Comments on: Dealing with social awkwardness at work: Insights from the autism community http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/21/learn-from-autism-how-to-deal-with-social-awkwardness-at-work/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:29:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: getting your ex wife back http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/21/learn-from-autism-how-to-deal-with-social-awkwardness-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-258638 getting your ex wife back Tue, 23 Aug 2011 07:18:15 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/21/learn-from-autism-how-to-deal-with-social-awkwardness-at-work/#comment-258638 Thanks for the sensible critique. Me and my neighbor were just preparing to do a little research on this. We got a grab a book from our area library but I think I learned more from this post. I'm very glad to see such wonderful information being shared freely out there. Thanks for the sensible critique. Me and my neighbor were just preparing to do a little research on this. We got a grab a book from our area library but I think I learned more from this post. I'm very glad to see such wonderful information being shared freely out there.

]]> By: Playing the career wild card « tar and feathers http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/21/learn-from-autism-how-to-deal-with-social-awkwardness-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-245266 Playing the career wild card « tar and feathers Fri, 11 Mar 2011 14:32:16 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/21/learn-from-autism-how-to-deal-with-social-awkwardness-at-work/#comment-245266 [...] other words, I have appalling to zero social skills. [...] [...] other words, I have appalling to zero social skills. [...]

]]> By: Shane http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/21/learn-from-autism-how-to-deal-with-social-awkwardness-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-242169 Shane Thu, 27 Jan 2011 03:30:41 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/21/learn-from-autism-how-to-deal-with-social-awkwardness-at-work/#comment-242169 I have the same problem with hannah. except, I am still in denial. but after reading this, I finally realized that I have this asperger's syndrome going on. and I love writing, by the way. which really explains a lot. thanks. I have the same problem with hannah. except, I am still in denial. but after reading this, I finally realized that I have this asperger's syndrome going on. and I love writing, by the way. which really explains a lot. thanks.

]]> By: Phyllis http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/21/learn-from-autism-how-to-deal-with-social-awkwardness-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-233902 Phyllis Fri, 22 Oct 2010 19:28:41 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/21/learn-from-autism-how-to-deal-with-social-awkwardness-at-work/#comment-233902 Thanks for writing about this. I just went and took that emotional IQ test you link to in this blog and I don't think I've ever done so badly on a test before in my life! (I did better on ALGEBRA tests, and I SUCK at Algebra!) I've always had a lot of trouble dealing with people (despite generally liking them and occasionally taking leadership roles) and just figured it meant I had a lot of social anxiety/depression issues. Now I'm at the point in my life when its all starting to affect my career. At least now I have some clue of what's wrong. Maybe I can learn how to fix some of these issues. Thanks for writing about this. I just went and took that emotional IQ test you link to in this blog and I don't think I've ever done so badly on a test before in my life! (I did better on ALGEBRA tests, and I SUCK at Algebra!)

I've always had a lot of trouble dealing with people (despite generally liking them and occasionally taking leadership roles) and just figured it meant I had a lot of social anxiety/depression issues. Now I'm at the point in my life when its all starting to affect my career.

At least now I have some clue of what's wrong. Maybe I can learn how to fix some of these issues.

]]> By: Henry Barnes http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/21/learn-from-autism-how-to-deal-with-social-awkwardness-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-231347 Henry Barnes Sun, 29 Aug 2010 19:23:24 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/21/learn-from-autism-how-to-deal-with-social-awkwardness-at-work/#comment-231347 there has been no permanent cure for autism yet but i think stem cells could also help,`' there has been no permanent cure for autism yet but i think stem cells could also help,`'

]]> By: Career Advice for Women, Career Advancement, Work Life Balance - Work Her Way http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/21/learn-from-autism-how-to-deal-with-social-awkwardness-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-228160 Career Advice for Women, Career Advancement, Work Life Balance - Work Her Way Mon, 24 May 2010 14:22:34 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/21/learn-from-autism-how-to-deal-with-social-awkwardness-at-work/#comment-228160 [...] to a degree. It’s not easy–Brazen Careerist blogger extraordinaire Penelope Trunk wrote a great piece on [...] [...] to a degree. It’s not easy–Brazen Careerist blogger extraordinaire Penelope Trunk wrote a great piece on [...]

