say we value difference. But when someone works differently than we do, we often treat it as a problem. In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins explores why “different” so quickly becomes “deficient” in the workplace — especially when we over-index on process, presence, and personality instead of outcomes. Autism isn’t ADHD. ADHD isn’t PTSD. Yet the leadership practices that support people are often the same: clarity, structure, written expectations, and psychological safety. The real issue isn’t diagnosis. It’s design. When we wait for disclosure before improving systems, we reveal how narrow those systems are. Inclusive leadership isn’t about lowering standards — it’s about widening the path so more than one way of working can lead to excellence. Because there is more than one way to be effective.