Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi all,
My name is Perry and I have recently joined the NAS. I am 29 and was diagnosed with Asperger's in childhood.
I found it a nightmare finding work, and when I finally did it was a temp job at a major UK company. Once I was in, it was easy to show how good I am (and ASD people are) when actually given that opportunity, and I am still there nearly four years later, having also turned into a permanent member of staff two years ago. I believe that I have been successful in all of my roles and have even developed systems which have automated and improved systems within the team.
The problem is, I just cannot progress. I was under the mistaken belief that quietly doing a great job will prove to people that I am worthy of more responsibility and the chance to move into a more challenging and rewarding role, rather than being fed the scraps that nobody else can be bothered to do.
I have queried this with the management, who keep telling me about my "personal brand" (whilst also insisting that I am "very well-liked in the team"), but it has also been implied to me that I am beginning to be seen as a pain for making a noise about my concerns rather than just quietly "proving myself." With this in mind, I even disclosed my ASD status to my line managers, explaining that it is for this reason that "personal brand" is a difficult concept for me. Unfortunately, and perhaps predictably, it has had no effect. I have been looking to leave, applying for jobs elsewhere with no luck.
So how do I negotiate office politics? It really feels that the quality of work is less important than how you look and who you befriend, but there must be a way to successfully prove yourself in an office environment when you are on the autistic spectrum? Otherwise, it does feel that we are considerably disadvantaged here.
Any suggestions and ideas are welcome!
-Perry.
The concept of 'personal brand' is a reflection of the reality of office politics. It's not enough to be good at your job, you do need to have the name recognition as someone that both adds value and has a cultural fit within the organisation.
As with any brand, your personal brand can be damaged, and can take a long time to repair. Just one unguarded incident can lead to people perceiving you in a negative way and it takes many positive experiences to overrule that perception.
The quick way to build a strong personal brand is to move to another company. A fresh start, no preconceptions, just adopt good behaviours and you'll immediately be seen as a valued member of the team.
The behaviours are the same as those needed for doing it the long way: Adopt good corporate working practices and stick with them.
What are those behaviours and practices? The usual bunch of soft skills. Meet your commitments, support your colleagues, help your manager achieve their objectives, build a strong professional network, always demonstrate positivity, never blame anybody, don't discuss politics or religion, demonstrate personal ownership of corporate issues.
I have a book published on all of this, and if one of the admin wants to contact me via my forum email address I'm happy to provide an electronic copy that they can forward on to Perry.