Elisabeth Bouchard

Elisabeth (Lisi) Bouchard (2002, History) is a programme manager and policy professional in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. She is also a trained executive coach and leadership facilitator. Lisi is dyslexic and has been interviewing neurodivergent leaders about what neurodiversity brings to leadership.

As part of Neurodiversity Celebration Week (17-23 March) Lisi has launched neurodiverse leaders, a website celebrating neurodiverse leadership.

What brought you to Univ?
My love of history and of community. I was attracted by Univ’s large community of history students, the proximity of the exam halls for lectures (as a young person who loved sleep) and the lovely friendly feel of the college.

Do you have any favourite moments from your time at Univ?
One moment was a beautiful evening in Arts Week in 2004 when I was laughing so hard at our Univ production of Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband which was performed in the Master’s gardens. We also ran an Art Exhibition where we showcased the JCR art collection alongside the work of students – that was special. But I also remember the slow moments of gathering in the Lodge before going off for a walk around Christ Church Meadow or attempting to study on the lawns outside the library in the summer.

What challenges did you face during your time at Univ? How did you overcome them?
As someone who is dyslexic and read history, just completing 12 essays a term and long reading lists was a real challenge. I was helped by having some really good friends for support and my approach of working hard. My tutor, Catherine Holmes, helped prompt me to get a formal dyslexia diagnosis from a psychologist which helped me understand myself better and get much-needed extra time for exams.

How did your time at Univ influence your career?
I think being at Univ really helped me believe that anything was possible. It encouraged me to apply for the Civil Service Fast Stream and grab opportunities when I was there, including 6 months training in Brussels and later organising a secondment to an amazing social enterprise called Social Finance. I’ve had a really interesting and varied career in the Civil Service, exploring important topics from reducing reoffending, youth unemployment, to loneliness and youth volunteering. I’m currently working on a programme in the Sports Directorate in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

I have also had the opportunity to train as an executive leadership coach and some of the best moments in my week are the times I spend with clients, thinking through the next steps in their career or unlocking a blocker in their leadership.

How did your interest in neurodiversity and leadership develop?
In recent years, I’ve been reflecting more on what it means to be a leader and my own leadership style. As I’ve done this, I’ve found it very difficult to separate being dyslexic from my leadership. I’ve realised that it isn’t just something that impacts on my reading at high speed, but all aspects of who I am at work.

Beyond reading and writing, my dyslexia presents some challenges around working memory which means I need to prepare if I think I’ll be put on the spot. My dyslexia has also given me lots of strengths, from an ability to understand the complexity of programmes and the systems within which they work, to my creativity and ability to create visuals. Beyond this, being dyslexic has given me a real passion for unlocking the strengths of others. So, a couple of years ago I started to wonder more broadly what being neurodiverse could bring to leadership and began to seek out neurodiverse leaders.

What key things have you learned from interviewing leaders across the civil service about neurodiversity?
Firstly, there are many amazing neurodivergent leaders who are doing fascinating work including thinking about how to harness all the talents, skills and ways of thinking in their team. This is encouraging and I hope students at Univ and others will be inspired by this.

Secondly there have been some really interesting recurring strengths that neurodiverse leaders bring to their organisations. This can range from constructive challenge, experiencing frustration with bureaucracy and driving for innovation, to identifying solutions, seeing the bigger picture and having a large amount of of creativity.  But perhaps most striking for me has been to see how often leaders have cited system thinking as a strength. This means they can look at a large, complex system or body of data and easily see what the key driver of that system might be, where it might break and the key risks. This ability to, as one person said “see round corners” or problem solve at high pace is so valuable at every level, but particularly in leadership.

Lastly, on a more personal level, one of my interviewees said, “Everyone is a mixture of strengths and needs.” I’ve found this phrase really helpful both for thinking about what support I need to be at my best, and for considering what support those I work with need. This is useful for all leaders, but particularly for those of us who are neurodiverse and have what some people call a more “spiky profile”.

What’s your advice for neurodiverse students at Univ?
Look after yourself, treasure your time at Univ and give yourself space to enjoy the now.  When you leave, really get to know yourself, your strengths and what you need to be at your best. Also, please don’t hesitate to ask for adjustments, from interview questions in advance or other accommodations. This can make all the difference and these things are available for a reason. In an increasingly complex world, know that thinking differently is valuable in itself, and that business and government need brains that work differently and diversity of thought.

Describe Univ in three words.
Friendly, supportive, confident.