ADHD in the Workplace: What I have learned as a Small Business Owner 1 Year Post-ADHD Diagnosis.

This blog space is usually reserved for marketing advice. Believe me, I intend to keep it that way! But it has been 1 year since I was diagnosed with ADHD - decades after I probably should have been - and I want to share some insights for fellow business owners, and other individuals who hold positions of power within organizations. Because I'm not just a marketing professional (or a "social media guy" as a former manager once called me), I'm a business owner. So here is my advice for fellow entrepreneurs, business owners, and directors/managers when it comes to ADHD talent and hires, or running a business as an ADHDer.

ADHD hires tend to make the job look easy.

If you own a business, or are in a position of authority in your organization, and you hire someone with ADHD, they will almost certainly perform very highly in that first year. ADHD thrives off of new experiences, novelty, and challenges, and learning a new role provides all of those things! ADHD brains are wired to seek out new and exciting things.

The "superpower" that most people refer to when they talk about ADHD is hyperfocus. I wasn't aware that I had this so-called "superpower"; I just knew that I could get a lot of work done, and done well, quickly. So quickly and well in fact, that my bosses and coworkers at previous jobs began to expect that as the norm. So when something took longer, I was typically pulled aside and asked why. Forget the fact that most people would take days or even weeks to do X or Y task - Why did it take you 1 day longer than normal? Was it because you went for coffee?

When an ADHDer gets 3 days' worth of work done in 4 hours, it's because they are hyperfocused. They can't control that, and they can't turn it on or off on a whim. If you have someone with ADHD on your team, consider doing soft check-ins. Avoid guilting them ("Why isn't this done?") and instead offer solutions or help ("Do you need more time? How can I help you?"). Deadlines fuel the ADHD brain, so don't be afraid to set arbitrary deadlines ahead of when you actually need something done to see if that sparks some new hyperfocus.

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It's not "procrastination" - it's executive dysfunction.

Executive dysfunction is incredibly frustrating for ADHDers. It's also incredibly frustrating for their supervisors. It's also nobody's fault.

In my career, I've had jobs where "just getting that one thing done" was all that was separating me from peace of mind. But it wouldn't matter if somebody had come to my desk and threatened my life - I was probably not going to start that task. My heart breaks when I see fellow ADHDers avoiding things that are easy - even mundane - because they can't get started. Suddenly you're weeks behind on this report, or that paperwork, or those designs, or that script. Typically, tasks that fall into the abyss are ones without deadlines, or whose deadlines are miles away - or they're just plain boring.

But when you own your own business, nobody is there to push you to do the tasks you hate. On the one hand there is the relief that comes with knowing that no one will breathe down your neck when you're the boss... but on the other hand those tasks still have to get done. So how do I get myself motivated? And how can you motivate your ADHD employee?

You may need an "Accountabilibuddy", someone who can sit with you or your employee for literally 10 minutes (even better if it's over coffee, and out of the office!) and just ask questions about the task or work side-by-side with them on a different task. Some people call it "Body Doubling", and it can really help to have someone who, once in a while, says "let's work on this task together for just 10 minutes." It really does wonders for the ADHD brain. That task will probably be done within the hour.

If nothing else, I think you should try to understand this: You will probably irreversibly damage your relationship with your ADHD employee if you choose shame over solutions. Shame will not get the task done faster - it will just add to an already uncomfortable situation. I promise you, the ADHD brain is filled with enough shame and guilt as it is - they don't need you adding to it. A great leader finds methods to encourage, celebrate, motivate, and drive their teams without relying on shame, anger, or dominance.

We're big picture thinkers - Not fine detail people.

That doesn't mean we can't cross our t's and dot our i's. What it means is that we tend to see problems and situations from different angles, and our solutions can seem odd or fantastical. There have been plenty of times where I have been in meetings where my solution to a problem has left people confused or amused. But I also have clients who are fiercely loyal because they know that I understand how to take their idea and make it grand.

If you have an ADHDer on your team and you love their out-of-the-box and creative thinking, my advice is: Don't expect that same person to also be super detail oriented. If you can, pair your ADHDer with someone on your team who IS a details person. When I was opening my consultancy, my wife was (is) the details person. I would say "We're going to do this, and that, and it's going to be fantastic!", and she would say "Great! Have you connected your bank to your payment portal? Do you have an admin email? Have you expensed your software?" These are the details that an ADHD person might glide past because designing a website, or a brochure, or a social media campaign is way more fun and flashy than doing your business taxes.

