Replies

Thank you. If I may ask, did your dept head work with you to create a workplace situation that works for everyone? Part of me suspects that, while many people (even neurotypical) are utterly unmanageable, people on the spectrum may not get hired/get far because leaders don't want to spend the time necessary to make it all work.

Ironically, that same management probably spend lots of time defending star jerks.

If I may ask, did your dept head work with you to create a workplace situation that works for everyone?

I had some other personality issues at the time that made me a bit of a jerk sometimes, and I didn't always get along with authority. The main reason they put up with me as long as I did (and they didn't put up with me forever,) was because of the occasional moments of spectacular problem solving, and ability to put in tremendous hours and be at the top for billable hours.

But even that will only get you so far. Like sports - a smooth team is worth more than a brilliant performer. Combined with my inability to manage office politics, (I ticked off a lot of people) I ended up with a (probably deserved) target on my back.

One of my former supervisors described me as "brilliant, but a bit of a lone ranger."

That's why I ended up working for myself.

Since then, awareness of my situation has allowed me to smooth off some of the rough edges. Now, if I have situations where I am dealing with people on a long term situation, at church for example, I'll explain to to the person I report to that I am mildly autistic. It explains my compulsion to certain fine points, and my desire to analyze things in detail as well, which otherwise they would find annoying.