Can't Stop

Is the name of my first poetry anthology and an ode to my currently undiagnosed ADHD. Perhaps also to my son's more physically apparent ADHD which is a common trait amongst young men. ADHD also tends to manifest as a busy mind. A constant stream of thoughts and ideas that overlap and interrupt each other and make it very challenging for any real work or tasks to be completed within a reasonable timeframe.

Although I haven't yet received a formal diagnosis my brain often works in a way that basically makes it very difficult for me to accomplish anything at the very moment that I decide to do it. Creating an environment that will assist me to focus means eschewing the usual distractions like social media (LinkedIn of course!), music, radio, the internet. It's not uncommon for the following scenario to present itself:

A typical action thought process goes something like:

?I must make a lasagne for dinner.

On the way to the fridge to get the butter to make the bechamel sauce.

? I must clean the fridge

? On the way to get the cleaning cloth and fluid

? That bill is still outstanding. I will pay it now on my phone

? On the way to find my phone

?The carpet needs cleaning. I'll go back downstairs and fetch the handheld vacuum.

? On the way to get the handheld vacuum cleaner, I remember the bechamel sauce that I started making and continue.

? I remember the bill I need to pay then go back upstairs to get my phone.

? On the way to get my phone, I see the dirty carpet and go back downstairs to fetch the hand-held vacuum cleaner. I start vacuuming the carpet on the stairs and leave the vacuum at the top of the staircase

? I remember the bill that needs to be paid and restart the process of looking for my phone.

?I take the phone downstairs and return to the now boiling white sauce.....

If organisation's ignore the needs of their neurodivergent employees, the impact will be significant but perhaps only felt by stealth over a prolonged period. The needs of your neurodivergent employees will vary greatly between conditions and even within the same conditions. Employees who identify as autistic or who have ADHD, ADD, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, and many other types of brain wiring, will all require consideration.

In the previous example of how my mind often works, the ADHD brain finds it challenging to focus on one task at a time, is often very creative, and can become fixated on one project or task, which has its advantages and disadvantages. The fixation on a particular subject matter is termed as hyper focus and can be very useful for tasks that need intense concentration over a number of of hours, days, weeks, or even months.

Data analysis, computer coding, writing a book, research (academic or creative), would all benefit from this way of working. But this hyper focus has its downsides if the work that is of interest is not a priority for the team or business. Lack of time management and organisation are additional challenges which can create misunderstandings if managers are not encouraged to focus on the needs of their neurodiverse team members.

Expectation management is key so all parties understand the strengths and areas where they may need to do things differently. It mostly comes down to managers building close relationships and bonds with their team members so that individual neurodivergent employees have that reference point if problems do arise.

When looked at in this way the basics of management really do apply. But there's no point in pretending that neurodiverse employees won't need extra support. What makes it more difficult is that there is no uniformity across the autistic, ADHD, ADD etc. communities.

There are similarities but alongside the differences within each condition, the individual personalities, backgrounds, education, and so on mean that some effort is needed, on the managers' part, to coordinate and lead their teams in a flexible, agile, and accommodating way. Empathy, understanding, and compassion should be the order of every working day.

People with ADHD may well also be on medication and if tablets need to be taken during the day, accommodation and, at the very least, awareness will be needed to ensure your neurodiverse employees are treated fairly. As a manager it will be tricky an create an entirely even playing field for your neurotypical and neurodivergent employees but every consideration will help your neurodiverse team members to feel like they are fully welcomed and embraced.