How can I be a positive and effective supervisor to someone with Asperger's in a work situation?

Question

I was recently hired as a child care manager and, after a very difficult staff hiring process, decided to re-evaluate a very quirky and awkward candidate. Their references were stellar but their interview was woefully inadequate, were they to be held to conventionally rigid interviewing success standards.

Having worked with many children on the autism spectrum and being a fan of Michelle Dawson's writings on the subject ( http://www.sentex.net/%7Enexus23/naa_02.html ), I recognized aspects of this individual's behaviour as being characteristic of some form of autism or Asperger's despite the fact that this was not disclosed in the interview. Incidental evidence also came up during our reference/background checks that suggested a history of difficult interpersonal interactions in work-related settings on the part of this person.

I did my due dilligence and decided to hire this person. Asperger's or no, their communication style is very different from any I have ever encountered.

Answer 1

I have Asperger's Syndrome.

I am happy to reveal whatever I can. Just send me mail thru my Avatar at Yahoo.

Answer 2

I am married to a man with Asperger's, and am the mother of a little boy with autism. My husband has had a terrible time coming across well at interviews, too! LOL Lucky he has a nice portfolio and does some pretty fantastic work. (He's a designer.)

Some little tips I would suggest:

1. Always make sure that he or she understands what is expected. I mean, don't be vague, don't ask for something to be completed "soon" (by Thursday at 2:00 is better, for example) and don't expect him to pick up on any little social subtleties. (For example, he might not notice that no one wears shorts at work. If there is a dress code, be up front about it, or privatly mention what is expected if it becomes a problem.

2. Recognize that it is sometimes easy for an "Aspie" to get overstimulated by bright lights, noise, etc. Usually, a person with Asperger's will have trouble concentrating, may "stim", or talk more rapidly or in a higher pitch when they are getting overstimulated.

3. A "stim" is a repetitive motion which an Aspie finds soothing or relaxing, such as tapping a pencil, playing with a rubberband, or, the "poster child" of stims, hand flapping. If this is distracting to other employees, you might suggest quieter activities, such as squishing a stress ball or fiddling with paperclips.

4. An Aspie might not hear you or notice you talking if he is very focused on something. It's best to lightly touch the person on the shoulder or get in front of them before you start talking, if they look like they are really concentrating.

5. It is easy for an Aspie to get overloaded by information at times, and then it seems that the communication centers sort of shut down for a minute. If you have important or stressful information to impart, tell him, then go do something else and let him process it before talking to him about it.

Other great autistic/asperger's authors are Luke Jackson and Temple Grandin. I highly recommend any of their works.

Asperger's syndrome does come with many positives. My husband is constantly getting raises at work after they begrudigly let his terrible interviews slide, and hired him anyway. He is incredibly focused - literally does not take a lunch break. He is extremely bright, with mind-boggling spatial and logic skills. He has no interest in lying or boasting in order to get ahead in the world or to sound better to people. (something I've heard from other wives about Aspie guys.) He is a very dedicated, hard-working guy, which is actually pretty typical for anyone on the "spectrum". Just remember: If he is not doing what he is supposed to be doing, tell him! He might not have noticed that everyone does things a certain way.

Answer 3

As I am a person with asperger's I can tell you from personal experience, be patient with them. People with aspergers can hear something that wasn't even said and that is when they are even looking at the person talking, instead of telling them to pay closer attention, you may want to gently interject and repeat what somebody is asking for in a question form. If you do and your employee hears it correctly from you then they will know that they misunderstood. I am proud that you know about asperger's and know that it is a form of autism. As you know (at least I hope that you know this) those of us with asperger's have a lot of trouble finding and holding onto jobs. In fact I have a job that I used to love but now I am going to have to get a job coach and look for another job because the person that is making things hard on me is held to one standard while I am held to a much higher standard and. I can also understand why they didn't put down the fact on their application that they do suffer from that retardation. I have done that before and have never heard from a prospective employer so I did find it best to not say anything about it and hope that I got hired. Also persons that do suffer from asperger's do have difficulty interacting in the workplace especially. Believe me I know what I am talking about, as I have had trouble in working situations because of my asperger's because I met 8 out of 10 criteria with MHMR. Just make sure that none of your employees pick on this other one. I am very proud of you for hiring a person with this particular retardation.

Answer 4

Wow, you got a lot of info here. I want to emphasize that depending on how severe this guy's AS is, it's probably not going to be as hard as the number of directions you're getting makes it seem.

I think there's a few important major points to remember. Be literal. If you want something, say it, don't hint it. If he's doing something wrong, don't assume he knows, tell him.

Don't assume he automatically handled a situation wrong either (or if you do don't TELL him.) My mother always told me she "knew" I did something wrong even if she wasn't there or didn't know wtf she was talking about. Very frustrating.

Mostly I think you'll get a feel for him by getting to know him. As long as you realize he's not going to be reading much subtext (if any) this process should be fine. Just communicate and find out what his needs are. Once you have a rough idea of how to do it you can refine it with more stuff later, but most NTs seem to get overwhelmed with a huge list of differences from themselves.

Answer 5

Be calm Relaxed and Clear headed, these are very Sensitive People you're Dealing with, its never easy, but don't show any signs of Stress, they have More Integrity then you knowand they demand more Attention then others If they're Difficult walk away just Go becuase they worth the Trouble, I'm saving your *** from getting hurt.

Answer 6

have you read.... the incredible 5-point scale
my neice is just over 1 and has autism. i've heard the book is excellent and discusses ways of socializing etc with autistics. you may find some helpful info in there. otherwise i frequently visit the "neuroscience for kids" webpage as i'm studying neuroscience next yr at uni. Its pretty basic and has some good reading on autism.

Answer 7

You will have to learn this persons needs, quirks etc to fully understand how to properly and effectively supervise.
Every person with Asperger's is different. In general, I would say be supportive and don't harshly correct mistakes. Correct with a "soft touch". Harsh correction often causes them to shut down. Give praise for work done properly.

Answer 8

In my experience one must alter ones body language and comunication style. Stay calm and quiet with slow and precise movement. Show by example rather than explain or tell or order. These people are quite good at fixating on details, and are capable of becomeing fine freinds and highly intelegent employees.

Answer 9

People with disabilities have the right to work...I suggest some diversity classes and try to be more understanding and tolerant of this persons abnormality.

Answer 10

Anon pretty much nailed it. Also keep in mind that sensory overload is very real and very unpleasant. Also, forced social events for workers are always a bad idea.