We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alexandra Robuste a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alexandra, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
My purpose didn’t arrive as a single moment of clarity — it was a process of working, failing, unlearning, and returning.
As a very young single mom of three boys, I worked diligently with the determination of providing for my family, first in nursing, then in business. For a long time, my focus was simply survival. At one point, I became deeply curious about leadership. I was fascinated by how good leadership can uplift and empower — or wound and diminish. Leadership is neutral at its core, but its effect is profound. That realization became my passion.
I decided I wanted to become a leader, and my focus turned laser sharp. I asked to step into leadership in the pharmaceutical sales company I worked for. My boss saw my potential, but I failed at first — I was too dynamic, too fast, and my brain tended to “download” ideas and concepts quickly, yet I lacked the capacity to slow them down and translate them into shared understanding. What I now know as signs of neurodivergence was, back then, simply “too much.” People weren’t sure what to make of me.
So I turned inward. I got coaching. I studied myself and asked: Why do I think this way? Why do I feel this way? At that time, about 20 years ago, there wasn’t much awareness about different neurotypes. I assumed everyone’s brain worked like mine. Realizing that my wiring was different was a turning point. It explained both my strengths and my struggles. Later, I even went back to be reassessed by the same people who had doubted me — that was fun… Thankfully, they saw my growth and my passion.
Through a mentorship program, I learned by doing, and I began writing down what worked: needs-based leadership, the role of psychological safety, the importance of understanding how people feel under your leadership. Over time, these notes became frameworks — many of which I still teach today. During that time, a colleague (and later friend) introduced me to The Big Five for Life by John Strelecky. It’s about defining five big goals in life and anchoring your purpose, a metaphor drawn from aiming to see the “big five” animals on safari. I was able to write mine down immediately — as if it had been waiting to be released: My purpose is helping to bring more good leadership into the world. By the way, one of my “big five” was moving to the United States.
Years later, when my three boys had all left home for universities in different directions, that same colleague — the one with whom I had first read the book — passed away unexpectedly. He and his death reminded me with painful clarity how precious time is, and how easily we postpone our dreams thinking we have more of it. He never got to fulfill all of his “big five.” That loss rooted me even more deeply in my own purpose: not to wait, not to keep delaying what matters most.
Life then forced another turning point. After moving, I lost everything I had built. For a time, it felt like collapse. I applied for countless jobs — the kind of roles I had done for the last 20 years, roles I was good at but that never truly fulfilled me. Not the leading part — but the corporate part. And in that empty space, my purpose resurfaced. I began writing. It wasn’t just about leading one team anymore — it was about multiplying impact, about creating something that others could use. That’s how Gentle Leading & Neurodivergence was born. I have to admit, in retrospect, that it was easier at that point — when very little remained to lose — to commit fully to a new path.
So for me, purpose is layered. It began with wanting to be a role model for my children and providing a solid life. And it expanded into something larger — a commitment to bring more humane, safe, and effective leadership into the world.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’ve written two books. The first introduces a new leadership approach grounded in needs-based design, emotional regulation, and psychological safety — a framework where inclusion, empowerment, and ownership replace outdated micromanagement.
The books didn’t just “happen.” They grew out of years of scribbled notebooks, observations, and ideas that never left my mind — insights, frameworks, and downloads I carried with me throughout my leadership journey. At first, I self-published both simply because I felt compelled to share what I had learned.
But that one theme refused to let me go: neurodivergence- the second had focus on it in workplaces.
The more I explored it, the clearer it became how many people are late diagnosed or never diagnosed at all — so basically, almost everyone interacts with neurodivergence in some way. And yet, true inclusion is rare. What excites me most is that this work is not for a single audience:
* Leaders with neurodivergent team members (who need tools for inclusion and psychological safety).
* Leaders who are neurodivergent themselves (extra tricky — imagine high sensitivity meets unregulated ADHD).
* Neurodivergent professionals (seeking validation, strategies, and strength-based growth).
* Neurotypical peers (because it’s very likely your colleagues aren’t neurotypical).
* HR professionals, coaches, and educators (those shaping systems and cultures of belonging).
The numbers are staggering: high sensitivity affects roughly 20%, ADHD between 5–8%, dyslexia around 10%. These are usually reported separately, but in reality traits overlap, intersect, and stack. Many people live with mixed neurodivergences. And yet, awareness is still shockingly low.
The consequences are devastating: suicide risk is up to nine times higher, not because of neurodivergence itself, but because of structural misalignment — environments that don’t fit and cultures that don’t include. When more than 20% of people are affected, it challenges the idea of a “normal” way of thinking collapses. That realization propelled me to take the work further.
I trusted my intuition and reached out to an academic publisher. My vision is bold: to make this part of higher education and leadership training at universities. Just the thought that future leaders could be taught to truly include, adapt, and value neurodivergent talent gives me chills. Because the truth is: there is so much brilliance waiting to be seen — often requiring only small adaptations, sometimes just micro-changes, but above all: awareness. And it worked out!
That’s the core of what I do. I write. I create. I share insights and practical tools — through my blog, across social media, and via my LinkedIn newsletter — most of it freely accessible, because this knowledge needs to spread. And I designed certified leadership programs across three levels (aspiring/new leaders, advanced, and executive), and I’ve built a dedicated program about neurodivergence.
In December, my book Gentle Leading & Neurodivergence will be published by Routledge | Taylor & Francis Group — and I am incredibly grateful for this step. At the same time, I’m giving my flagship framework Gentle Leading a full upgrade, manifesting that it will follow the same path.
This is my professional focus: building awareness, creating accessible tools, and embedding neuroinclusive leadership into organizations and education.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Creativity & Intuition- all these ideas and one of the most important skills for me has been to follow and trust my intuition.
Translating Complexity into Practice- I’ve always had the gift of taking something abstract or complex and turning it into practical hands- on tools or frameworks.
Resilience- not pushing harder, but by trusting the process and finding strength in uncertainty.
My Advice
– Trust the seed of the idea. If it came to you, it’s there for a reason. Don’t wait for perfection — just start. Done is better than perfect. (It’s okay to polish later. When I revised my book for Routledge, I almost blushed of shame rereading my first version. But that’s growth — we learn, we refine. What matters is that you start.)
– Walk the talk. Do what you do by embodying what you believe, not by theory alone.
– Don’t over-ask. Too many opinions only dilute your clarity. If you wouldn’t intentionally seek someone’s advice, don’t let unsolicited feedback or projection take up space in your head. That’ not mindful or helpful at all!
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
The Power of Now (Eckhart Tolle) taught me presence — that life itself, real leadership, clarity, and resilience happen only in the present moment, not while replaying the past or projecting fear into the future.
The Big Five for Life (John Strelecky) helped me define purpose — to reflect deeply on life goals and ask: what am I or you really here for?
The Magic (Rhonda Byrne) taught me that fear or anger and gratitude cannot co-exist. By practicing gratitude proactively — even in small ways — I learned to shift my state, uplift my mood, and over time genuinely feel more appreciation. That simple practice has been transformative.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alexandrarobuste.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandrarobuste_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexandrarobusteLA/
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-grows-business
- Twitter: https://x.com/AlexandraR1114
- Other: https://medium.com/@hello_72386 https://substack.com/@alexandrarobuste https://www.pinterest.com/alexandrarobuste
