Episode 37: Neurodivergence and high performance: lessons from a underwater school play
Published on 17 June 2025 • Hosted by Dr Lisa Colledge
A few weeks ago, I sat on a chair in a gently lit school gym, watching my 7-year-old autistic son and his classmates - children with learning difficulties - perform an underwater play called Sub Nautica.
I had arrived braced for chaos.
What unfolded instead was a masterclass in inclusion and exceeding expectations.
Key observations:
Every child was fully engaged, for the full 45 minutes – no exceptions!
The environment was rich in sensory cues but free of overstimulation.
Communication was non-verbal, consistent, and visually cued.
Expectations were high—and so was the support.
Why it mattered:
This wasn’t just a beautiful moment.
It was a lived demonstration of how intentional inclusive design, anchored in predictability, safety, and dignity, unleashes hidden potential.
Takeaways for teams:
Set high expectations, but scaffold people toward success.
Use clarity and familiarity to build safety and enable exploration.
Don’t just demand performance; design and build the conditions for it in your team.
Inclusion isn’t about lowering the bar. It’s about raising it—with care.
I’m Dr Lisa Colledge, and I help ambitious leaders build future-ready teams they trust to deliver now and adapt to whatever’s next — driving engagement, performance, and enduring resilience.
Learn more about building Neuro-Inspired Teams that outpace, outperform, and outlast your competition.
