Different at Work

Ten episodes in, this is exactly where an '80s sitcom would cut to everyone sitting on a couch going "Remember when…?" and call it a new episode. This is not that. No flashbacks, no laugh track, and nobody is getting stuck in an elevator.

Last episode we discussed what executive function is. This one is the toolbox: the scaffolding Flo and Andrew actually lean on to get work done, what it looks like at work, and, thanks to Flo, at least one moment where someone says "let's be real."

Flo explains why switching tasks is a nail in your tire. Andrew confesses that time boxing never worked for him until he knew how his own brain worked. Flo admits that "body doubling" sounded like a horror movie the first time she heard it. And Flo plays devil's advocate on Andrew's favorite advice, which is how you know it's a good episode.

In this episode:

From the episode

A few clarifications

We talk fast and we don't fact-check mid-sentence. That's what this section is for.

Something we didn't get to

From us

Sources

If you need help right now

Learning about ADHD and neurodivergence

Getting support

At work

We're not mental health professionals, and we don't endorse every resource for every person. Do your own research, and find the help that fits you. Full list: differentatwork.com/resources

Good news: you don’t need a corner office to have executive function. Bad news: you don’t need one to have it quietly clock out on you, either. This week Flo and I dig into the brain’s in-house project manager, the one that’s supposed to pick a goal, make a plan, and actually start. Flo confesses she spent months unable to choose a business-card holder (too many colors; her sister finally picked one, and it arrived by Sunday). I confess that every performance review I ever wrote went in on time and not one minute earlier. Then we get into why the ADHD brain is a Ferrari with bicycle brakes, why “just start” is terrible advice, and what managers can do besides assume you’ve stopped caring.

From the episode

Something we didn't get to

From us

Sources

Barkley, R. A. (2021). Taking Charge of Adult ADHD (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.

Brown, T. E. (2013). A New Understanding of ADHD in Children and Adults: Executive Function Impairments. Routledge.

Buehler, R., Griffin, D., & Ross, M. (1994). Exploring the "planning fallacy": Why people underestimate their task completion times. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67(3), 366–381. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.67.3.366

Garcia Winner, M., & Crooke, P. Executive functioning skills: A 4-step framework. Social Thinking. https://www.socialthinking.com/articles/executive-functioning-skills-4-step-framework

Hallowell, E. M., & Ratey, J. J. (2021). ADHD 2.0: New Science and Essential Strategies for Thriving with Distraction. Ballantine Books.

Hennekam, S., Kulkarni, M., & Beatty, J. E. (2024). Neurodivergence and the persistence of neurotypical norms and inequalities in educational and occupational settings. Work, Employment and Society, 39(2), 449–469. https://doi.org/10.1177/09500170241255050

Hennekam, S., Kulkarni, M., & Billsberry, J. (2026). Rethinking support: Understanding the transition challenges facing neurodivergent people entering work. Academy of Management Learning & Education. https://doi.org/10.5465/amle.2025.0437

Owens, J. S., Goldfine, M. E., Evangelista, N. M., Hoza, B., & Kaiser, N. M. (2007). A critical review of self-perceptions and the positive illusory bias in children with ADHD. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 10(4), 335–351. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-007-0027-3

Fair warning: this one's personal for both of us, and we share deeply personal examples.

Everybody says they're "so burnt out," usually about a Tuesday. This episode is about the other kind. The kind where two weeks of vacation does absolutely nothing. The kind where you cry on the drive into a building you used to love walking into. The kind where the people who know you best start quietly wondering where you went.

Flo goes first, with her early management years, when she was doing her own job plus half of an analyst's, and the most she had left at the end of the day was a Tetris knockoff on the couch with her dog. Then it's Andrew's turn: 16 years and 8 months at a company he loved (yes, he knows the date to the month; ADHD brains keep receipts for the strangest things), and the moment he realized he couldn't out-charm the reports that were due.

Then they get practical, because the goal is to catch it before the crying-in-the-car stage.

In this episode:

From the episode

Something we didn't get to

From us

Sources

The Feelings Wheel: interactive version at feelingswheel.com, adapted from Gloria Willcox's original Feeling Wheel (1982).

Malesic, J. (2022). The End of Burnout: Why Work Drains Us and How to Build Better Lives. University of California Press.

Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. E. (1981). The measurement of experienced burnout. Journal of Occupational Behaviour, 2(2), 99–113. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.4030020205

World Health Organization. (2019). Burn-out an "occupational phenomenon": International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases

Beckes, L., & Coan, J. A. (2011). Social baseline theory: The role of social proximity in emotion and economy of action. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 5(12), 976–988. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2011.00400.x

Raymaker, D. M., et al. (2020). "Having all of your internal resources exhausted beyond measure and being left with no clean-up crew": Defining autistic burnout. Autism in Adulthood, 2(2), 132–143. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2019.0079

Andrew spills the beans on one of ADHD’s worst-kept secrets: its superpowers. He and Flo explore how the ADHD brain’s unique wiring can fuel creativity, adaptability, hyperfocus, and connection; how those strengths can flourish at work; and why every superpower has a shadow side. Along the way, we discover Andrew’s surprisingly adventurous streak—despite how excited he gets about code and spreadsheets.

In this episode, Andrew and Flo discuss potential blindspots that a neurodivergent leader may experience. These are things that need careful handling or correction, about which you are likely unaware. Flo gives some thoughts about how to check your blindspots and mitigate impacts to your teams, and Andrew provides personal reflections on how his ADHD impacted his career and the people entrusted to his leadership.

For a lot of neurodivergent people, sensory stuff like smell or noise isn’t a preference. It’s a wall. Andrew and Flo talk about the quiet ways teams leave people out, like the restaurant nobody asked about or the norm nobody explained, and how to build belonging on purpose. (Note: No seafood was harmed in the making of this episode.)

Flo and Andrew continue their discussion about the job search while being wired a little differently. In this conversation, we fast forward beyond the resumes and applications and focus on the interviews and selection process, including different perspectives and the unfathomable consideration to disclose your ADHD diagnosis in the process.

Andrew and Flo discuss the unique challenges of searching for a job while being wired a little differently. Comparisons are made between advice given to neurotypical job seekers, and we discuss how that advice might be adjusted for the neurodiverse candidate. Spoiler alert: The job search process really sucks for everyone and, perhaps not surprisingly, it is not helped by ADHD.

Today’s secret word is “Trust.” Andrew and Flo discuss the potential risks and benefits of disclosing a neurodivergence diagnosis in the workplace, and what signs to look for when weighing that decision. Risks include navigating stigmas and stereotypes, dealing with rejection, and the permanence of disclosure. Benefits include an optimized workplace that reduces stress and promotes overall well-being. Trust-building competencies and frameworks and the responsibilities of leaders are also discussed.

The Thin Book of Trust by Charles Feltman (audiobook edition)

Andrew and Flo discuss some of the re-processing of past events that happens when someone is officially diagnosed with ADHD later in life. Andrew shares his personal experience and Flo shares her excellent insights. Together, they reminisce about the good ol’ days of MySpace, the Blackberry Pearl, and brick walls.

https://self-compassion.org/