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Rethinking ADHD at Work: A Deeper Dive into ADHD-Informed Leadership

Updated: Jun 26

First, thank you for taking the time to consider the experiences of neurodivergent professionals and how, collectively, we might evolve our leadership styles to better partner with a diverse workforce. Awareness and intention are where meaningful change happens. 

After my recent article on supporting ADHD team members, two thoughtful questions came in: 

“I’d love to know the symptoms of staff that may have been diagnosed with ADHD so I can know how to apply these techniques.” 
“Aren’t strategies like clear goals and frequent feedback helpful for everyone?” 

What great prompts. There are so many nuggets in both. 


What ADHD Looks Like at Work (and Why It's Easy to Miss) 

When most people think of ADHD, they picture childhood hyperactivity. But in adults, especially in professional settings, it often shows up in less visible, more misunderstood ways. Because ADHD was underdiagnosed for decades, many adults are living with it without knowing. Many first recognize it when a child of theirs is diagnosed. 

At work, ADHD might look like: 


  • A high-potential employee who randomly does not follow through 

  • A non-linear career path, with many pivots and reinventions 

  • Restlessness, fidgeting, or frequent interruptions in conversation 

  • Zoning out in meetings and needing information repeated 

  • Thriving in crisis mode or creative sprints, but struggling with routine business

  • Needing to be reminded of administrative or operational tasks

  • Avoiding check-ins or emotionally shutting down after feedback 

  • Delivering work “just in time,” not by design, but because urgency finally activates the brain 


These aren’t character flaws. They’re signs of executive function differences playing out in work systems not built for ADHD. And because many ADHD adults are skilled at masking, often unconsciously, what looks like a small amount of inconsistency or forgetfulness may be a bigger behind-the-scenes struggle of distraction, forgetfulness, overcompensation with perfectionism, wack-a-mole reactivity to previously dropped balls, and shame. 


Yellow plane with black stripes flying over a red rocky desert landscape under a clear blue sky, creating a sense of freedom and adventure.

What ADHD Looks Like for Me 

One reader asked for my lived experience as a professional with ADHD. Here goes.

I open my email to do one thing… then get sidetracked by a message that reminds me of something I previously forgot… and in a split second, I completely lose track of what I came here to do in the first place. Multiply this by dozens of times a week. 


I try countless methods to stay organized: planners, notepads, sticky notes, apps, Trello, and ToDoist. But sticking to one system long-term is nearly impossible. I haphazardly utilize multiple tools at once, and those systems shift every few months depending on what I can convince my brain to try, with mediocre results. For the last two weeks, I have employed pink sticky notes, a gridded notebook, and a Confluence page. This is going better than average, but as most ADHD'ers can tell you, systems break down around week three. The novelty wears off, and there isn't enough dopamine to maintain them (more on dopamine below).


I struggle with administrative tasks like submitting timesheets or writing status reports, unless I know I have to share them in an upcoming meeting that day. 


I sometimes hyperfocus so deeply that I lose track of time and show up late, even with multiple alerts across my phone, computer, and smartwatch. Because I’m afraid of being late again, I’ll frequently check the time if I have an upcoming meeting, disrupting my ability to focus deeply on the task at hand. It’s a double-edged sword. 


I listen intently, but if I don’t write something down, I might forget it within seconds. And I often hesitate to ask for something to be repeated, not because I don’t care, but because I’ve been told I’m “too much.” That’s something many ADHD professionals have heard. Instead, I quietly investigate, retrace steps, or gather context so no one sees the struggle (masking). 


And then there’s feedback. Thanks to something called rejection sensitivity dysphoria (RSD), common for people with ADHD, even well-intentioned feedback can land hard. I’ve been lucky to work with mentors and managers who learned how to give feedback in ways I can hear after some bumpy moments. I’ve also been told, early in my career, “there’s no crying at the office”… after crying at the office. While well-intended, it didn’t acknowledge that sometimes, for those of us with ADHD, there is crying at the office. And that’s okay. 


If this paints me as unprofessional, let me offer this: I have a strong track record of success across each facet of my career. I’ve led major seven-figure global projects, built teams, solved complex problems, and delivered under pressure. I have a legacy of people who sing my praises. But I’ve had to do it differently. I've had to learn how to lead myself, lean into unconventional methods that play to my strengths, and build partnerships that support the areas where I need more structure. 


This isn’t a deficit story. It’s a different story. And when leaders understand this, everything changes. 


