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- š§Navigating Neurodivergence in the start-up environment: Challenges and Triumphs
š§Navigating Neurodivergence in the start-up environment: Challenges and Triumphs
The start up company only being four months old at this time
In todayās post Iāll talk about being a Neuro Divergent in a start-up company
Challenges
My learnings
Unexpected advantages
Before this point, Iād never worked for a start-up company before.
I was the first and only finance hire for this start up company; with the start up company only being four months old at this time. Cashflow was the important metric.
Iāve been accustomed to working in larger companies with revenues in the millions and billions.
Iāve always wanted to know what it would be like working in a start-up company. I can say I got what I expected.
My start up experience has been filled with:
Fast paced action: Sometimes I donāt have time to think of a solution, a lot of the times Iām operating on instinct, particularly for the niggling day-to-day queries.
Forever increasing to-do list: Thereās always something new to do
Multitasking demands: In addition to the above, most things seem to be important
Information overload: For someone with inattentiveness this can a madness!
Sounds like chaosā¦ But I thoroughly enjoyed my experience in the start up company. My executive functioning skills really went to war, and I learned a lot about my ADHD and the depths of my symptoms.
My Learnings and Takeaways:
If I donāt plan, Iām screwed
I know that things change constantly, but writing things down gives me clarity and reduces my anxiety levels.
As discussed in the āMy first 30 days post ADHD diagnosisā post, I use a planner to help organise my thoughts and key tasks for the day and week
Only the paranoid survive
Only the paranoid survive
Thereās a saying by Andrew Grove that stuck with me for yearsā¦ āonly the paranoid surviveā
This has helped me be on high alert for the niggling queries and occasionally come up with meaningful:
Problem solving
Improvements
Out of the box thinking
On a project work; If I feel a piece of work is not up to high standards and itās at risk of criticism, Iāll up my game and spend more time working on improving it.
Although this has been at the expense of a raised heart rate!!
Call of duty warzone: High Alert Mode
My ābeast modeā is scary!
I think a start-up environment is perfect to help channel my irritability symptoms.
With the growing demands increasing my stress levels, Iāll likely get irritated, p!ssed off and channel that energy with my hyper focus to deliver the piece of work.
Iāll look back and reflect on how I managed to get that done and how proud I am for finishing it.
Michael Jordan another Neuro Divergent was known for transmuting that irritable energy on the court and winning in the process.
Final thoughts:
I believe neuro divergent people can bring a few things to the table in a start-up company and environment.
Additional support to perform our roles may be required. In my case, I use my noise cancelling headphones a lot to limit my distraction and lock in.
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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