I was a leader at Google and Microsoft. I thought my traumatic brain injury would hurt my career, but instead it made me stronger.

"My approach to life drastically changed in 2018 when I was hit and run over by a car. By that evening, the multitasking woman who thrived in chaos for so long vanished, and she has never returned. I've been in tech for 25 years, and before my current position, I spent most of the last decade in different leadership roles at Google and Microsoft."

"I have a traumatic brain injury now, and I'm neurodivergent. So, much of day-to-day life can be a trigger for me or make me uncomfortable. I thought my condition would be a disadvantage for my career. However, my ability to be more vulnerable, share my journey, and connect with people in ways I hadn't before gave me a stronger foundation to solve harder problems, and I became a better leader and advocate for myself because of it."

"Over the course of a year or two, I realized how my abilities were shifting. One of the things that really changed was that I could no longer manage a hundred things or thrive in that type of chaotic workflow. I became much better at focusing on five things in a deeper way. I was really worried about how I would ever be good at what I do again. I couldn't see the rewards of focusing on a few bigger problems."

After a 2018 hit-and-run, Naseem Rochette sustained a traumatic brain injury and became neurodivergent. Before the accident, she built a 25-year tech career with leadership roles at Google and Microsoft and thrived on multitasking. Post-accident she could not manage chaotic workflows and shifted to focusing deeply on a few priorities. Returning to work too soon hindered recovery. Embracing vulnerability and sharing her experiences strengthened relationships, improved problem-solving, and enhanced leadership and self-advocacy. Reframing bias positively supported progress. She accepted changed capacities and prioritized depth over breadth in professional responsibilities.

Read at Business Insider