Avery Oldt’s Post

🧡Good Morning !!!’🙂 It’s going to be a great day!! What are some of the challenges you are dealing with as a parent of a child or an adult diagnosed with autism, that you need to talk about. Yesterday mine was Social Security. 🔥 I had to file a complaint with my congressman to get some answers that were not being given to me by one of their representatives. It’s not the first time. ❤️ Sometimes we don’t want to deal with it, but we have to. 🙂Last week it was reaching out to an Executive I found online at Apple, Inc. 🍎 in Silicon Valley. She reports directly to the CEO, Tim Cook. I emailed her and asked her to assist me with getting answers from Apple, about why my son has not been hired at one of their local stores after a manager asked my son to join their team, because he saw potential in my son, five years ago. My son continues to receive emails from them asking about his disability and what his availability is. He can’t get past Apple Worldwide recruiters. She responded and is looking into it with HR corporate. As you can see, I don’t give up easy when it comes to my son. It’s our job as parents to be tough and hang in there and show them how to advocate for themselves. I’m trying to be nice, as I do have a big list of employment attorneys just waiting. My son wants me to give it a little more time. Oh believe me, I’m watching the clock tick now that I just got another 300 days to file because they contacted him again. 💙So what are you dealing with today? Comment below🙂🧡 #autism #neurodiversity #autismmom #whatareyoubattlingforyourchild #resilience #fightforyourchildsrights #womenunitedforautism #joinourfacebookandgrouppage #cometoourannualluncheonsandfashionshow #joinusvirtuallyaswelivestream #april52025 #wecelebratemoms #wepampermoms

As a middle-aged white guy in tech, I'll be the first to admit that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts weren't always on my radar. I assumed these initiatives were for other people - I didn't think they applied to me. But then I was diagnosed with ADHD in my 40s, and suddenly, I found myself part of a community I hadn't even known existed. As I connected with other neurodivergent professionals, I heard story after story of isolation, misunderstanding, and lack of support in the workplace. I realized that even with all my privileges, I too had been struggling in silence, masking my differences to fit in. This awakening led me to start speaking openly about my own experiences with ADHD. And the response has been overwhelming. So many people have reached out to share their own journeys, to thank me for putting words to what they've been feeling. One of those people was my colleague "Chuck". Chuck reached out to me after seeing my posts, sharing his own experiences with ADHD and his desire to create more support and understanding in our workplace. His courage and commitment inspired me to take action. Together, Chuck and I brought this conversation to our incredible DEI team here at AHEAD. When we sat down with Nicholas Rodriguez, CDP and Victoria Scott, mpshr to share our stories and discuss how we can better support neurodivergent employees, we were met with empathy, enthusiasm, and a genuine commitment to making tangible change. We're still in the early stages of this journey, and we know we don't have all the answers. Building a truly inclusive workplace takes a collaborative effort and a diversity of perspectives. That's where you come in. I'd love to hear from you - what ways have you seen neurodivergence supported in your workplace? What initiatives or practices have made a difference for you or your neurodivergent colleagues? Let's learn from each other and keep this conversation going. Together, we can create a professional world that doesn't just accommodate differences, but celebrates them. Share your experiences and ideas in the comments - I'm excited to continue this journey with all of you! Check out my latest article about social anxiety and sensory overload https://lnkd.in/erw3mc2E

You know that moment when someone says "wow, how did you see that?" and you think "...Wait, that wasn't obvious to everyone?" That right there? That's your strategic genius showing. But when you've spent your career feeling like a square peg, it's easy to dismiss these moments of brilliance as just getting lucky, or just connecting the dots (which aren't obvious to others, at all).  This is why the Thinkydoer's Clarity Package is one of my absolute favorite things to guide clients through. Through appreciative inquiry, we uncover the strategic superpowers that are so natural to you, you might have missed their extraordinary value. It's not about changing who you are—it's about recognizing the genius that's always been there, that even you may take for granted. I'm offering this package at a steep Black Friday discount ($495, regularly $999) because I believe so deeply in this work. Every time I watch a client discover how their "different" way of thinking is actually their greatest asset, I fall in love with this work all over again. Your unique way of seeing the world isn't a bug—it's your most powerful feature. Ready to stop masking and start magnifying your impact? It breaks my heart to push this deal live when folks are focused elsewhere on the holiday, but that's the deal for this week! Check it out the link in first comment for 24 hours only - ends Friday 9am Eastern. #ADHD #AuDHD #AtWork #PersonalDevelopment #BlackFriday

