You Don't Need to Be a Border Collie to Herd Sheep

A dachshund named Willy was recently named California's Farm Dog of the Year. He’s not a border collie or an Australian shepherd. He herds livestock using his loud bark and high energy. He gets the job done, just not in the way you'd expect.

This is a useful lesson for work. Many roles come with an unwritten expectation of a certain type of person—a specific personality, communication style, or way of thinking. If you're autistic, you may find you don't fit that mold. The pressure to conform is draining and often counterproductive.

The goal isn’t to become a border collie. It's to be a more effective dachshund. This guide will walk you through how to identify, reframe, and communicate your unique methods at work.

1. Identify the Expected Profile vs. Your Actual Method

First, get clear on the gap between the assumed 'right way' and your natural approach. Most job descriptions list tasks, but the culture implies a specific way of doing them.

Consider a role that requires 'managing stakeholder expectations.'

• The Expected Profile: Constant availability, frequent check-in meetings, charismatic presentations, and a highly social communication style.
• Your Actual Method: Deep analysis of stakeholder needs, creating a detailed and automated progress dashboard, writing clear weekly summary emails, and preparing meticulously for fewer, more structured meetings.

Your method achieves the same outcome—informed and confident stakeholders—but through a different process. It relies on clarity, data, and written communication instead of social presence. Neither is inherently better, but one is likely more sustainable for you.

Take 15 minutes and map this out for your own role. What's the expected profile? What's your actual, effective method?

2. Reframe Your Approach as a Strength, Not a Deficit

It’s easy to see your differences as shortcomings. This is a framing problem. Your method isn't a 'lesser' version of the expected one; it's a different strategy with its own advantages.

Let's re-examine the stakeholder management example:

• Instead of: "I'm bad at schmoozing and constant check-ins."
• Reframe as: "My system of written updates and data dashboards reduces unnecessary meetings and provides a clear, permanent record of progress. It saves everyone time and prevents miscommunication."

• Instead of: "I'm not a natural presenter."
• Reframe as: "I communicate most effectively when I can prepare and present detailed, data-driven information. My presentations are thorough and answer questions before they're asked."

Your approach likely prioritizes accuracy, clarity, deep work, or pattern recognition. These are significant business assets. Frame them as such, first to yourself and then to others.

3. Communicate Your Method Proactively

Don't wait for people to notice you work differently. State your process and its benefits clearly and calmly. This isn't about asking for permission; it's about explaining your professional strategy.

Here are a few practical ways to do this:

• Focus on Shared Outcomes: Connect your method to a goal your manager or team shares. "I know our team's top priority is reducing errors in the quarterly report. My process involves a two-day quiet period for deep data validation. This helps me catch things that are easy to miss in a fast-paced review meeting."
• Run Small Experiments: If you want to introduce a new process, propose it as a trial. "For this next project, can we try managing updates via a shared document instead of daily stand-ups? I believe it will give everyone more time to focus. We can see how it works for two weeks."
• Set Clear Boundaries: Be direct about how you work best. "I check and respond to emails twice a day, at 11 AM and 4 PM. This allows me to do focused work on my main projects. If you have an emergency, please send me a Slack message."

Your Job Is to Do the Work, Not to Fit the Profile

You were hired to achieve certain outcomes, not to perform a specific personality. Like Willy the dachshund, your unique traits are not obstacles to be overcome. They are the very tools you can use to do a great job.

By understanding your own methods, reframing them as strengths, and communicating them clearly, you can stop wasting energy trying to fit a mold and focus on doing effective, sustainable work.