ADHD at work: Three management approaches to supercharge careers

As ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition, those with it literally think differently. Our ADHD brains can be likened to a supercharged racing car brain with bicycle brakes, speeding ahead in areas of interest, fuelled by adrenaline, but with serious struggles in navigating the details. 

Having an environment tailored to our brains is crucial for being able to work with it, instead of against it. Managers can be the key to unlocking these working environments

On the racing track, having a supercharged brain is great news, but navigating country lanes can be much more difficult to manage by ourselves. For example, people with ADHD may have an underlying 30% developmental delay in executive functioning skills such as impulsivity and self-awareness. We may have the skills to do a month’s worth of work in a week, but struggle for hours with the seemingly ‘easy’ tasks that take our colleagues five minutes.

• Managing neurodiversity in the workplace

Having an environment tailored to our brains is crucial for being able to work with it, instead of against it. Managers can play a key role in creating these working environments, by adopting ADHD-friendly management practices and helping to keep those supercharged employees glued to the road to career success. 

Here’s how: