Unify360

Most leaders want to be inclusive.

The gap isn't intent - it's knowing what that actually looks like in practice.

I've built a free Leader Self-Assessment that shows you exactly where your leadership practice is strong, and where it might be creating unintended barriers for the people you lead.

- 40 statements
- 8 areas of management practice
- Honest scoring guide

Takes about 15 minutes.

Free download 👇
go.unify360.com.au/manager-self-assessment

If you've spent any time in Vietnam, you've heard it. Vendors say it, drivers say it, guesthouse owners say it. It's become something of a national catchphrase, and honestly, one of the most philosophically interesting things I've encountered on this trip.

"Same same but different". On the surface it means 'yes, it's similar to what you're asking for, but not identical'. But the more I sit with it, the more it sounds like the best three-word summary of neurodiversity I've ever heard.

Here's what I mean.

In many Western workplaces, we've built unspoken rules about what "professional" looks like. Eye contact signals confidence. Speaking up signals engagement. Sitting still signals focus.

But spend a week in Vietnam and those rules start to wobble.

Here, sustained eye contact with someone older or more senior is considered disrespectful, not confident. Silence in conversation isn't awkward, it's thoughtful. Indirect communication isn't evasive, it's polite. Yet if a Vietnamese professional walked into an Australian boardroom behaving exactly as their culture taught them, they'd likely be read as unconfident or disengaged.

This is cultural neurodiversity in action. The idea that what looks like a deficit in one context is simply a difference in another. That the behaviours we've decided signal intelligence or leadership potential are not universal truths. They're design choices, built around a pretty narrow template.

In Australia we've built frameworks around neurodiversity, diagnosis, accommodations, growing awareness. We've named it and are slowly learning to design for it. Vietnam hasn't done that. Cognitive differences are largely absorbed into family and community life without labels or formal support.

Is that bad? Not entirely. There's something worth pausing on in a culture that doesn't pathologise difference. But without naming something, you can't advocate for it. The absence of a label isn't the same as acceptance, and definitely not the same as inclusion.

What Vietnam reminded me is that neurodiversity isn't a Western invention. It's a human reality. Every culture has always had people who thi

I'm writing this from Hoi An, Vietnam. My "office" today is a boutique hotel with a view of the street and the smell of fresh banh mi drifting up from below.

A few months ago, I told Holly Stokes, CEO of Diversity Australia, what I wanted to do. Work from Vietnam for a month. Combine the trip I'd always dreamed of with the job I love. Her response? "Well if that's what you want to do, let's make it work."

So here I am.

I spent my first week in Da Nang adjusting to the heat, the rhythm of the streets, and the humbling experience of being a complete outsider in a place that is quietly, effortlessly magnificent. Motorbikes weave through intersections like water finding its path. People are generous in ways that don't require a shared language.

On Wednesday, I swam at the beach at 7am, delivered a three-hour Neuro-Inclusive Manager workshop from my laptop, then went to the night market.

I think about how many people are quietly longing for exactly this kind of flexibility, and how rarely they feel they can ask for it.

Speaking of language.

Last Monday I had lunch at a café called 2 Ladies Kitchen. Fresh banh mi, warm atmosphere, and a card on the table explaining that some staff are deaf or hard of hearing, asking for patience and kindness.

Here I am, on the other side of the world, doing work focused on building more inclusive workplaces, and I stumble across a small Vietnamese café doing exactly that. No fanfare. No corporate policy. Just: these are our people, please treat them well.

It stopped me in my tracks. In the best possible way.

The banh mi, by the way, was extraordinary.

Inclusion isn't a Western concept or a corporate initiative. It's a human one. It shows up in a banh mi shop in Da Nang just as it should show up in every boardroom back home.

Grateful to be here. Grateful for a leader who said, go live your life and bring that back to your work. That's how you get the best out of people.

More dispatches from the road to come.

Most leaders aren't failing their neurodiverse team members on purpose. They're just working without the right tools.

That changes on 28 May.

The Neuro-Inclusive Manager is a three-hour virtual workshop for leaders and HR professionals who are done guessing and ready to lead with real confidence.

With 1 in 5 people likely neurodivergent, building an inclusive team isn't a "nice to have" anymore — it's a core leadership skill. And the organisations getting this right aren't just doing good work. They're outperforming.

What you'll walk away with:

- A clear, practical understanding of how ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia and other neurotypes show up at work
- The confidence to balance genuine support with real performance expectations
- Tools to navigate difficult conversations without shutting people down
- Simple, proven strategies to build a team culture where everyone does their best work

The numbers speak for themselves:
Teams with neurodivergent members show 60% higher creativity. Inclusive cultures are 6x more likely to innovate. The right support can lift individual productivity by 40%.

"Kate demonstrated a profound understanding of neurodiversity and a genuine commitment to fostering inclusive workplaces. Her workshops are informative, insightful, and packed with practical strategies. I wholeheartedly recommend her to any organisation serious about inclusion."
— Michele Paes, ANSTO

Thursday 28 May 2026 | 1:00–4:00pm AEST | Virtual
$775 + GST | Book 2+ and save 10%

This is a small-group, interactive session, not a webinar you half-watch while checking emails. Come ready to engage.

Register: [email protected]

Are you looking to unlock the hidden potential in your team and become the leader everyone wants to work for?

Join our next public "Leading and Supporting Neurodiverse Teams" Workshop being delivered virtually so you can attend from anywhere!

This immersive 3 hour experience is perfect for anyone committed to creating workplaces where every team member can thrive - because that's where breakthrough results happen.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴:

- Teams with neurodivergent members show 60% higher creativity
- Organisations with inclusive cultures are 6× more likely to be innovative
- Proper support can boost individual productivity by 40%

Through hands-on virtual learning and real-world scenarios, you'll discover how to:

✅ Build a foundational understanding of neurodiversity in your workplace
✅ Balance genuine support with clear performance expectations
✅ Navigate challenging conversations with confidence and empathy
✅ Create inclusive environments that drive results for everyone

"Kate demonstrated a profound understanding of neurodiversity and a genuine commitment to fostering inclusive workplaces. Her workshops are informative, insightful, and packed with practical strategies. I wholeheartedly recommend her to any organisation serious about inclusion."
— Michele Paes, ANSTO

Workshop Details:
📅 Date: Thursday 28 May 2026
🕘 Time: 1:00pm – 4:00pm AEST
💻 Format: Interactive Virtual Workshop
💰 Investment: $775 + GST

SAVE 10% when you book two or more participants from your organisation.

Register now: [email protected]

Not-for-profit leaders and teams - this one’s for you!

We’re opening up a limited number of FREE places in Unify360’s upcoming Neurodiversity Awareness (virtual, 3-hour) workshop to support the incredible work happening across the NFP sector.

🗓 28 May
🕐 1:00–4:00pm AEST
💻 Live, interactive virtual session

This workshop is designed to build practical understanding and confidence, helping you create more inclusive environments for neurodivergent staff, volunteers, and the communities you serve.

In this session, you’ll explore:
▪ What neurodiversity really means (beyond the buzzwords)
▪ Common workplace barriers and how to remove them
▪ Simple, realistic adjustments that make a big difference
▪ How inclusive leadership improves wellbeing, retention, and impact

Who can apply?
We’re offering these complimentary places exclusively to people working in not-for-profit organisations.

How to apply:
Email [email protected] with a short note on why this workshop would be valuable for you or your organisation.

Spots are limited, so we’ll be reviewing submissions and allocating places accordingly.

If you’ve been wanting to build your confidence in this space but budgets have been a barrier, this is your opportunity.

Feel free to share this with your networks in the NFP sector.