Bridging the Neuro-Gap - Live to your Living Room
In this practical, experience-led workshop, Cat McGill and Pete Ord draw on their successful partnership to explore how different neurotypes experience communication at work .
Exclusive Apogee Deal
Free one hour coaching session with team leaders to address specific challenges within your teams (delivered online separately from the workshop session)
Summary
In this practical, experience-led workshop, Cat McGill (autistic) and Pete Ord (non-autistic) draw on their successful partnership at Live to your Living Room to explore how different neurotypes experience communication at work — and how greater understanding can lead to clearer conversations and stronger working relationships.
Who is it for?
- All Employees
- C-suite
- Senior leadership / managememt
- Early-career / junior employees
- New staters / onboarding
- Remote or hybrid teams
Credentials
Previous clients
- The Met,
- Warwick Folk Festival,
- OUTSIDE Arts,
- The English Folk Dance and Song Society,
- Furness Tradition Festival,
- The Foxlowe Arts Centre,
- ACE Space,
- Downend Folk & Roots,
- Live at Sam’s.
Reviews
“Arts Council England was pleased to support Live to your Living Room hybrid events with grant funding, expertly led by Cat McGill who continues to demonstrate strongly inclusive, imaginative and innovative leadership to support the live and online community of folk fans nationally”
– Chloe Brookes, Arts Council England
Awards
- British Empire Medal – Services to the Arts during the pandemic;
- Event Manager of the Year 2021 Women in Live Music awards
Activity overview
Many organisations are increasing their focus on neurodiversity, yet everyday communication challenges between colleagues with different neurotypes can still create misunderstanding, friction, and reduced confidence within teams. This workshop creates a structured, respectful space to explore these differences in a way that is constructive, balanced and focused on practical workplace realities.
Using their own business partnership as a real-world case study, Cat McGill (autistic) and Pete Ord (non-autistic) share candid examples of where communication has worked well — and where it hasn’t. Through facilitated discussion and applied tools, they highlight common pressure points and demonstrate the small but meaningful adjustments that can significantly improve clarity, trust and collaboration across neurotypes.
Participants leave with greater insight, a shared language for discussing communication differences, and practical strategies that can be applied immediately in day-to-day work. The session supports organisational priorities around inclusion, psychological safety and team effectiveness, while remaining human, credible and firmly grounded in lived professional experience.
Agenda
Welcome and Introductions (15–20 min)
– Our story: Cat and Pete share their journey from occasional collaborators to business partners
– Overview of workshop objectives and outcomes
– Setting expectations for respectful discussion and psychological safety
Understanding Neurotypes at Work (30–40 min) –
Explore what “neurotype” means in practical workplace terms.
– Myth busting: Are we all a bit on the spectrum?
– Practical exercise: What is communication?
Common Challenges (45-60 min)
– Discuss how communication styles, social cues, and approaches to tasks can differ
– Sensory environments at work, and why these matter for Neurodivergent colleagues
– Share real examples from Cat and Pete’s experience, highlighting misunderstandings and successful resolutions
– Group discussion: participants share relevant experiences (optional breakout groups)
Practical Strategies for Clearer Communication (45–50 min)
– Tools and techniques for reducing misunderstandings and increasing clarity
– Asking better questions
– Practical exercises in small groups
Building Stronger Working Relationships (30–40 min)
– How small adjustments lead to stronger trust, collaboration, and productivity
– Using shared language to support inclusion and psychological safety
– Access riders and communication passports
Action Planning and Wrap-Up (20–30 min)
– Participants reflect on key takeaways
– Identify 2–3 actionable steps to implement in their teams
– Q&A with facilitators
– Resources and next steps
Locations available
In person: Birmingham, Manchester, anywhere in between.
Can also be adapted for online delivery
Length of session
Half day
Max capacity
20-25
Cost