]]> By: Dan http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/21/learn-from-autism-how-to-deal-with-social-awkwardness-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-227317 Dan Mon, 03 May 2010 00:09:39 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/21/learn-from-autism-how-to-deal-with-social-awkwardness-at-work/#comment-227317 You want to sell your skills, not your personality. I'd recommend looking into Temple Grandin's books. You want to sell your skills, not your personality. I'd recommend looking into Temple Grandin's books.

]]> By: Dan http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/21/learn-from-autism-how-to-deal-with-social-awkwardness-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-227316 Dan Mon, 03 May 2010 00:07:33 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/21/learn-from-autism-how-to-deal-with-social-awkwardness-at-work/#comment-227316 I've never quite understood why some engineers aren't allowed in front of the clients. Yes, we are a different breed, but whats wrong with that? People come in different flavors. Would you trust a surgeon who had the personality of a salesman? Would you hire a trial lawyer who wasn't articulate? I've never quite understood why some engineers aren't allowed in front of the clients. Yes, we are a different breed, but whats wrong with that? People come in different flavors. Would you trust a surgeon who had the personality of a salesman? Would you hire a trial lawyer who wasn't articulate?

]]> By: Dan http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/21/learn-from-autism-how-to-deal-with-social-awkwardness-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-227315 Dan Mon, 03 May 2010 00:04:51 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/21/learn-from-autism-how-to-deal-with-social-awkwardness-at-work/#comment-227315 I'm on the spectrum and work in IT. From what I've seen, social skills aren't that big of a deal if you are in a purely technical position. You do have to be nice and professional. If you can combine soft skills and hard skills, you are more valuable. Thing is, most of the engineering / IT types aren't "people people" and honestly don't want to engage with other people all day. I'm on the spectrum and work in IT. From what I've seen, social skills aren't that big of a deal if you are in a purely technical position. You do have to be nice and professional. If you can combine soft skills and hard skills, you are more valuable. Thing is, most of the engineering / IT types aren't "people people" and honestly don't want to engage with other people all day.

]]> By: vax http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/21/learn-from-autism-how-to-deal-with-social-awkwardness-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-226085 vax Wed, 14 Apr 2010 16:07:04 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/21/learn-from-autism-how-to-deal-with-social-awkwardness-at-work/#comment-226085 very oooooold thread, but.... I grew up surrounded by semi-aspie physicists and engineers, and I know most of them want to just be left alone to do work, not to waste time with office politics... that said, some of them figured out that they had to engage in politics to fund their experiments... and some approached it very well... a HUGE amount of office politics has to do with keeping insecure people from feeling insecure, and techies roll their eyes at the ability of salespeople to calm down worried people with a certain tone of voice and a few buzzwords, but that's often the difference between keeping the client and losing the business.... BUT this leads to an all-too-common problem, where salespeople promise clients things that sound rational but are not possible, say client has budget issues but wants a 4 wheel drive car, salesperson proposes a 3 wheel drive car, signs contract and delivers it to engineers who try not to laugh.... the aspie engineers are prohibited from meeting clients for business-school reasons, and then, things like this happen inevitably.... but of course, you can ALWAYS blame the engineers.... very oooooold thread, but….

I grew up surrounded by semi-aspie physicists and engineers, and I know most of them want to just be left alone to do work, not to waste time with office politics… that said, some of them figured out that they had to engage in politics to fund their experiments… and some approached it very well…

a HUGE amount of office politics has to do with keeping insecure people from feeling insecure, and techies roll their eyes at the ability of salespeople to calm down worried people with a certain tone of voice and a few buzzwords, but that's often the difference between keeping the client and losing the business….

BUT this leads to an all-too-common problem, where salespeople promise clients things that sound rational but are not possible, say client has budget issues but wants a 4 wheel drive car, salesperson proposes a 3 wheel drive car, signs contract and delivers it to engineers who try not to laugh…. the aspie engineers are prohibited from meeting clients for business-school reasons, and then, things like this happen inevitably…. but of course, you can ALWAYS blame the engineers….

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