The Canary Code: A Guide to Neurodiversity, Dignity, and Intersectional Belonging at Work

By Ludmila Praslova

Book Overview

Burnout rising. Systems cracking. Talent leaving.

The solution: design for human dignity and full-person diversity--with this award-winning guide.

The Canary Code reorganizes work for thriving--starting with those first impacted by faulty systems, like canaries first sensing toxic air in coal mines. Neurodivergent talent (members of ADHD, autism, Tourette's syndrome, and learning-differences communities, and others who think and experience life differently) offer unique skills and exceptional work ethics, yet face employment barriers. Their unique abilities and perspectives are excluded, and their canary warnings about bullying, broken workflows, or ethical drift are ignored.

This practical guide helps CEOs, managers, HR leaders, and changemakers improve work for all.

Drawing on science and lived experience, 2025 Thinkers50 Talent Award winner and internationally renowned management expert Ludmila Praslova shows how embracing neurodiversity creates healthier, more innovative systems. A neurodivergent organizational psychologist with over twenty-five years of global practice and research on inclusive organizations, she offers the following:
A holistic framework of human differences (social, cognitive, emotional, physical)An intersectional, whole-person approach to neuroinclusionDignity-based talent practices, from hiring to leadership developmentGlobal perspectives celebrating diverse neurodivergent voicesActionable strategies for change at any organizational level
Blending lived experience, academic rigor, and accessible writing, this groundbreaking work exemplifies neuroinclusion. It clearly indicates academic, applied, and personal content, supporting an individualized reader experience.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 152300584X
• ISBN13: 9781523005840
• Release Date: May 2024
• Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.2" x 9.1"