💣 How I dropped the A.D.H.D Bomb on my Boss!

In this weeks post I’ll talk about:

• How I informed my boss

• Famous people with ADHD.

• My reaction

• What it meant for me

How I did it:

I actually informed my boss that I had ‘suspected’ ADHD, two weeks before my official diagnosis.

At this time I had only completed two screening tests. I sat my boss down in his office, and informed him that I stumbled across Steven Bartlett’s (who also has ADHD btw) Diary of a CEO podcast episode on ADHD with Mel Robbins and upon researching the symptoms, I think I may have it, and scheduled a private ADHD assessment…

I discussed what I thought my ADHD strengths and challenges (I don’t like saying weaknesses) were:

• Hyper focus

• My psycho competitiveness and desire to win

• Potential inattentiveness

• Resilience

My boss’s initial reaction was:

• Supportive

• Impressed that I made something of myself upon being undiagnosed for decades.

• Appreciative of me sharing the news with him

• He shared a close friends Neuro divergent diagnosis report with me. So, I think he had an idea of what I was going through.

• •  Steven Bartlett

  • James Smith

And through this I researched more ‘successful’ people with ADHD.

• Michael Jordan

• Richard Branson

• Justin Timberlake

• Michael Phelps

• Emma Watson

• Trevor Noah

• Mel Robbins

• Beyonce’s sister (Solange Knowles)

• And many more!

Sounds crazy, but after seeing that list, and reading their ADHD journeys, it gave me hope (which is what I plan to do to my readers) I felt proud to share ADHD with them!

Fast forward two weeks later, I told him it’s official and I have it. We had a discussion around how we work around the strengths and challenges.

My reaction:

I’m fully aware that work deliverables must be met! And inasmuch as I have a Neuro difference, the brutal reality is that other people:

• May not care

• May not have the patience

• May be ignorant of Neuro Divergence

• May be results driven.

So, my mindset is, continue to:

• Grow

• Learn new methods and tricks (discussed on my last post)

• Ask for help where required

• Leverage colleagues

Final thoughts.. To share with your boss or not?

For me, upon sharing my diagnosis to my manager, I felt:

• Relieved

• Less anxious

•  Like a monkey off my back

According to Done ADHD, the number one job to avoid with ADHD is Accountancy! And although I haven’t had any catastrophic incidences on the job pertaining to my ADHD, I was low key conscious that the higher I progress in my finance career, the risk of such events happening increases.

As much as I think I can take on the world at times, I understand that the stakes can be high, and I felt coming out helped me get the extra help and inspiration.

The ADHD Professional

Disclaimer: I am not your psychiatrist, coach, doctor. Neurodivergent Diaries does not provide medical services or professional counselling and is not a substitute for professional medical care. Everything I publish represents my opinions, experience, not advice.

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