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Get a gauge on the type of tasks/projects they really enjoy working on. People with ADHD (myself included) are motivated by things that stimulate their minds/challenge them. If it's a task they can sink their teeth into they will become a high performer and execute more efficiently than a neurotypical person.
It’s going to take effort on your part but what will work (and also help you I think) is the breaking of every task into small milestones, these don’t need to be linear as much as they need to be real transition points in the work.
For one it will give your report direct guidance on where they are in the process of what’s expected from them and secondly it can also help you identify the points which your report finds the most challenging to move in between.
It’s certainly not an easy situation and I hope you can make the best of it.
ADHD-er chiming in! For me personally, ambiguity is the biggest enemy. I appreciate leads that make me feel comfortable coming to them with any follow up Qs I need without being made to feel pesty. Clear asks and deadlines are key. Funnily enough, counter to SW1 (and I’m sure frustratingly for some), I actually have an easier time listening and digesting when I’m not looking someone in the face - I start thinking about whether I look engaged enough. Good luck!
I have ADHD. It sounds like you want to put yourself in their shoes. Two key things to think of with the ADHD brain:
–Our brains struggle with time. Deadlines seem abstract, it's hard to summon the motivation or focus if it's not due in 5 minutes. And it can be hard to think about priority because of this: a bunch of things you need to get done, but your brain struggles to "sort" which comes first, then next, then next. It all seems equally pressing, and therefore overwhelming.
––What to do about this: Help them come up with systems that help them note and move through what they need to do, and by when. I use a few notetaking apps that support rich content so I have a repository where I know I can go back and find everything. And when the day is truly unwieldy and distracting, I sometimes resort to physical post-its, and then physically move them around in order of priority. Then, when I'm done, I throw them away one-by-one! And that latter point leads me to...
–ADHD is all rewards-driven. In the same way that the time thing makes the future feel abstract, it makes you feel bogged down, mentally defeated, etc. Encourage them to find little rewards they can give themselves. I take frequent breaks. I constantly get up and walk around. I have multiple kinds of beverages throughout the day (coffee, sparkling water, more coffee, diet soda—yes I have a lot of caffeine). And when they're doing something well, say so! Many people with ADHD grew up with disapproval from peers and adults that we couldn't understand because our brains are wired differently. Hyper-sensitive to criticism and very concerned with making others happy is pretty common. So make sure you're both voicing your own appreciation, as well as affirming what they're doing well.
Over all, people with ADHD grow up in a world that makes them feel lazy, unfocused, unmotivated, ineffective. The reality is that our motivation, focus, etc comes from elsewhere.
LOL this is me. But I think I have mastered using it to my advantage over the years for stuff that actually moves the needle or helps me and my teams win in some way.
I have a big presentation today - and for the first time in a long time I had the "reward" on the calendar and it's the praise I might receive from some important people and also green lighting this. I busted my ass on this thing. I voluntarily worked on this over the weekend to make the deck amazing. I spent hours noodling every little detail.
Felt kind of good to feel like im 30 again in the trenches as I did most of this myself (my small team is so busy with other shit I took this on). Agonizing o ver the strat story, mockups, a ton of new design that are probably unnecessary, changing over type faces on every single thing to a not-real-yet visual identity. It's strange what motivates an ADHD person. This type assignment somewhere else with different people, I might procrastinate until the day before - but I know this one's important and I have a major vested interest in this particular project.
You have to play to every one of your colleagues' strengths. Senior mgmt, interns, ADHD or not.
Showing them you have their back by acknowledging their strengths and what they need to deliver on them can go a long way to getting more from them than the average person. They should have your back as well. We all show this a little differently.
Also, try observing how your more "neurotypical" colleagues might be falling short and covering their asses—just more smoothly.
Acknowledging effort and communicating appreciation goes a long long way
You haven’t laid out what the problem is other than the fact that they have ADHD.. I have ADHD and it is my super power. I can read a room or a person instantly. I can take on any task without any knowledge or background because the puzzle and being a detective excites me. I love learning new skills and creating things that have not been done before. What is my downfall? I hate repetitive, mundane work. I manage myself well enough that it’s not an issue. Having a planner and writing everything down is key.
I would change your question to have more detail of what the actual problem is.
This might be a good opportunity to sit with them and discuss a daily schedule to mitigate losing days like this. For me, I find it effective to start my day making a physical checklist of tasks, even if it’s sharpening a pencil, and adding to the list as the day goes on or discourses from what I originally thought my day would look like.
First, Kindly introduce the idea of keeping a tiny notepad near by to write down an intended daily agenda along with a list of things they did. Dont go into too much detail like marking the length of time to execute the task yet, this could be overwhelming and handicap their executive function which is a BIG adhd thing.
You don’t have to sit with them every day to create the lists but do ensure that you will review their day with them from time to time.
Make sure they look at you when you talk. Ask them to repeat what you ask. Give them visual keys/reminders. Check in regularly
OMG what an ignorant thing to recommend. ADHD is high performing in the right environment. Perhaps focus on their skills and strengths, not whether or not they care to make eye contact. FFS
Good luck. I worked with a direct who had ADHD and it was incredibly challenging. They just kept on getting moved around from team to team when their managers had enough.
That's rough. Constantly detaching someone who's probably pretty smart and creative—and putting in more effort to manage their ADHD—can damage their career and cheat the agency out of good work and professional growth.
Focalin has done wonders for my partner.
You might start by asking them what kind of reasonable accommodations they require.
Are they not on medication?
Why would you want to dull their strengths? They are incredibly high performing, creative and some are hyper focused.
No disrespect, but I wouldn’t take any advice from folks here. Please, please, please keep in mind your actions must fall within the Americans with disabilities act so yes, this is an HR issue. And yes, I’m the first to admit they’re not exactly my first go to option. But you need to protect yourself.
You really have two options – having an honest conversation with them to ask how they prefer to work. Or second, reach out to your HRBP and ask for guidance on how you should approach the situation. I would say the former is your best bet if you are more senior than they are.
Ooof. Are we at the same agency? Had the same experience as well, reached out to HR and they offered zero guidance. And to be clear, we were asking HR for genuine help and not trying to burn our team member with ADHD.
Too much codling in this thread. If they can’t do the work…
Too distracted to contact a lawyer