Ep#220 ADHD as a Leadership Superpower
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[00:00:00] Hi everyone. My name's Dex Randall, and this is the Burnout to Leadership Podcast where I teach professionals to recover from burnout and get back to passion and reward at work.
[00:00:22] Hello, my friends Dex here, and this today is for you if you are sharp, driven, capable, but your focus isn't quite consistent. You do your best work under pressure, but it's costing you and you've possibly wondered at some point. Do I have ADHD?
[00:00:44] I know, I've wondered! But this episode really isn't about diagnosing anything.
[00:00:48] It's about a pattern of leadership I see all the time, especially in high achievers, and what they can do to perform at their best within this pattern.
[00:00:59] So let's see. Maybe you have a similar operating system, including:
[00:01:04] Interest-driven attention, which can be deep and sustained, rather than importance driven attention.
[00:01:13] Motivation tied to urgency, novelty meaning, again, not so much importance.
[00:01:20] High mental energy, but not always consciously directed.
[00:01:25] So here's a deeper look at some of the traits we'll talk about today. You maybe see yourself in some.
[00:01:32] You're likely to be Strong in crisis; Exploratory and curious; Fast to execute in high interest areas; Slower in steady execution; Under constant mental noise; Impulsive, easily distracted; Hyperactive; Intense, or overwhelmed with emotions that are hard to regulate; Subject to rapid mood swings; and Have difficulty switching off.
[00:02:03] And this pattern works amazingly well, often for very many years, but it ends in a tailspin of exhaustion.
[00:02:13] So let's quickly look at what your superpowers might be, if that's you. If you have these superpowers, no doubt you are recognized, respected, and appreciated for them.
[00:02:26] Number one, fast thinking and problem solving.
[00:02:30] Number two, big picture vision.
[00:02:33] Number three, decisiveness under pressure.
[00:02:36] Number four, ability to create momentum.
[00:02:40] So if you have those, that's why you've succeeded. Part of the why. 'Cause you didn't get to your current position by accident.
[00:02:49] The other side though of those superpowers is the potential for:
[00:02:53] Inconsistent follow through, as your mind spots some other exciting activity to dive into.
[00:03:00] Too many balls in the air at once, forgetting that you're just one person.
[00:03:05] Reactive instead of intentional in leadership, your best plans and scheduling are abandoned in the moment.
[00:03:14] Urgency, resulting in being a demanding, impatient, and possibly domineering boss.
[00:03:21] Team tension. Do you see them walking on eggshells?
[00:03:26] And burnout cycles, where your fractionalized speeding brain just needs a break.
[00:03:33] If some of that's true, you might also see that you've built your success on this intensity, and now that intensity is what's wearing you down.
[00:03:44] There are some simple adaptations you can make, like any leader would, to make the most of your own leadership style.
[00:03:52] Some shifts that can be particularly useful:
[00:03:55] Number one, externalize structure. Stop relying on internal discipline. Make it easier to do what you need to get done. Use systems, deadlines, visibility. In my coaching practice, I teach a slightly contrarian style of scheduling that gives vital structure, which is designed to keep racing minds on track, to avoid distractions and stay with what is important, or promise for a deadline, and maintains long-term success and credibility. For distracted people, it works really very well.
[00:04:34] Number two, reduce your active priorities to manage your time and attention successfully. It's very helpful to reduce priorities and task-switching. Push next week's work into next week. Give yourself time to make measurable progress where it matters, because task switching might be seductive, but it's very inefficient and wears down your energy and self-confidence. Sustained high completion rates will do more for morale and allow you to meet commitments more easily. This is basically doing fewer things and getting them finished properly.
[00:05:16] Number three, design your role. You may take umbrage with me on this, but hear me out. As a leader, as a professional, you can adapt what you do to the way that you do things. Wouldn't that serve you better than dropping the ball or tying yourself in knots of anxiety? The critical leadership skill of delegation is central here, and it serves not only to extend your team's skills and build trust with them and lift productivity.
[00:05:50] But also to recognize that each human has their strengths and weaknesses, including you, and to make the most of that, because criticizing yourself for the way your brain works improves nothing and diminishes what you can achieve. So lean into strengths and reduce friction zones.
[00:06:11] Number four, build around your blind spots. If you know you're a visionary starter, but interest peters out as the project goes on, bring in operators, finishers, detail-focused people to help you.
[00:06:27] Every team has the potential to work better than the sum of its parts when it nourishes individual talent, pairing tasks and roles with character and disposition, not purely expertise.
[00:06:43] And a well-oiled team is not homogeneous. Statistically diverse teams perform better, providing of course, psychological safety is created. You then, as a leader, are simply the ringleader supporting team collaboration and team trust. With a little EQ, you can clarify and accommodate your own strengths and weaknesses and those of your team, which will amplify performance for all of you.
[00:07:12] Number five, protect recovery. On those days when you've gone hard and probably hit a wall, find a way to notice that, step back, acknowledge your efforts and your tiredness, and give your mind a rest. Greg McKeown in his admirable book, Essentialism, describes rest and play as two of the strongest contributors to leadership performance.
[00:07:40] If you don't give yourself downtime where your brain has time to find creative solutions, then you won't find them. A fried mind can't be creative.
[00:07:52] Some of the most successful leaders in the world have found that less really is more, and they've divested the small stuff. What Dan Sullivan caused the 80% using Pareto's rule.
[00:08:04] They've given themselves fewer work hours, fewer meetings, fewer commitments, and then more hours, days, or even weeks off work, to let their mind free to shine in new unfettered ways.
[00:08:22] So if pulling back doesn't appeal to you, ask yourself why. What belief has you choosing to overwork as a virtue or a necessity?
[00:08:33] Ask yourself if that belief is still valid today. How does your work rate correlate with your results? And what are you afraid might happen if you slow down? When I ask clients, there's a common fear is that they're going to become lazy or lose motivation. It doesn't happen. It's not in their nature.
[00:08:54] Those who do step back, slow down and create space to think bigger often find something unexpected. A larger vision, more powerful, emerges, bolder thinking, broader ambition, new possibilities. For those of us with speedy driven minds, and I include myself in that, this shift is vital, not just for sanity and health, but as the gateway to the next level of performance.
[00:09:24] Moving from constant doing to higher level thinking. So energy management is the same in some respects as leadership performance.
[00:09:35] So if you've heard some familiar patterns in this episode, it's not about labels. It's not about fixing yourself, it's about leading in the way that actually works best for you. Because you don't need more intensity or effort, you need more precision. When you learn how to work with your mind as it is, instead of fighting it, everything else gets easier, including your results.
[00:10:02] If this hits close to home, start by looking at how you're structuring your work, not how hard you're pushing, because most of what we call burnout at this level isn't lack of capability, it's misalignment in how you are operating.
[00:10:21] And if you'd like personal support to work more closely with your mind instead of fighting it, come and see me. Let's build a plan for a better future for you. You can see the Leadership Performance Coaching link in the show notes.
[00:10:36] Thank you so much for listening today.
[00:10:37] I hope it was food for thought, and I really appreciate you being here with me.
[00:10:42] I'd be especially grateful if you'd share this podcast episode with others who may benefit. Catch you next time.
