The autism spectrum isn't what you think it is. How LEGO saved itself from collapse. Radical respect at work.

One “must” for this week: The autism spectrum isn't what you think it is

September 2021. The doctor said "autism spectrum disorder" and I heard "broken."

My son Luca was almost four.

I was terrified he'd never have friends.

Never fall in love. Never live independently.

I spent hours googling "autism cure" as if it was a problem to solve.

All because of movies and stereotypes I'd absorbed without thinking.

Four years later?

His school teacher said that Luca is a “noble and fun kid”.

He creates amazing lego constructions, recreating anything he sees.

Yes, there are hard days. Meltdowns before school. Things that drain him.

And many moments of clarity and connection that make me smile.

And yes, the same kid who doesn’t want to put his shoes on can sense when I'm stressed better than myself.

His brain isn't broken. It's just wired differently.

I'm learning that "normal" is just a label, there is no “normal”.

And expecting everyone to fit the same mold says more about our limitations than theirs.

How many times do we mistake 'different' for 'broken'?"

Inspired by a TED Talk from Chloé Hayden.

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Personal development

• The autism spectrum isn't what you think it is

• Notes on Managing ADHD

• Forever young

• Blurred by you

• How tech’s most resilient workers handle burnout

• Smart people don't chase goals; they create limits

• Let’s not decide who kids are before they do

• Is your flexible schedule burning you out?

Innovation

• How LEGO saved itself from collapse

• Creativity in an age of AI

• The illusion of thinking

• Some thoughts on human-AI relationships

• Artificial intelligence is not intelligent

• Weak signals and trend analysis

• The $143 that changed aviation forever (and what it means for your startup)

• A glimpse of the future: The ‘Oscars of Innovation in Higher Education’

Leadership and management

• Radical respect at work

• How (and when) to say no to the boss

• Are you a “scary” leader?

• The impact of AI and the future of work

• Breaking down the infinite workday

• Employee retention and social signals to watch

• Hybrid still isn’t working

• In the service of the prince: a meta‐analytic review of machiavellian leadership

One book

“How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie.

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See you next Saturday,

Roberto