As a small business owner, I became a self-proclaimed expert in municipal zoning of all things - not because it was flashy and fun, but because it was one of the many details I needed to learn. But that all started with a big picture idea - and that's where ADHDers tend to shine. Creating things like regular checklists, flow charts, and check-ins can be hugely beneficial for someone with ADHD. Regular short check-ins are far better than leaving that employee alone for months at a time, only to end up criticizing them for not thinking or preparing the way you do.

Check out our post "AI is Not Your New Marketing Employee" - click here!

ADHDers make good leaders - and tend to challenge poor leaders.

I have seen it time and time again - and experienced it myself; People in positions of authority frustrated and fed up with their ADHD employee because they simply don't conform to the neurotypical methods of doing things.

In the corporate world, leadership used to be a little more straightforward; You listen to me, and do as I say. Ideas came from the top down, and were executed by those on the bottom. But top-down businesses and organizations have become stagnant, and tend to underperform (or even fail). Modern businesses that operate in a globalized economy - particularly online - grew out of top-down leadership and began to centralize leadership. Today's top businesses take solutions from anywhere in the talent pool, and the best of them learn to pivot and change when faced with challenges.

ADHDers make good leaders because change is inevitable, and change is also very attractive to the ADHD brain. It's not uncommon for paramedics, fire fighters, and those who work through crises to also have ADHD because many ADHDers tend to thrive and remain calm in chaos and crisis. But an employee who thrives under those conditions and offers up solutions or thinks outside of the box can also be a threat to those who strive for top-down authoritative leadership styles. A very easy way to frustrate your ADHD employee is to say "Do it my way because I said so." When your way leads to problems down the line - problems that your ADHD employee saw a mile away - don't come crying to us.

If you are in a position of leadership, and your biggest values are predictability, attendance, and desk-sitting, then your ADHD employee will become a big challenge for you. But if you shift your focus away from "how" something is done, and instead focus on the results of the finished task, you will likely see a breakthrough between you and your ADHD employee. Remember, ADHDers are big picture thinkers, and the so-called "superpowers" that come with ADHD can't be turned on at 9am and shut off at 5pm. So when you have a challenge that requires clear thinking under pressure, and a creative solution, you might want to consider letting your ADHD hire step up and lead the charge.

Advice for ADHD Entrepreneurs.

Look, I'm not a shark or a dragon, or some business tycoon who has been crushing it for a lifetime. What I have is loads of lived experience in the professional world, and a strong background working with businesses across Alberta. And I have ADHD.

ADHDers tend to make good entrepreneurs because we are idea people, big picture thinkers, and can often become good leaders with the right training and mentorship. We are generally more attuned to our emotions and the emotions of those around us, which is great for people skills and managing emotionally-charged situations. Starting a business is shiny and fun, and new experiences make the ADHD brain light up like a Christmas tree! But owning a business and leading teams also comes with loneliness, self doubt, imposter syndrome, stress, and for someone with ADHD it can also result in feelings of shame. Shame for not finishing tasks, shame for not being perfect, shame for not showing up how you meant to, shame for having motivation yesterday and none today.

I'm sure every ADHDer has heard "be kind to yourself" or "give yourself some grace" so I won't hammer that nail any harder. My advice to you is this:

1. Need to take a break? Take a break. We're not meant to work the way we've all been told we should.

2. Burst of inspiration at 9pm? Ride it out! It's okay if your work day starts at 10am or 11am, because you will probably be working at 9pm or 10pm too.

3. Find someone who can be your accountabilibuddy, your body double, whatever. Sit with them from time to time, and just grind through the task you have been putting off. Buy that person a coffee.

4. Be thankful and generous to the people who truly believe in you and help you - they're your foundation.

5. Don't feel shame for going down the rabbit hole! Okay, so you meant to input your receipts today and instead you wrote a blog post - that's okay! Now you have content you can use, and those receipts will still be there tomorrow. (I tell myself)

Finally, make time to connect with other ADHDers. You might just find that you're part of a really great community that can get a lot of cool stuff done. And know that you're not alone! If you are an ADHD entrepreneur, feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn!

And if you need help with marketing for your business or non-profit organization, email us today!