What Happens in an ADHD Brain 

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that impacts executive function: your brain’s ability to self-manage. This includes skills like planning, prioritizing, managing time, regulating emotions, and remembering tasks, all of which are essential in the modern workplace.


In ADHD, dopamine signaling in the brain is often disrupted. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter critical for motivation, attention, and reward processing. When dopamine levels are low or receptor availability is reduced, it becomes harder for the brain to initiate and sustain effort, even on tasks that are important (Volkow et al., 2009).


Additionally, working memory, the mental notepad we use to hold and manipulate information, is often impaired. This makes it harder to retain instructions, shift focus between tasks, or recall what was just said. It’s not carelessness, it’s a neurological difference in how the brain processes and regulates information (Barkley, 2011).

That’s why ADHD may show up as: 


  • Knowing what needs to be done, but struggling to get started 

  • Missing a meeting because of hyperfocus on another task 

  • Forgetting a key point shortly after hearing it 

  • Reacting emotionally, not out of sensitivity, but because self-regulation takes more effort 


As Dr. Thomas Brown explains, ADHD isn’t a disorder of knowing what to do. It’s a disorder of doing it reliably, in context, and on time (Brown, 2013). 


Small white plane with red stripes flying against a clear blue sky, registration number visible on wing. Propeller in motion.

Big Engines, Little Wheels

Here’s a metaphor I like to use: People with ADHD are like airplanes trying to operate

on roads. We have big engines and little wheels. We may appear awkward, inefficient, or out of place, not because we’re broken, but because the environment wasn’t designed for how we function. Planes aren’t meant for roads. They need runways. 


When leaders build those runways through strategic work assignments, structure, flexibility, and understanding, ADHD professionals don’t just function. They fly. 


As mentioned in my previous article, research shows that neurodiverse teams, when supported with inclusive practices, are more innovative, adaptive, and effective (Austin & Pisano, 2017; Deloitte, 2021). ADHD professionals often bring creativity, strategic intuition, bold problem-solving, and unique perspectives, especially when systems are designed with neurodiversity in mind. 


Inclusive leadership removes unnecessary barriers. And when those barriers come down, everyone rises. 


Isn’t This Just Good Leadership for Everyone? 

Clear expectations, consistent feedback, and psychological safety improve performance for everyone. But for neurodivergent employees, especially those with ADHD, these supports aren’t just helpful, they’re the difference between barely managing and fully contributing. 


In product and workplace design, there’s a powerful principle known as the curb-cut effect: when you design for those with the most barriers, you end up improving usability and access for everyone. Curb cuts were originally installed for wheelchair users, but today, we all benefit from them: parents with strollers, travelers with suitcases, even delivery drivers. This idea is central to universal design, a practice that increases functionality, satisfaction, and innovation across all users (Lidwell et al., 2010). 


The same logic applies to leadership. When you design your systems, communication, and expectations with the most complex needs, you create an environment that lifts everyone. 


What Leaders Can Do 

Here’s the good news: you don’t need to be a psychologist. You don’t need to diagnose or guess who might be neurodivergent. You don't need to read a book on ADHD unless you want to.


What you can do is: 


  • Understand that brains operate differently 

  • Assume positive intent when interacting with someone who may think, focus, or organize differently 

  • Be curious about the strengths and challenges each person brings by asking them meaningful questions

  • Adjust your leadership to meet people where they are 


A few coaching-style questions to help you get started: 


  • What helps you stay focused when things get busy or slow? 

  • What kind of check-ins or follow-ups feel most helpful or disruptive to you? 

  • What kind of work and work environment allows you to provide the greatest value?

  • Are there things I can do differently to support how you work best?


These types of questions don’t require disclosure. They create space for honesty, collaboration, and trust. And when applied over the long term, they help build a culture where people feel seen, supported, and empowered to do their best work. 


In Summary 


  • ADHD in the workplace is often invisible, but very real 

  • ADHD is rooted in executive function challenges, not effort or intent 

  • Inclusive practices help everyone, but they’re more essential for some 

  • Inclusive leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about leading with curiosity, intentionality, adaptability, and care. 


Thank you for taking the time to read this. If it sparked new ideas or raised questions, I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to share your reflections or suggest topics you'd like me to explore in future articles. 

Coming soon: I’ll be sharing follow-up pieces for ADHD professionals, focused not on managing ADHD, but on self-leadership with awareness, ownership, redesign, and advocacy. 


References 

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