Latest news with #neurotypical
Fast Company
4 days ago
- Health
- Fast Company
What every manager should know about ADHD
If you ask a doctor about ADHD, they will tell you that it's a developmental disorder characterized by traits of forgetfulness, impulsivity, and disorganization. However, there are so many great qualities associated with ADHD that don't get discussed, just some of which include creativity, resilience, problem-solving, and hyper focus. Neurodivergent people are the world's best problem-solvers. We have had to practice it for our entire lives. From a very young age we have had to find unique solutions to really difficult problems because we are intrinsically a little bit different. We are also great at reading other people. We can hyper focus on people's micro communications, pick up on tiny fluctuations in tone of voice, and little changes in facial expressions that neurotypical people miss. We can recognize patterns in people's mannerisms, which enables us to judge someone's character extremely effectively. Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria People with ADHD people are criticised around 20,000 more times than your average child. We have heard things like, 'why are you being lazy,' 'stop fidgeting,' and 'be normal.' This means that as adults we are often more sensitive to rejection, and might experience something called Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, which causes intense pain triggered by real or perceived rejection. For example, if you don't explicitly invite an ADHD person to a social event, we will assume you don't actually want us there. If you say, 'come if you want,' we will think that our presence at that social event is a nuisance, and might even think you hate us as well. Similarly, if you don't tell someone with ADHD that you explicitly like them, we will assume that you tolerate us. And as a manager, if you ask an ADHD person for a quick chat, we might assume you want a quick chat so you can fire us. Carefully consider your wording and make sure to balance any feedback with positive comments. Be explicit and intentional when sending invitations to work events and briefly explain what any quick chats will cover. Integrating regular breaks When RSD hits us, it hits hard. We might need a minute to remove ourselves from any situation, whether that's going to get some fresh air, or pacing up and down the street for a while. Allowing for breaks and not questioning it will help put space between the stimulus and reaction, allowing our brain time to regulate itself again and not be influenced by intense feelings. The pause also allows us to practise self-compassion and not react impulsively in the moment. If someone asks for a minute, it might be the break they need to return back fully focussed. Burnout and vulnerability It's common for ADHD employees to overwork, stay up late into the night, and push ourselves to the limit. They have spent their whole lives feeling as if they're not good enough, so it's no surprise they might feel like they have something to prove. The early warning signs are unique to all of us and we all need to be aware of our own, but it's sometimes possible to spot it in other people as well. Some of these early signs might include: becoming easily agitated, forgetting things that would usually be remembered, becoming less patient, and neglecting self-care. One way leaders can help is by creating culture of psychological safety, where your employees feel able to speak out if they are struggling. If your culture is about purely celebrating wins then you are not really creating an environment where other people feel safe to ask for help if they need it. It's important to set the tone from above that it's okay to be vulnerable and speak out about anything that might be causing stress—whether it's social interactions, difficulties with tasks, or deadline difficulties. Remember that everyone is unique Many leaders think that a blanket accommodations policy will be beneficial to everyone. You often see companies say that they will integrate movement breaks, adopt flexible working, and normalize fidget toys and noise-cancelling headphones. These are great, but leaders need to recognize that everyone has a brain as unique as their fingerprint, and everyone's needs will be different. It's more important to create a culture of psychological safety, where people feel empowered to speak up and ask for the specific support they need to perform their job well.
