Why the World Needs to Embrace Autistic Leadership by Julie Bjelland, LMFT
The world is facing complex challenges that cannot be solved by force, ego, or outdated models of power. We need leadership rooted in empathy, integrity, clarity, and care. We need voices that notice what others miss, ask deeper questions, and create space where people feel truly seen and supported.
That is why the world needs autistic leadership.
Autistic individuals often lead with insight, honesty, and a deep commitment to justice. Many of us are sensitive to systems that are not working and feel a natural drive to fix them, not for recognition, but because we care. We tend to value authenticity over performance and are less interested in dominating than in creating real change.
Autistic leadership brings a different kind of strength. It is thoughtful, intuitive, and often grounded in lived experience that allows us to connect with people on the margins. We understand what it feels like to be excluded, and we lead with a desire to build something better.
I was honored to be featured in an article in SUCCESS Magazine that explores exactly this. It shares how autistic people are redefining leadership and why our strengths are so needed right now.
Read the article:
What Autistic Individuals Can Teach Us About Great Leadership
This kind of representation matters. Please share it widely. You never know who might feel seen or empowered by it.
If this resonates with you, and you are beginning to wonder if you may be part of the Sensitive Autistic Neurotype, you are not alone. Many highly sensitive adults are discovering this about themselves later in life as our understanding of it broadens, and it can be life-changing.
To support your journey, I offer a free Autism Traits Quiz for the sensitive, along with Consultations and Autism Assessments in a compassionate and validating space, and an Adult Discovered Autism Group located inside my Sensitive Empowerment Community. I would be honored to walk alongside you.
There is a place for you in leadership, exactly as you are. The world needs your voice.
About the Author
Julie Bjelland, LMFT, is a licensed psychotherapist, author, and the Founder of Sensitive Empowerment. She specializes in high-sensitivity and adult-discovered autism and is passionate about helping sensitive and neurodivergent people thrive. Through her consultations, courses, global community, and podcast reaching over 190 countries, Julie’s work centers around empowering the people who feel deeply—the ones who will help heal the world. Learn more about Julie’s extensive resources at www.JulieBjelland.com
Discover why the world needs autistic leadership and how neurodivergent strengths like empathy, clarity, and systems thinking are redefining what it means to lead.