💭 'Who am I without the mask?' This is a common question among individuals who identify as neurodivergent. They've adapted themselves to be more 'acceptable' in society. Essentially putting on a mask when they interact with the world, and most commonly at work. ⛔ They suppress their natural curiosity... ...so that they're not asking 'too many questions'. ⛔ They bite their tongue... ...so they don't eagerly interrupt a conversation but end up appearing rude. ⛔ They force themselves to sit still, or not doodle or make eye contact even though not doing these things is actually taking mental energy and concentration away from the conversation... ...just to 'fit in'. Recognising and appreciating that everyone operates differently, and that there's not 'one right way' is the first step in creating an opportunity for the neurodivergent community to consider reducing their need to mask their natural tendencies. 📢 We say 'bring your whole self to work', 'be authentic' but we still expect the unwritten social rules to be maintained which is forcing neurodivergent individuals to expend precious energy in suppressing themselves to be 'more acceptable'. It's we, as a society, that need to be more accepting. It's like asking a naturally righthanded person to work all day using their left hand, or forcing people working on Windows onto an Apple operating system, and expecting them to be as productive. It's not a good use of time or energy and doesn't yield better results.

"Connectivity via the phones is causing disconnection with actual life—disrupting mental health in a way no previous technological shift could come close to matching." For those looking to foster deeper relationships in their personal and professional lives, this article by U.S. cultural critic Ted Gioia explores 8 ways to connect meaningfully, without relying on WiFi or technological devices. They are also among the ways that the 'Joy of Missing Out' movement encourages us to disconnect from screens and focus on genuine, human connections. https://buff.ly/3YXrUl5 #DigitalWellness #JOMO

We need change RIGHT NOW, people are suffering. The country has been through hell and back. And we are just about to go through another 4 years of false promises, just so a few politicians can fill their pockets, do a few favours for friends in Business but not actually do anything, that will make a difference NOW to society, when there are so many options to do so, especially for children. They are just pricing people out of every day living! Why are we so adverse to change? And anyone who tries to be different, is called crazy etc?? Let's honour the crazy ones! The world 🌎 needs more of them, especially in times of crisis. I recently read that we are not in a #ClimateCrisis but a #TrustCrisis. The public has lost faith in politicians, doctors, lawyers, and our legal system, which seems to be covering up for large corporations. It appears that money is more important than justice, with profits 📈 over people. As a father of two #neurodiverse children, who are my why, they deserve us to do more for their futures and the whole neurodiverse community. Over 2,000 neurodiverse individuals take their own lives each year; that's over five a day. Already today, we have lost two members of our neurodiverse tribe. The lateral thinkers! The neurodivergent community that linear thinkers often overlook. No invention that has changed the world came from a linear thinker. PLEASE, "Take a moment to consider that profound thought." When Apple 🍎 lost its way and fired Steve Jobs, he returned with a campaign to honour the values he instilled in #Apple when he founded it. Sometimes we need to look at our roots when we lose our direction. It's the crazy ones who will bring this world back to a place of trust and put people over profits. #Neurodiversity #Election #ThinkDifferently #adhd #business #Jobs #career #Future #people

<A Thanksgiving Greeting> Hello A-Players, Community Members, Software Developers, CEO’s, CIOs, CTO’s CISO’s, Policy folks, HR, Application Security Practitioners, VC’s, StartUp Founders Women in Sales, Kindly receive me, as imperfect as I may be, still with some filler words, vulnerable, but authentically ambitious to help people. You see, realizing how much I can see so many fears, anxieties, and a reluctance of people to want to speak to their wisdoms or experiences, I’m dropping this imperfect and vulnerable video of myself to encourage you. As a Caregiver, who’s been in the Cybersecurity Bunker too, I’m stepping out differently, in hopes to help others and myself. I near got emotional with this video when trying to thank people at the end, but I’m publishing it anyways. I’m holding onto my core values in not abandoning my mentally and physically disabled family Members in this climate. I want Worldclass companies to value the disabled and family. I hope that Servant Soldiers truly understand what it’s meant to NOT leave your disabled, yet resillient Warrior on the battlefield, alone to fend for her/himself. All the realtime Voice, Gen AI plus realtime servicing apps, are what will help to solve problems for this Caregiver. We don’t have them yet, and I’m impatient. In the meantime, as we continue to find them, I would like to bring people together in Mindfulness Burnout Forest Retreats where we can work together to help each other in Storytelling, and relaxation, where our creative juices are likely to add value to one another, and we can solve problems together. I hope to educate people differently to realize the benefits of why support to innovative women and the underrepresented is a must, in todays AI & Cyber world. We’re better together in our abilities to experience the following benefits: ✔️ to help you avoid risk within your own organization, when it comes to having teams collaborate and cooperate together ✔️ help inspire, align and encourage your people to work better together ✔️ to have empathy, emotional Intelligence and soft skills to help you accelerate innovative productivity ✔️ to eliminate your own fears and limited beliefs about the underrepresented ✔️to understand how different thinking can propel your diversity efforts ✔️to reach-educate and support all teams in dealing with mental, cognitive, behavioral change issues and support the disabled ✔️to not fear re-wiring, or subconcious support to aid mental health ✔️ to add to your bottom line revenues and avoid burnout My events will be open for all people, but can be modified too. My mind is open, and I will look forward to supporting your teams, abundantly in 2025. If I cannot grow the brave to help themselves, I can still help with: CyberAdvisory Business Executive Coaching Sales Coaching AI Advisory Security Testing

