From Brain Science to Culture Shift: What The Neuroscience of Inclusion Gets Right — and Where NIMM Takes It Next

Georgina Brown (hershe)
Jul 14
5 min read

Like all good origin stories, this one starts with a question.

Was there anything else like NIMM out there?

As I was deep in the messy, magical business of building the NeuroInclusive Maturity Model (NIMM), BARDO’s signature framework for embedding inclusion at every level of culture, I went digging. Surely, I thought, someone else must be fusing neuroscience and inclusion in a meaningful, practical way?

Enter: The Neuroscience of Inclusion by Mary E. Casey and Shannon Murphy Robinson (2015).

It was the ONLY book I found that dared to ask the same questions NIMM is built around:

What’s happening in the brain when we exclude, or include, others?
How can we harness that science to lead better?
And how do we turn fleeting training into lasting transformation?

Spoiler alert: it’s a solid book. Insightful. Accessible. A few pages in and I was nodding like a dashboard dog.

But here’s the thing: it stops just where NIMM begins.

Let’s unpack it.

What The Neuroscience of Inclusion Gets Right

Casey and Murphy Robinson’s core message is gold:

You can’t create inclusive behaviours without understanding the brain doing the behaving.

They break down the science behind bias, showing how our brains use shortcuts — heuristics, schemas, outgroup vigilance, to conserve energy. They bring in the role of the amygdala, the prefrontal cortex, and the importance of psychological safety. They rightly emphasise the need for self-awareness and pause, what we at BARDO would call “Interrupt the Autopilot.”

And they do something not enough inclusion resources do:They treat empathy like a cognitive skill, not just a virtue.

They give practical tools for leaders, how to create the conditions for safety, how to reduce reactivity, how to build a reflective practice. It’s approachable, evidence-based, and focused on organisational impact.

And yet…

Why NIMM Goes Further

While The Neuroscience of Inclusion lays a strong foundation, NIMM takes the baton and runs with it, barefoot, joyfully, through an entire organisational ecosystem.

Because here’s the difference:

1. It’s not just about your brain — it’s about your whole system

Casey and Murphy focus mostly on individual cognition. NIMM zooms out to look at the relationships, cultures, rituals, and policies that shape behaviour too. Because you can’t “pause your bias” in a culture that rewards speed and certainty.

2. It’s structured as a maturity model — not a mindset moment

The book offers great practices. But NIMM offers a diagnostic and development journey. It’s not just “what to do” — it’s where you are, what’s next, and how to embed it at every level.

From quick wins to deep-rooted change, NIMM gives leaders a map, not just a mantra.

3. It’s designed for mess

Inclusion isn’t linear. Neither is NIMM. Unlike many frameworks, NIMM accepts — and expects — relapse, reflection and regrowth. It's built for the lived reality of resistance, backsliding, and the slow magic of culture change.

4. It honours intersectionality and identity, not just general cognition

Where The Neuroscience of Inclusion sticks mostly to generalised neuroscience, NIMM weaves in the complex realities of race, gender, disability, class, neurodivergence, and more — backed by neuroscience, but grounded in lived experience.

5. It’s got soul (and structure)

NIMM has its roots in biology, but its heart in humanity. It’s about co-regulation, not control. Growth, not gimmicks. Leadership as stewardship, not spotlight.

NIMM in Action

So yes, I’m grateful to The Neuroscience of Inclusion. It cracked open an important door.

But NIMM?

NIMM builds the house.

It gives leaders, teams, and organisations a way to:

Embed inclusion into habits, not just headlines
Design systems that reduce reactivity and reward reflection
Create cultures that feel psychologically safe and physiologically well
Adapt and grow across five core domains: Neuro (Mind) Identity (Self) Meaning (Culture) Mutuality (Relationships) Momentum (Structures & Systems)

It’s neuroscience with nuance. Inclusion with intelligence.

And, crucially, it’s designed to stick.

Final Word (from a brain in a body)

If you’re just beginning to explore the neuroscience of inclusion, Casey and Murphy Robinson’s book is a brilliant first step.

But if you’re ready to build a culture where inclusion is automatic, embodied, and embedded.

Where leaders understand not just bias, but burnout…

Where systems soothe, rather than stress…

Where transformation happens from the inside out…

Then NIMM is the next step.

And we’d love to walk it with you.

P.S. Yes, we love brains here at BARDO. But we love what they do even more. Create, connect, challenge, and change. That’s the power of neuroinclusive thinking. And we think the future depends on it.

Extra Thought:

Why Didn’t This Book Spark an Inclusion Revolution?

While researching The Neuroscience of Inclusion and reflecting on its impact (or lack thereof), I found myself wondering:

Why didn’t this insightful book, written nearly a decade ago, really take off and revolutionise EDI?

Why was this the first time I was hearing of it - after almost 30 years of working in EDI?

Here are a few musings from my corner of the brain — and I’d love to hear what you think.

Written nearly a decade ago, The Neuroscience of Inclusion was ahead of its time in spotlighting how brain science connects to diversity and inclusion. So why didn’t it cause the seismic shift we might have hoped for?

1. Neuroscience Was Still Niche (and Nerdy) in D&I Circles

Back then, the idea of “neuroscience meets inclusion” was still alien, like a lab coat in the boardroom. Most EDI professionals, leaders, and HR teams were still grappling with basics: compliance, policies, representation. The brain stuff felt abstract, complex, or “nice to know later.” Without simple tools and practical frameworks to translate that science, it struggled to find a foothold.

2. Limited Practical Application and Frameworks

Casey and Murphy Robinson’s work was insightful but largely individual-focused and theoretical. It didn’t fully bridge the gap between understanding the brain and transforming organisations in a clear, step-by-step way. Leaders hungry for actionable roadmaps found few concrete ways to embed neuroscience into everyday practice.

3. Cultural Readiness Was Low

Organisations a decade ago were less psychologically safe and less ready to engage deeply with the discomfort inclusion work demands. Conversations about bias, intersectionality, or neurodiversity were emerging but not mainstream. Without a receptive culture, even the best ideas struggle to land.

4. Lack of Scalable Models and Tools

Without maturity models or diagnostic frameworks (like NIMM provides), it was hard for organisations to measure progress, identify gaps, or plan sustainable change. Inclusion was often treated as a box to tick, rather than a developmental journey, which the neuroscience insights require.

5. The Learning Was Ahead of Its Audience

The language and concepts, while accessible, still assumed a level of neuroscience curiosity and literacy that few inclusion practitioners or leaders had at the time. It was a brilliant seed that needed better soil. (see... everything comes back to gardening!)

What’s Changed Since Then?

Fast forward to today: neuroscience is no longer an optional extra; it’s becoming a foundational lens for effective inclusion. People are ready for frameworks that meet complexity with clarity, like NIMM.

We’ve built on the shoulders of early pioneers like Casey and Murphy Robinson, translating their insights into practical, systemic, and culturally embedded tools that organisations can actually use.

So, in short: The Neuroscience of Inclusion was a trailblazer who lit the path, but the world needed a guide with a map, a torch, and some sturdy boots. That’s what NIMM delivers.