From Workplace Burnout to Finding My Mission
Written by Kim Hutchinson
I once did whatever it took to be the star performer. Long hours, constant people-pleasing, pushing myself beyond my limits. I was ticking all the boxes of 'success' while feeling like a shell of a human beneath it all.
My body kept score of what my mind refused to acknowledge. After years of masking my true self in professional environments, I hit breaking point. I was so sick that I had to quit my job, spending nearly a year mostly bedridden. My carefully constructed life had crumbled.
What I couldn't see then was that this breakdown would become my breakthrough.
Finding myself after burnout
In the stillness that followed, a question emerged: who was I beneath the mask? Which parts of me were authentic, and which were adaptive strategies I’d developed to fit into workplaces that weren’t designed for minds like mine?
The answer came through a late autism diagnosis. It was a light bulb moment, illuminating my past through an entirely new lens—beyond gender and culture. It felt like coming home to myself after years of living as a stranger. The realisation was complicated—filled with both grief for lost time and the life I would never have, and joy and compassion in newfound understanding.
My greatest revelation wasn’t just personal. I realised my career achievements weren’t despite my neurodivergence, but because of it. My unique ways of connecting dots, drawing inspiration, and relating to others weren’t deficits to overcome—they were my greatest strengths.
This insight made me grateful for the thoughtful leaders who had supported me throughout my career. They proved that neurodiversity-affirming workplaces were possible. But it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. There had been times where I encountered environments that punished difference, where conformity was valued above contribution.
A pattern emerges
My curiosity grew. I began interviewing other late-identifying neurodivergent adults across Australia. Story after story echoed my own experience. Talented professionals whose unique thinking styles were shamed rather than celebrated. People told to tone down their authentic selves. Remarkable strengths hidden under masks of conformity.
Each conversation broke my heart a little more. Behind these stories were traumatic experiences with far-reaching impacts, often worsening long-term unemployment and making return to work even harder. As an economist passionate about economic inclusion, I couldn’t stand by and watch this waste of human potential.
Meanwhile, in conversations with managers and leaders, I discovered something equally troubling. Even neurodivergent leaders often hid their identities, fearing missed opportunities and promotions. Well-meaning neurotypical managers wanted to support staff but lacked confidence in discussing neurodiversity. Many feared 'saying the wrong thing' and getting ‘cancelled’.
The paradox became clear: we all use our brains at work, yet talking about how they are different—and what is needed to perform at our best—remained taboo. It was the elephant in every meeting room that nobody acknowledged.
And, What Unites was born
We needed a new approach—one that explored and celebrated neurodiversity in positive, empowering, and strengths-based ways. One that recognised cognitive differences as strategic advantages rather than problems to fix.
That’s how What Unites was born.
Our mission grew from this personal journey. We wanted to empower others to do what their hearts call them to do. To help people know they are valued just as they are. To show them that their most impactful contribution comes through being uniquely themselves.
We believe the world faces unprecedented challenges requiring diverse thinking to solve. Organisations grappling with complexity need all types of minds at the table. In an era of rapid technological change, those that prioritise conformity over cognitive diversity will become irrelevant.
Our Vision
What Unites stands for a future where everyone belongs—to themselves, to others, to a higher purpose, and to the world we share. We envision workplaces that embrace the beauty and diversity of the human spirit and experience.
My neurodivergence once felt like my greatest shame. Today, I know it’s my greatest gift. Through What Unites, we’re creating spaces where everyone can make that same discovery—before burnout forces the question.
When organisations embrace authentic cognitive diversity, they don’t just avoid losing talent to burnout—they unlock innovation, creativity, and human potential that conformity keeps hidden. They gain the strategic edge that comes from having all types of minds working together at their best.
We’re building a world where the question isn’t "How can I fit in?" but "How can I contribute my unique way of thinking?" A world where the joy of being authentically yourself at work isn’t the exception—it’s the expectation.