Sometimes, life calls for a pause button ⏸️ I've been away since the last week of July, and here's why: 💜Peak season is going on at Amazon 💜Family celebrations and commitments 💜Life's unexpected plot twists 💜 Much-needed mental reset And you know what? It's perfectly okay. Taking a step back isn't giving up. It's: 🟣Recharging our batteries 🟣Gaining a new perspective 🟣Preparing for a stronger comeback Remember: Your well-being comes first. Now, I'm back - refreshed and ready to dive in! P.S. Have you ever taken a social media break? How did it impact you? #designandpen #mentalhealth #worklifebalance

Scenario - you've got off the bus on the way home from work to go into the supermarket. Two young men get off the bus behind you and continue to walk behind you having a loud conversation about two people they know. One says "They're both autistic." ""Really?!" says the other. "No, probably not. It's just they sometimes miss social cues, like when it's time to leave." Much hilarity and then they agree, they should be autistic because they are "endearingly weird". Conversation moves on to discuss his upcoming job interview for Ikea and whether he still shoplifts. Do you: A Ignore them and rehearse your shopping list. B Turn around and confront them by saying you're autistic and find their conversation offensive. C Turn around and congratulate them on having simplified the diagnostic process to "sometimes missing social cues." And, ask whether they have been in touch with the NHS to ask them to update the diagnostic assessment to this and thereby eliminate waiting lists because, let's face it, everyone does at one point or another so we can all be autistic. D Turn around and do your best Bugs Bunny, "What's up, doc?" impersonation and when they look bewildered/amused, go, "Is that endearingly weird enough for you?" I considered all options but figured B, C and D would just reinforce their stereotype further, so I stuck to A. A sad fact about greater "awareness" is that neurominorities are othered and become the butt of the neuromajority's jokes. It's sadly something I hear more than I should from our network members. Tagging "endearing" onto your description of us doesn't make it less offensive. [Image description: An endearingly weird pink, sparkly llama soft toy with a rainbow badge saying neurodivergent, and acting as a mascot on our Neurodiversity Group stall. Photo taken by Liam Russell.] #neurodiversity #neurodivergent

“Bitch has sex with several males and gives birth to 10 babies.”   What image does that create in your head? Is it of a dog delivering a liter of pups? Ever stop to think about how the stories  and the words used to communicate them shape our perceptions?   Some people never get past the headline. Their narrative is based on 10 words or less! I will do you one better; let’s place bets on how many times this post is reported because people won’t read past the first word! That's why the "R" in DARE is so crucial! It's all about scrutinizing the stories we've been told and evaluating if they hold up to reality. But here's the kicker: these narratives often come from trusted sources – the news, family, media, books, educators... you name it! And let's be real, it's not always easy to spot false narratives. Sometimes, they sneak into our minds without us even realizing it!   Take, for instance, beliefs like "remote workers are less productive", or "Gen Z is more entitled than any other generation". Sound familiar? But guess what? They might not be as true as they seem. And don't even get me started on the idea that showing emotion at work is a big no-no! (Psst... it's okay to dislike your boss sometimes. We're all human!)   So, here's the game plan, folks:   1️. Stay alert! Keep those truth goggles on and be on the lookout for sneaky false narratives trying to worm their way into your brain.   2️. Cut yourself some slack! With the constant flood of information bombarding us daily, it's inevitable that a few fibs might slip past our defenses. Forgive yourself and others, and let's work together to set the record straight.   Remember, it's not just about challenging the stories we're told – it's about crafting a narrative that's rooted in truth and empathy. Let's DARE to reshape our reality, one narrative at a time! #DAREtoReview #ChallengeTheNarrative #DethraSaid #CHRO