Think Fast: ADHD in the Workplace

Neurodiversity in the workplace is a hot topic right now. But how do supervisors and managers support employees who have ADHD?

ADHD can present in many positive ways— people with ADHD are quick to process and integrate new information into their work, and are able to think outside the box. But managers sometimes find employees with ADHD to be scattered, unfocused, and overwhelmed when there are too many tasks on their plate. Effective managers know that it’s not possible (or appropriate) to force a neurodivergent employee to think the way everyone else does… but how do they leverage the unique strengths and mitigate the challenges of an employee with ADHD?

This session is for any supervisors or managers currently supporting employees with ADHD, or who want to be adept at supporting future employees with ADHD.

This session covers the following topics:

• Understanding the basics of ADHD to increase empathy for the unique ways an ADHD brain functions

  • Analyzing how ADHD is diagnosed

  • Covering common “treatments” for ADHD

  • Defining diverse approaches to ADHD as an identity

• Building supportive structures for employees who have ADHD

  • Creating a work environment where every employee feels safe enough to “come out” about their learning differences

  • Ensuring a work culture free from disparaging comments about learning differences

  • Partnering with employees to build structures that work for them

• Holding employees with ADHD accountable to external goals

  • Learning effective tools for setting expectations

  • Assisting with prioritization of tasks

  • Reinforcing team norms without shame or judgment

“Highly recommend!”

“If you bring one management training to your team this year… make it this one!”

“Super engaging and practical!"

Facilitator bio:

Trystan Reese is a professional educator and author who was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. His professional consultancy is focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and this session marries best practices around inclusion and practical applications for supporting ADHD employees. He spends most of his free time trying out new ways of harnessing and leveraging the strengths of his ADHD brain, developing new tools that encourage the world to adjust to him and creating new ways to adapt to the world around him. Trystan supports ADHD people who are diagnosed as children, as adults, or haven’t been diagnosed at all. He is supportive of those who take medication to treat the symptoms of ADHD, those who don't, and those who use alternative or complementary medicine. This session does not use "disorder" framing when talking about ADHD or any other neurodivergent identities.