What Might True ADHD look like at work?

I want to tell you a story about someone named John. John has an impressive résumé. He graduated from Michigan in 2002 and finished business school at Wharton in 2005. Since then, he’s worked in two different divisions of a Fortune 500 company and enjoyed a modicum of success.

Everyone agrees: the guy is super smart, experienced, business-savvy and brings loads of energy and enthusiasm to the table. But somehow, John is just not living up to his potential.  In fact, if John doesn’t get his act together and start producing better results, you may have to think about letting him go. The problems are increasing and you are getting really frustrated.

John makes a lot of promises but frequently doesn’t follow through. He is disorganized and seems overwhelmed - missing deadlines and arriving late for important meetings. He always has an excuse for his behavior but continues to be unprepared.

His manager can’t figure out what the problem is. After all, John should be a rising star – he has tremendous potential. Everyone wants him to succeed, but there is a gap between expectations and what John has – or hasn’t – been delivering.

Maybe you know someone like John. You may have even had someone just like him working for you. If so, you know how frustrating it is when someone who seems so capable does not deliver consistently and performs below what you believe they are capable of.

It is costly to have an underperforming employee – especially as companies are relying on fewer people to accomplish more. You have already invested in individuals such as John and you don’t want to lose the return.

It is possible that underneath John’s difficulties lies a condition that is largely unrecognized in Corporate America today and wreaking havoc in workplaces everywhere – Adult ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Millions of adults may never reach their potential even though they are passionate and intelligent because they are unknowingly dealing with this. In addition to lost potential, unexplained absences, difficulty carrying out assigned tasks, missed deadlines, or out of control schedules, employees with Adult ADHD are costing companies billions. A recent Harvard study reported in BusinessWeek shows that the economic losses due to ADHD are little short of staggering: $77 billion annually.

Targeted, specialized actions designed to tackle the specific issues related to ADHD do exist. Additionally, the problems need not (and SHOULD NOT) be labeled or seen as a "diagnosis." By identifying the correct underlying issue, the recommended actions are more likely to be effective. What John really needs is support and skills necessary for:

• Efficient project management/day to day planning (i.e. tracking/follow up) • Effective execution • Discipline and focus • Prioritizing and organizing an overwhelming workload • Self-management • Sound decision making • Managing tasks and information overload

Hope this gives you a little insight into some of the behaviors that are ever present. The great news is that there are solutions for all! It is just a matter of getting educated. The worst part of ADD is not knowing you have it.

Have a productive day!

Coach Nancy

How to Actually Help an Employee Who is Clearly Distracted and Overwhelmed

Create goals with them that are realistic, attainable and manageable Why? Goals will ease frustration and empower success

Don’t overwhelm them with too many great ideas and requests at every meeting

Why?They won't be intimidated or over stimulated and probably will be able to follow through more easily

Create structure and ongoing accountability.

Why? Easier to stay on track and deliver results

Work in small spurts rather than long hauls

Why?It will help them to stay much more focused on one goal at a time

Introduce the concept of getting help when and where it is needed

Why?They won’t be drained and can use their strengths proactively

Suggest they always have a pad, lots of blank folders and pens around

Why?It minimizes organizational frustration

Help them to identify their strengths that may be buried and focus on jobs that maximize these strengths (once you have identified them accurately)

Why?Greater sense of mastery and accomplishment

Encourage them to communicate with you and create a safe environment to do so

Why? The more they do this, the better it will be for both of you

Treat them with respect and understanding

Why?They are probably accustomed to being criticized and feeling diminished already

Maintain a sense of humor

Why?Why not?

Have a productive day!

Tips to Manage Time Over Time: ADD or Not!

Many of my clients are of the, what I like to call "culturally induced variety" meaning that they don't have a diagnosis and yet behaviorally, deal day in and day out with the same challenges as those who do. What we are all after are simple ways to manage our time and plan more effortlessly to reduce stress and increase our effectiveness. In other words, feel more in control because we know how to tackle everything that has to get done.

Here are a few of my favorite tips:

• STOP/THINK/THINK THROUGH what you need to do every single day until it becomes a habit

• NEVER/EVER leave home without your planner/calendar. Look at it all day every day. It will become your best friend and greatest source of comfort.

• Scheduling time and tasks is like a giant puzzle. Every task has a finite amount of time it will take and must have a specific time allocated to completing it.

• Always reschedule in real time. Don't just let things disappear into the black hole of "later".

• Don't forget the 25% X factor! Tasks usually ( always) take at least 25% longer than you think they will.

Being productive feels great!

Coach Nancy

Are You A Distracted Executive?

This blog is for executives. I will define executives as  any business professional actively involved in working today. Unless you're living on a desert island, you’re living the reality of the distraction of modern life while trying to complete the work that’s required of you.

Take one of my clients, Adam, successful, savvy  VP of a five million dollar Internet startup. His career is going brilliantly.  He’s risen quickly through the ranks of his company. People respect and admire him.

But under the surface, Adam is today's quintessential distracted executive. He is anxiety ridden much of the time. He sleeps with his iPhone, and wakes several times a night; checking his email.  His voicemail piles up incessantly, and he can hardly bear listening to his messages  for fear of adding more to his already untenable To Do list.

Another challenge to Adam’s productivity is the amount of meetings he must sit through each day. After speaking with him for the first time, I quickly calculated the number of hours he spent away from his desk, and came to the conclusion that a startling 70% of his day is taken up by nonnegotiable meetings. True story! These meetings are often surprisingly vital and exciting and produce amazing ideas. But when 70% of Adam’s time is taken up by meetings, it means that he has 30% of his time leftover to execute on 100%. And while Adam is at the meetings, demands are piling up. Emails, voicemails, faxes, and questions from his assistant...you get the idea.  He never quite feels complete or caught up no matter how many hours he logs in.  It’s easy to understand why he sleeps with his iPhone.

Sound familiar? We have to stop worrying about how overwhelmed we feel, how busy we are, and how we can’t seem to find the magic potion that will add an extra hour to our workday. We have to PAUSE and consider our priorities, our struggles, and ultimately, our potential. We have to admit that we are facing challenges, and we have to harness our own strengths to meet those challenges. It is each of our responsibility individually to do something about it. Our very life depends on it.