How to support different ways of thinking at work: Start by getting to know your team
Apr 06, 2026
Most managers want to support their team well.
They want people to perform, feel confident in their work, and contribute effectively.
But this can be difficult when people approach work in different ways, particularly when those differences aren't immediately visible.
A practical starting point is not changing systems or processes straight away, but getting to know how each person in your team works best.
Why getting to know your team matters
Every team includes a range of differences in how people:
- Process information
- Approach tasks
- Manage time and priorities
- Communicate
- Respond to pressure
These differences are often subtle, but they shape day-to-day performance.
Without understanding them, managers may:
- Make assumptions about behaviour
- Apply the same approach to everyone
- Miss simple opportunities to support more effectively
Taking time to understand individuals helps remove guesswork.
This isn't just about neurodiversity
Getting to know how people work benefits everyone.
However, it becomes particularly important when:
- Someone processes information differently
- Someone approaches tasks in a less typical way
- Someone's needs are not immediately visible
In these cases, the gap between expectation and experience can be larger.
Understanding that gap early can prevent unnecessary challenges later.
What managers often rely on instead
In the absence of clear understanding, managers often rely on:
- Observation alone
- Assumptions based on past experience
- General management advice
- What works for them personally
While these can be helpful, they don't always reflect what works best for each individual.
What getting to know your team actually looks like
This doesn't require formal processes or complex tools.
It can be built into everyday management.
For example:
- Asking how someone prefers to receive information
- Understanding how they approach tasks
- Clarifying what helps them stay focused
- Exploring how they manage workload and priorities
- Noticing patterns over time
The aim is not to gather everything at once, but to build understanding gradually.
Practical areas to explore
If you're not sure where to start, these areas can be useful:
1. Communication
- Do they prefer written or verbal communication?
- Do they benefit from information in advance?
- Do they need time to process before responding?
2. Structure and organisation
- Do they prefer clear steps or more autonomy?
- How do they keep track of tasks?
- What helps them prioritise effectively?
3. Focus and environment
- What helps them concentrate?
- What tends to disrupt their focus?
- Do they work best in certain conditions?
4. Feedback and support
- How do they prefer to receive feedback?
- What makes feedback easier to act on?
- When do they need more or less support?
A simple way to start the conversation
These conversations don't need to be formal or intrusive.
They can be introduced as part of normal team development.
For example:
"I'd like to understand how you work best so I can support you more effectively."
This positions the conversation as supportive, not evaluative.
Using structured questions to make it easier
Many managers find it difficult to know what to ask.
To support this, we've created a set of 22 practical questions that help managers understand how their team members work, communicate and manage tasks.
These questions are designed to:
- Make conversations easier to start
- Focus on practical aspects of work
- Help managers gather useful insight quickly
Download the 22 questions to get started
What to do with what you learn
Understanding is only useful if it informs action.
This doesn't mean making large changes.
It might involve:
- Adjusting how you share information
- Changing how tasks are structured
- Adapting how you run meetings
- Adjusting how you give feedback
Often, small changes have a significant impact.
Common misconceptions
"This takes too much time."
These conversations often save time by reducing misunderstandings later.
"I should already know this."
Most managers are not taught how to have these conversations.
"This is only relevant in certain situations."
Understanding how people work is relevant in every team.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to ask every question at once?
No. This can be built up over time through regular conversations.
What if someone isn't sure what works for them?
Start with small changes and review what helps.
Is this only relevant to neurodivergent employees?
No. These conversations benefit everyone, but can be particularly important where differences are less visible.
Final thought
Supporting different ways of thinking doesn't start with systems or policies.
It starts with understanding.
When managers take the time to understand how people work best, they are far better equipped to support performance, reduce barriers and build more effective teams.
What next?
If your organisation wants to build manager confidence in supporting different ways of working, we support leadership teams, HR functions and all colleagues to develop practical approaches that improve team performance.
