Ludmila Praslova: The Canary Code

Ludmila Praslova is a Professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Vanguard University of Southern California and regularly writes for Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Psychology Today, and Forbes. She’s the recipient of the 2025 Talent Award from Thinker50 and has been named a LinkedIn Top Voice. She is the author of The Canary Code: A Guide to Neurodiversity, Dignity, and Intersectional Belonging at Work (Amazon, Bookshop)*.

We’ve all seen career paths that sound like this: analyst 1, analyst 2, senior analyst, lead analyst, manager of analysts, etc. Those paths to leadership work for some people, but they don’t work for others. In this conversation, Ludmila and I explore how to create leadership paths that work for everyone.

Key Points

Canaries were used in coal mines because they were more sensitive to early indicators of problems – in a way that helped everyone. The same is often true for neurodivergent leaders in organizations.
The “ideal leader” is a myth. If we are honest, no individual fits the ideal profile.
Having different paths to leadership makes more sense in a complex world. Many of the best leaders are specialists in something.
Instead of looking for “culture fit,” challenge yourself and your organization to do a “culture add.” Neurodiverse leaders can be less susceptible to bias and have higher levels of divergent thinking – huge benefits strengths for many organizations.
In addition to people management, consider paths for leadership that focus strength and skill on system and process, strategy, expertise, though leadership, global leadership, and creative ideation.
Making the workplace more accessible and equitable for one population almost always makes it better for everyone.

Resources Mentioned

The Canary Code: A Guide to Neurodiversity, Dignity, and Intersectional Belonging at Work by Ludmilla Praslova (Amazon, Bookshop)*

Interview Notes

Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).

The Mindset Leaders Need to Address Burnout, with Christina Maslach (episode 608)
The Neurodiversity Edge in Organizations, with Maureen Dunne (episode 694)
How to Motivate Younger Employees, with David Yeager (episode 775)

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792: Create Leadership Paths That Work for Everyone, with Ludmila Praslova

Coaching for Leaders

792: Create Leadership Paths That Work for Everyone, with Ludmila Praslova