Managing Autistic Employee

'You're fired'*

*autistic/asperger/psychopath guy

Put aside his mental state.

Can he do the job he's been assigned to do or not? If not demote (or shift sideways)

I don't think you are in a position to say he/she is autistic?

And you seem to be discriminating (by writing corrective

consultations) because he's mentally deficient.

Therefore, he should get an American Civil Liberties

Union lawyer, and assert his rights, violations of

due process, HIPPA violations, privacy rights by posting

on a public forum.

You need to clearly define your expectations, in writing. The more objective the better. They must be directly and unambiguously related to job performance.

If he has ever reported to you that he has autism, or you have told anyone you suspect he is, you're screwed. At that point you need to make "reasonable accommodations" for his disability or he can sue your ass off.

well..... wrote:

If he has ever reported to you that he has autism, or you have told anyone you suspect he is, you're screwed. At that point you need to make "reasonable accommodations" for his disability or he can sue your ass off.

I believe he needs to self-disclose in order to be covered by the ADA provisions.

In any case, the diagnosis is not at all important.

He is an employee, like any other employee, who has strengths and weaknesses. Your job as a supervisor is to maximize his strengths and minimize his weaknesses to the benefit of your company. Sounds like he may not be in the best position for that. Not sure why you would have promoted somebody with those weaknesses to a supervisory position in the first place.

What on earth made you think that those are autistic traits?

The dude is just exhibiting "what it takes".

Buy matching gray suits, and head to Vegas. One for bad- two for good. You'll be rolling in the dough in no time.

Very familiar story but the real issue is don't promote people into management unless they indicate the appropriate people skils. Thing to do is make him Special Projects Consultant or something, same salary company car etc but no people reporting to him.

Autistic? Moi? wrote:

Very familiar story but the real issue is don't promote people into management unless they indicate the appropriate people skils. Thing to do is make him Special Projects Consultant or something, same salary company car etc but no people reporting to him.

^^Wisdom. A creative reassignment is a great strategy. I've done this, and sent a (rather small) budget along with the perp. You do this, and you'll look like Solomon. Unloading this guy will waste your time and annoy the guy.

Try managing an acoustic employee! THAT is a real headache.

Your employee definitely has autism. I'll try to shed some more light, as I live with this everyday:

1) They often have low self-esteem. He may act superior after receiving praise, but he is well aware of how he struggles with his people skills. This is why criticism is often difficult for him.

2) He will exhibit impulsiveness as neurons travel across his brain and cause him to act before thinking "I should not do this". It is similar to having little inhibitions while you are drunk. Then, shortly afterwards, will have great remorse. He may throw temper-tantrums, but will regret them later, which will shrink his self-esteem even lower.

3) His OCD will control him. He HAS to finish certain tasks, or else his brain will torment him. This is why he focuses on smaller tasks, and ignoring more important ones. He can't help this.

4) Social skills and awareness are going to be almost impossible for him to learn.

5) He will manipulate. He will have this skill just as strong as other humans.

6) He won't hold grudges. Unlike many other people, he will forgive people quickly, and can correct his mistakes.

Putting him in a position where he doesn't have to manage people may be wise, if possible. If not, possibly just give him tasks that his OCD will help with. Demoting or firing him will cause serious depression for him. Whatever you do, please support him, no matter how difficult this may be.

Above all else, please remember that he knows what people think of him. A famous saying from a person with special needs: "When you think life is hard, please remember that mine is."

Sounds more like someone with narcissistic personality disorder to me.

Thank you. I will try to do right by you, and by my employee. It has been one of the more challenging weeks of my career. He's a good guy-with so many good qualities. Just heartbreaking what he goes through every day.

Hallmarks of NPD:

Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others

Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)

Has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations

Is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends

Is often envious of others or believes others are envious of him or her

Requires excessive admiration

Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes

Believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)

Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love

https://www.bpdcentral.com/narcissistic-disorder/hallmarks-of-npd/

I have an autistic child of 12. He knows geography better than any teacher, which not only includes countries, states, capitals, but he knows how all the major roads and interstates connect from memory, and our conversations are always very mental. I always follow his conversation and engage him in the things he's interested in and try to add to that conversation and he enjoys it. We have a great relationship and people might be deluded in thinking that with some education or enough experience etc they can reach the level of other people. But they are deluded, not all people are created alike and my son has abilities other people could only dream of (and other abilities or non-abilities they would not want :)) so it's opened my eyes to see and appreciate people for who they are and for what skills they were born with. So if your employee adds more value to the company by being there then keep him. I only wish society had more jobs for autistic people. My son with all his skills, his abilities wants to be a train driver. He has the ability (already proved) to take my wife to New York City on all the different subways without any map, and walk through all the streets to get to a destination. Without a map. I just let him do his thing, and it's not something I can understand.

So, it is the current fashion to be sympathetic to autism. Narcissism, not so much. However, if one is to view one as a disability-is it fair to not view the other as such?Reading this NPD list, I can see a lot of characteristics of my employee. But it does not really discuss the sensitivity and insecurity that I witness when the façade collapses.. I've known others that I would call narcissists, and when they are criticized or exposed-they don't fold like a cheap suit--they almost double down on the arrogance-overconfident is a word I would use. My employee could be described as high strung, or fragile in that regard-but overconfident, no way. But thanks for the insight.Maybe it's not one or the other-but an amalgam---someone I work with told me that today. He also said to set clear expectations--but the expectations for this job would be unattainable for the condition that Autistic Father describes.

autism? wrote:

Hallmarks of NPD:

Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others

Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)

Has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations

Is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends

Is often envious of others or believes others are envious of him or her

Requires excessive admiration

Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes

Believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)

Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love

https://www.bpdcentral.com/narcissistic-disorder/hallmarks-of-npd/

Sr. Vice President wrote:

Reading this NPD list, I can see a lot of characteristics of my employee. But it does not really discuss the sensitivity and insecurity that I witness when the façade collapses.. I've known others that I would call narcissists, and when they are criticized or exposed-they don't fold like a cheap suit--they almost double down on the arrogance-overconfident is a word I would use. My employee could be described as high strung, or fragile in that regard-but overconfident, no way. But thanks for the insight.

It was the anecdote about turning criticism against you that resonated with someone I've dealt with before. If it is an acquired manipulative technique then maybe it's just a way of deflecting.

autism? wrote:

Hallmarks of NPD:

Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others

Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)

Has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations

Is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends

Is often envious of others or believes others are envious of him or her

Requires excessive admiration

Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes

Believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)

Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love

https://www.bpdcentral.com/narcissistic-disorder/hallmarks-of-npd/

Thank you, but I knew that.

Thank you. I will try to do right by you, and by my employee. It has been one of the more challenging weeks of my career. He's a good guy-with so many good qualities. Just heartbreaking what he goes through every day.