About Michael

When Michael was 27 he went to his first workshop with Dr Rich Allen. It’s no exaggeration to say that Rich is an educational icon, but undiagnosed ADHD and childhood trauma made Michael’s school experience so horrendous he left aged 14. He rolled in that day a reluctant learner, to say the least, but for the first time in his life, he found the workshop interesting.

Rich’s learning techniques and delivery style changed Michael’s belief in his ability to learn. Not only that, but they prompted him to rethink his whole approach to education. Rich’s practical learning techniques and delivery style changed his belief in his ability to learn.

Diagnosed with ADHD aged 46, Michael realised how badly the New Zealand educational system had let him down.  

Until recently, teachers weren’t encouraged to adapt their style for different types of learners. But effective teachers use different modes. They simplify their language, employ visual aids, vary their tone of voice, and get physical. These are the same rich communication techniques Michael teaches you. And as it happens, they’re also neuro-inclusive techniques that help you communicate more effectively with neurotypical and neurodiverse people.

If you’re neurodiverse, Michael can help you become a better speaker too. It’s about picking out the key points from the million brilliant ideas flying around your brain and wrapping that gold in stories neurotypical audiences can understand. Today, ADHD is his coaching superpower. If you don’t grab his attention fast, he gets bored and switches off. So, if you can keep him on board, you can keep any tricky audience engaged.

Communication matters. 86% of workplace issues are caused by poor communication. And it’s no wonder, when the average New Zealand reading age is 12-14 years old and at least 15% of us are neurodiverse, but managers still tend to be tertiary educated and neurotypical.  

Here’s the thing. It’s not your fault if your communication style is boring and complex. That’s just what you learned at university and at work. But it is your fault if you don’t make an effort to change. Because you can transform yourself into an engaging neuro-inclusive communicator everyone can understand and enjoy, and Michael is here to help.

Michael experienced how poor communication can shut people out. It shut him out of education until he was 27. He thought he was stupid when he was really traumatised and neurodiverse. He doesn’t want that to happen to anyone else. Becoming a better communicator invites everyone in.