ADHD strengths & struggles: you can't have one without the other

ADHD isn't always a superpower, or always a BAD THING (unless you read the Daily fail). It is a different way of thinking.

Society focusses on ADHD deficits, not differences. So, I'm working to raise awareness of ADHD strengths!

Many of my clients come to ADHD coaching to manage ADHD symptoms. They leave knowing how to enhance their strengths.

I've been working on a presentation on working with ADHD this week. I've been exploring how ADHD and strengths and challenges often go hand in hand.

4 ADHD strengths & challenges at work

1. Being sensitive

Being sensitive - pros:

• Greater sensitivity can mean being more empathetic. It can mean having better spidey senses and reading people well.
• Social intelligence, being more sensitive to social cues.

How this helps at work: ADHDers are can thrive in people roles intuition and empathy are vital. They can also be very considerate co-workers too.

Being sensitive: cons

• Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria can mean feedback and dealing with any kind of criticism is much harder for people with ADHD. I can speak from experience when I say taking everything personally takes up a lot of energy.
• Struggling with emotional regulation and over reacting when you're angry or upset. Crying at work is embarrassing and seen as unprofessional.

How this is doesn't help at work: managing and masking emotions at work takes up many ?????? on top of your existing workload. It also can be stressful knowing you could be triggered at any time, so this can lead to procrastinating to avoid potential criticism.

2. Out of the box thinking

People with ADHD think using both the TPN and Default Mode Network. The TPN is the task positive network of the brain. The Default Mode Network is also known as the daydreaming part. This means people with ADHD make connections which are unconventional or out the box.

Out of the box thinking: pros

• Driving innovation and change, thinking differently and NEW perspectives. Flexibility and adaptability are strengths in fast-paced industries and start-ups.

How this helps at work: great in environments where things change quickly and you need to too. Helpful in creative, strategic and problem solving jobs where you need to think on your feet. It is a skill often encouraged by businesses to stay relevant and drive change.

Out the box thinking: cons

Out the box thinking isn't always needed and novelty isn't always efficient - like changing for the sake of change. Resources may not match ideas.

How this doesn't help at work: in environments with rigid structures and rules out the box thinking may not work in practice Following through with wild ideas may be logistically challenging and waste time. For example me re-building my website and never finishing it.

3. Creativity

A known ADHD strength, creativity comes in many forms - not just arts and music.

Creativity pros:

• Being full of ideas, big picture thinking, creating interesting things. Being visionary and being able to communicate this to people and translate ideas. Creating cool things like writing, videos, design and mind maps.
• Creativity can be problem solving, management, L&D and even ADHD coaching! Not always visual arts, music or arts and crafts.

How creativity helps at work: creativity adds energy and fun at work. Where creativity is encouraged interesting businesses and people thrive. Creativity is a huge skill across industries from the obvious ones like marketing and social media to less obvious problem solving in tech, or management.

Creativity cons:

• If you're in a non-creative environment it may not be welcome. Having lots of ideas isn't always helpful without budget and resources to execute them.
• Some things need to be done in a certain way like tax returns or admin (boo).

How creativity doesn't help at work: sometimes if it ain't broke...There can also be the challenge of having too many ideas and not being able to prioritise or execute them. This is especially challenging for solo-entrepreneurs!

4. Hyperfocus

It is a complete myth people with ADHD can't focus. People with ADHD can focus with their amazing interest-based attention system.

Hyperfocus pros:

• High volume of work in a short period of time
• When in the zone we can create amazing results on topics we're interested in

How hyperfocus helps at work: give someone with ADHD fear and a BIG deadline and you'd be amazed about what we can produce. Hyperfocus is also razor sharp when we're passionate about a topic. This is one of many reasons why so many people with ADHD start their own businesses.

Hyperfocus cons:

• Becoming a workaholic and being more susceptible to burnout
• Hyperfocusing on the wrong thing. Wasting time down rabbit holes. For example, searching for images not writing slides for a presentation.
• ADHD interest-based attention system doesn't care what's important... which is why rabbit holes are hard to get out of.

How hyperfocus doesn't help at work: it can be really hard to get out of hyperfocus mode, and its easy to ignore things like eating and drinking and even going to the toilet. Hyperfocussing also can make time hard to manage and there can be a sense you can't stop when you get going.

I'd love to know, what other examples of ADHD strengths or challenges have you experienced?

If you're interested in learning about working with ADHD, and work in advertising media and marketing you can sign up for my FREE workshop with NABS on the 29th May.

Sign up here https://nabs.org.uk/event/explore-working-with-adhd-strengths-strategies-support/

If you'd like to work with me on finding your strengths and strategies, learn more about 1:1 coaching here. https://www.adhdclub.co.uk/adhd-coaching

My next available slots are now in June so book a discovery call to join my coaching waitlist. Coaching is available fully funded by Access to work.

More on Access to Work here: https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/how-get-free-adhd-coaching-more-access-work-charlotte-forbes-i6zie/?trackingId=lnAIrDlmT5WMOww6Q2jj7g%3D%3D