IBM's Lighthouse reveals the way to higher neurodiverse engagement across IBM

This is a modified article by Andrew Williams that was published within IBM on the 11th of November 2021 and distributed to all IBMers globally.

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Very few people know that in the 1890’s, one of IBM’s first founding fathers Herman Hollerith was neurodivergent, with a cognitive processing disability. But even just 8 years ago – IBM’s practical engagement of its own neurodiversity was minimal and indirect.

With the support of IBM leaders like Paul Austin, Shalini Pahwa, Belinda Sheehan, Nat Lyckowski, Diane Delaney, and IBM’s neurodiverse leaders and community, Andrew Williams from IBM Consulting, helped build a more complete and active neurodiverse engagement across IBM.

Today, some of IBM’s undertakings include hiring neurodiverse IBMers, building a business case for global engagement, and creating environments for neurodivergents to advance and have their voices heard.

How did Lighthouse (an internal IBM asset harvesting & sharing site) manage to ensure everyone in IBM understands the world of a neurodivergent IBMer?

Utilizing the Lighthouse knowledge portal, Andrew produced an extensive video library of ND IBMers in Australia, Europe, Latin America, Spain, and North America sharing their own inspirational stories with others--covering a wide cross-section of cultures and talents, including individuals like Dyllan Rafail from IBM Lansing.

Through this effort, people outside the ND community can now understand the day-to-day challenges of these remarkable IBMers. Further, this library is ever-evolving in a dedicated Neurodiversity@IBM video channel featured within Lighthouse and is being accessed by the ND community, allies, and all of IBM.

Although the readers (external to IBM) of this article cannot access Lighthouse (see image), all the material is available within the provided youtube channel here.

Here is an example of the assets shared. This video charts the emergence of neurodivergents in IBM and the key individuals driving ongoing acceptance, awareness and advancement including Herman Hollerith, Michael Supa and today, Tony Horton and many many more.

As a passionate knowledge sharer, Andrew has ensured these videos and other ND@IBM assets are freely shared externally in dedicated neurodivergent channels, Youtube and Linkedin, for the benefit of any and all organizations. Organizations who also want to learn more about neurodiversity, and neurodivergents or want to start, grow and enhance their own ND programs with the ultimate purpose of ensuring continued neurodivergent advancement bringing to life the statement by Ginni Rommety, “You can’t be, what you can’t see”.

More about ND@IBM

IBM Neurodiversity 2021: https://ibm.biz/ND_2021

IBM Neurodiversity - The Power of New Perspectives: https://www.ibm.com/thought-leadershi...

IBM Lansing Neurodiversity Hiring: https://www.ibm.com/blogs/think/2019/...

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About the Author:?Andrew Williams?is a thought leader in the ND@IBM community and after 35 years in IBM as a consultant, leader, technician, and executive - still finds everything fascinating and loves to find new opportunities to connect with people.