Benjamin's Work User Manual

Hello future manager,

First off, congratulations on adding me to your team! I will drive you crazy, but the ride will be fun—and we'll get fantastic work done together. However, there are a few things you should know first.

When I am inspired, I will be full of ideas and get things done at an incredible pace. However, I am not neurotypical—so a "user manual" for working with me is crucial. I can be intimidating, occasionally sensory overloading others with information and ideas when I am "in the zone"; so knowing and understanding my strengths, limits, and working process will benefit all of us. To that end (and for the sake of transparency), I have assembled such a "user manual."

I would like you to hire me for what I am good at. Not only am I capable of world-class work and doing unique things—which I'll get into in a moment—I always deliver a strong return on investment. The uniqueness of my brain drives the quality of my work, but also makes my social contract harder for others to manage.?

Regarding project development: I am best at early-stage projects, but I can also come in to salvage/firefight if a project goes awry. I can hold a massive amount of information in my head, distill a unique business plan or action plan, and break the process into steps—and of course, I am also capable of executing those steps. However, when projects become routine, I get bored and move on mentally.?

Speaking and teaching: I love public speaking. I can hold a room, sell a concept, teach, educate, and tell engaging stories. I am a changemaker, and I can develop and market ideas.?

With marketing/support people: I work well with marketing people; they set up the podiums and the logistics, after which I work my magic. If you want me to handle the logistics alone, I can get activated over, say, an $80/night difference between hotel rooms.?

Quantity of work: I get more work done than the average full-time employee, but I only sign half-time contracts. Ideally, you'd buy a percentage of my brain capacity, but HR departments don't like that.?

Timekeeping: I don't track hours—it stresses me out, and I can't get into the zone when I do it. As mentioned previously, however, I am honest with a strong work ethic, and I always work more hours than I promise.?

Regarding expenses: Cost-wise, I am low-maintenance. I only maintain the "travel lifestyle" if I am entertaining guests; my ideal meal out is always under US$/CDN$/GDP 30 in any given city. I don't drink, and the quality of the bed drives my lifestyle. I would rather walk than take an Uber.?

However, travel can be emotionally expensive. I have five kids, four of whom live with me full-time. All are neurodivergent. As such, I need to hire a caregiver when I travel, so please build that into your budget (assume an extra $350 a night for business travel).

Systems work: For transparency, I'll admit I am crap at systems work. I am outwardly disorganized, my brain has its own organization system, and it sucks—but no amount of money can buy me the capacity to create outward order. I hired back my personal CFO for accounting/finance issues—and don't ever expect me to create a Gantt chart. I lose connections with contacts who aren't on LinkedIn or active on social media.?

Bear in mind that I have learning differences. I am below the 5th percentile for auditory processing and short-term memory, and am face- and name-blind. These are real issues that impact how I work.?

If I had to put a name to these learning differences, I would say I am autistic with ADHD but lack a formal diagnosis for either. That's because I was 15 when I got my diagnoses, and they were for cognitive differences. I have not bothered getting an updated diagnosis because my limitations don't define me—rather, they keep me focused on my strengths.?

I have a history of trauma. Let's face it: Growing up with massive learning differences means I have a chip on my shoulder that drives my internal scarcity mindset. That chip helps me do amazing things but also holds me back. Thankfully, I have done a lot of emotional work on these issues and am aware of and able to stick to boundaries.?

Socialization/triggers: I have random things that can cause triggers, and I am very aware of when I get triggered and I am great at apologizing for being triggered. Once triggered I can get stuck in thinking fast brain mode, but if pointed out I can revert quickly.?

I love killing/refining my ideas. I don't have a single-minded mentality. On the contrary: if I have one idea, odds are I will come up with another angle anytime between 24 hours or two months after the first idea. That second perspective can kill the original concept, but I don't mind curating, killing, and refining my thoughts; I would rather they die quickly than become low-value, dead-end, high-energy wastelands.?

Regarding motivation: I don't do good work for hire on just anything. I can be motivated by money; or by the knowledge that I am doing good and changing the world—but rarely am I motivated by fear. When fear or shame is used as a motivator, I typically turn off and find a new job.?

I default to NO: but I don't always mean it; rather, I am trying to get better at setting boundaries. I used to default to YES without meaning it, which was bad. Now I am trying to default to NO—which also causes problems. Ideally, I'd like for you to ask me to do something and then ask for a two-day decision.?

My network is my asset. While I have built strong relationships with countless people, hiring me does not mean you can spam my network.?

Don't shame me unless you want me to quit. Shame me about something I can't change, and that's it: I will walk out the door. I am not neurotypical, and I don't want to be. My neurodivergence is the source of much of my strength, and serves as the foundation of my work ethic. Shame me, and you lose what I have to offer.?

Everything can be revised. I don't work on finite goals, I work on infinite goals. But when gains are no longer harvestable, I tend to leave things without seeking perfection.?

So, if you still want to work with me: Excellent! Let's change the world, tackle some gnarly problems, and make a bunch of money in the meantime.?

Cheers!

Benjamin