Entrepreneur
14-07-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurial Minds
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur United Kingdom, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. ADHD is often misunderstood as a lack of focus or follow-through. But step into the world of entrepreneurship and you'll find a different story. Research suggests that adults with ADHD are up to 300% more likely to start their own business than their neurotypical peers. Far from being a professional liability, many of the traits that define ADHD - curiosity, risk tolerance, emotional intuition, and creative problem-solving - are exactly what help entrepreneurs thrive. But that's not the story most ADHDers grow up with. Many spend years being told they're too much, too chaotic, or simply not trying hard enough. It's no surprise that so many end up burnt out, masking their struggles in traditional workplaces, or questioning their value altogether. It's often only after they step away from rigid systems that they discover what their minds are really capable of. Why So Many ADHDers Leave Traditional Work Let's start with the environment. Most workplaces are designed for brains that are wired for importance. Tasks get done because they matter. ADHD brains, however, are wired for interest. And that difference changes everything. This shows up in small but significant ways. Take something like replying to emails. For many ADHDers, that's a cognitively heavy task with no emotional or intellectual stimulation. One of our clients runs a wildly successful tech company with a multimillion-pound turnover. He can lead teams, pitch ideas, and drive vision like nobody else. But when he first came to coaching, it was the basics that brought him in. Emails piling up, mornings starting in chaos. ADHD doesn't just show up where you expect it to. Often, it's in the day-to-day friction that others assume should be easy. This mismatch between ability and environment leads many ADHDers to feel like they're failing at things they "should" be able to do. The truth is, the system isn't built for them. And when they step out of that system and start building their own, everything changes. Why Entrepreneurship Works for ADHD Brains Entrepreneurial life naturally aligns with the ADHD operating system. There's novelty, autonomy, flexibility, and urgency. These are all key ingredients for stimulating an interest-based brain. You get to follow your energy, solve problems creatively, and build structures around your own needs rather than trying to fit someone else's. ADHDers tend to be big-picture thinkers. They see patterns others miss. They move quickly, adapt instinctively, and often carry a strong intuitive sense of what's needed next. One client we coached shared a story that speaks volumes. He had spent years suppressing his emotions in professional settings, assuming they were a liability. Too intense, too reactive, too much. It wasn't until a coaching session that he began to understand these emotional surges differently. ADHD brains process emotion more intensely because of structural differences in the brain's wiring. Think of it like this. If emotional processing is the wiring in a house, an ADHD brain has thinner wires. When you flip a light switch, those wires heat up faster. That's overwhelm. But thinner wiring also means picking up the signal faster, which creates incredible emotional intuition. In this client's case, he realised that his ability to scan the emotional temperature of a meeting before it even started wasn't just sensitivity. It was strategy. It informed how he opened conversations, managed teams, and built trust. What he had assumed was a flaw turned out to be one of his greatest strengths. Coaching helped him see that. And that shift from deficit to design feature is where the real power lies. We see the same kind of reframing in stories of other neurodivergent entrepreneurs. Consider Ingvar Kamprad, the dyslexic founder of IKEA. Instead of struggling with traditional item codes, he created a new product labelling system using Swedish names for furniture. This turned a personal challenge into a brand-defining strength. He also pioneered IKEA's signature wordless instruction manuals, replacing written guides with universally understandable visuals. These weren't just clever workarounds. They were design innovations born from a different way of thinking. Kamprad's approach prioritised accessibility, simplicity, and systems that make sense to real people. Whether it's ADHD or dyslexia, neurodivergent brains often question the norms others take for granted. In doing so, they reimagine what's possible. The Real Work of ADHD Coaching It's tempting to frame ADHD coaching as a set of productivity hacks. And yes, sometimes it includes practical strategies for time management, planning, or delegation. But the deeper work, the life-changing part, starts with identity. Most of our clients come into coaching having internalised a narrative of personal failure. They've spent years trying to be more organised, more consistent, more "together." ADHD coaching doesn't offer a to-do list. It offers a mirror. When you start to understand your brain, really understand it, you begin to see that the things you've struggled with aren't evidence of brokenness. They're often signs you've been trying to operate on someone else's terms. Coaching helps people rebuild trust in themselves. From that foundation of self-understanding and clarity, the right tools and systems start to flow more naturally. You stop asking, "How can I be better?" and start asking, "What works for me?" That's why we always say that ADHD coaching is identity work first, strategy second. Rethinking What Success Looks Like The typical image of a successful entrepreneur is still heavily shaped by neurotypical norms. Things like self-discipline, control, and linear thinking are still held up as the gold standard. But the reality is much broader. ADHDers are building businesses that reflect a different kind of intelligence. One rooted in creativity, humanity, responsiveness, and heart. And this shift isn't just good for ADHDers. It's good for business. Teams led by neurodivergent founders are often more innovative, more inclusive, and more adaptive to change. They value lived experience as much as credentials. They break rules that were never working in the first place. If you're reading this and seeing yourself, in the tension, the restlessness, the bursts of brilliance, know this. You're not alone. You're not broken. You may have just been building your business in the shadows of a system that was never designed for you. And now, maybe, it's time to build something different. That's what we explore in our book,It's not about trying harder. It's about understanding your brain and leading from it. Whether you're a founder, freelancer, or figuring out your next move, it starts with self-trust. Everything else flows from there.
