Love My Job. Can't Stand My Colleagues.

Let’s talk about what may be the most important decision of your life. No, it’s not who to blame for your ADHD. Or whether to watch the entire second season of House of Cards all in a row, or spread it out over two whole days. Let’s talk about your work. Your career. Your job. Or your ongoing parade of different jobs. (Blush) We know being a ‘workaholic’ is a bad thing. Exciting. But it leads to burnout. (Or so I’m told. I keep waiting.) But the fact is most of us spend more time at work than we spend with our spouse, kids, or our friends.

THIS IS BIG FOR ADDERS

As Doctor Ned Hallowell notes in ADD & Loving It?! the secret to success for an ADHD adult is to ‘marry the right person and find the right job.’ We’ll talk about marriage later. For the next month or so let’s focus on careers. Workplace Accommodations. Finding an ADHD-Friendly job. Workplace disclosure. And more.

SOUND FAMILIAR?

“Why are you not happy unless you’re bucking the system?” “Why are you so rigid about everything?” “Why do you force the team into constant chaos?” “Why do you insist on endless meetings?” If you’ve heard stuff like this, or thought it, (or blurted it out and then regretted) what’s causing the conflict is the way you take action compared to others.

WE OPERATE DIFFERENTLY

Welcome to the fascinating world of Action Modes™. Coach Caroline Sugarman can give you insight into your style, using the Kolbe Action Modes™.

“I FINALLY GET WHERE THEY’RE COMING FROM”

Knowing the secrets of your Action Modes™ will eliminate a huge amount of friction. Other people won’t be such an annoying, frustrating mystery. And you’ll understand a huge strength that ADHD folks seem to share. We have discovered first hand how it helps us work at TotallyADD. I can’t tell you the difference it’s made for all of us. It is amazing to discover how your instincts for taking action can either clash with or support the other players at your workplace. (Or in a volunteer organization, fellow students… any area where you’re working with others.) A simple example is the Bill’s ADDventure video, where our hapless hero assembles a chair by completely ignoring the instructions.

FOCUS ON ADDERS

I’ve asked if Caroline has to pay particular attention to strategies for bringing out the best in Quick Starts, the action mode she sees most frequently see in those of us with ADD or ADHD. Understand how you instinctively operate best. And be able to identify how others are operating. It’s powerful and practical information that you will be able to use right away.