ADHD

A thought on coaching…….

Jane JamesLeave a comment

What I love about coaching others – whether its:

🎯 unemployed people into sustainable employment
🎯 workplace teams to be more cohesive
🎯 1:1 ADHD coaching to work with, rather than against, unique brains

– is the collaboration with everyone, sharing knowledge to empower each other. Whilst others learn from me, I also learn from them.

Even more breathtaking to me is receiving a comment from someone I’m in awe of. Leanne Maskell the trailblazing activist for neurodivergence and founder of ADHD Works – who trained me to be one of their certified ADHD Coaches:

“Thank you for sharing this Jane – so grateful to have people like you in the world!”

What was the post I wrote that drew this comment?

It focussed on someone I’m currently delivering 1:1 ADHD Coaching to in line with their preference of using text and voice notes.

Throughout my entire career coaching close to 1,000 people into work through commercial recruitment, unique employment programmes like the Real Apprentice and currently Growing Talent, the hundreds of workplace personnel I’ve trained in proactive mind health i-act (for positive mental health and wellbeing) training. Mental Health Training and the courageous people learning to understand and tame their neurodivergence, the following three traits have been front and centre of everything I do:

🎯 lead with kindness and empathy
🎯 meet people where they are – everyone is unique, the way they are coached should be too
🎯 empower people to grow in confidence and become independent of me

What has been front and centre of your style working with others?

Just saying……

Jane JamesLeave a comment

𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗣! 𝗕𝗲 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀!

Are you aware there are two types of brains within your team? Neurotypical who fit traditional workplaces and neurodivergent who don’t.

Raising awareness within your workplace of how neurodivergence may show up gives you the foundation to manage it, break the stigma, build cohesive teams where all flourish.

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥?

𝗣𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗬:

🔔 Increased sickness levels – maybe burnout

🔔 Disjointed teams – productivity hit

🔔 Loss of talent

🔔 Employment Tribunal challenge

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Here are three ways to build a neuro inclusive workplace and team where all will flourish:

✅Awareness session for managers to understand how neurodivergence might show up and what to do.

✅How to be an Ally – for teams to know how to support their neurodivergent colleagues.

✅Funding 1:1 Coaching as part of their reasonable adjustments, for their team members who may be neurodivergent and not event realise it

All three are more cost effective than risking an Employment Tribunal!

Do you agree?

Is it time for you to raise awareness in your workplace?

Where does your business stand?

Jane JamesLeave a comment

Workplaces have changed a lot since the introduction of Human Resource departments following the Industrial Revolution.  The term was first used by economist John R Commons is his 1893 book – The Distribution of Wealth. 

Initially introduced as employment clerks, hiring daily workers their role grew to managing payroll, enforcing equality laws to now being a strategic part of any effective business.

Changes were gradual. The technology revolutions since dictate that change cannot be gradual.

Today large businesses have a raft of ED&I programmes, staff benefits and rewards, training, support with the critical thread of HR running throughout an employee’s journey with the business.

Are all workplaces, inclusive of both neurotypical and neurodivergent brains?

From what I see – the resounding answer is sadly ‘no’.

Since working professionally for the last 20 years in inclusivity, social mobility through empowerment and employment, I’ve worked collaboratively with all sizes of business and industries as well as individuals from all social economic backgrounds.

One critical piece of awareness training that seems to be missing is brain inclusivity.

Sounds a bit scary dosen’t it? So will other terminology – neurodivergent, neurotypical, Executive Functioning Delay, neuro affirmation – to name a few. However, awareness training demolishes perceptions replacing these with reality and action points.  

The action needed can be very simple, cost free and inclusive for all staff.

What is the cost of not rolling out awareness training in this critical area?

Potentially:

  • Increased sickness costs
  • Loss of talent and replacement recruitment costs
  • Negative impact on team and therefore, cohesion and productivity
  • Risk to brand reputation
  • Increased risk of Employment Challenge
  • Uncapped disability discrimination compensation

As a certified ADHD Coach, I’ve delivered awareness training to managers to empower them to recognise how neurodivergence may show-up, how to approach and work with someone to give them the support they need as well as empower their team to feel included. 

When delivering how to be an ally to team members, their feedback shared the content resonated with them, they gained tools and steps to use at work and home to be a true ally. 

Finally, delivering 1:1 Coaching is life changing.  People move from feeling stuck experiencing all sorts of emotions about how their neurodivergence shows up to discovering tools to tame it and flourish.

Here’s a few thoughts to consider for training within this area:

  • Cost per head is cheaper than a robust lunch from a high end sandwich shop!
  • Delivered virtually – minimises disruption to operations
  • Team inclusion and cohesion increases
  • Potential risks above diminish.

Yesterday was my first session of @LeanneMaskell’s brand new Neuro Affirmative course. With delegates joining from across the globe the word is spreading, the movement is rising.

Is your business part of the brain inclusive movement?

Masks – some are more painful than others…

Jane JamesLeave a comment

I’m not talking about the masks worn during Covid. I am talking about the mask neurodivergent people put on to try to ‘fit’ in.  Working with your unique brain rather than against it, is where the start of being you begins.

Does this sound familiar?

  • Know what you have to do, but just can’t get started?
  • Can’t get anywhere on time?
  • Constantly forget to take your keys, lunch, chargers, cards etc when you leave for work?
  • Forget instructions shortly after your manager has said them to you?
  • Find your brain works on impulse? Whilst colleagues are working on a project, your brain has multiple ideas its chasing down?
  • Ruminate the small stuff – what is the right way to sign-off an e-mail?

Does any/all resonate with you?  

Maybe you have your assessment but don’t know what to do with it?

Or maybe you are one of the thousands of people waiting for assessment.

You don’t have to wait to get help. You don’t need an assessment. 1:1 Coaching will help you explore how your brain shows-up at work, how it impacts you and how you can tame it.  

If you are working, speak to your employer to see if they will fund Coaching for you as part of their reasonable adjustments. Alternatively, you can apply for a Government grant from Access to Work in the UK or fund the Coaching yourself.

It’s important you ‘connect’ with a neurodivergent Coach to build the trust and confidence for the journey ahead.  All coaches offer a free exploratory session to see if you both ‘connect’.  

Consider a certified Coach trained in the Executive Functioning framework. We are skilled in helping you identify the areas of executive functioning that impact you and exploring tools to help you tame it. 

Sessions will be flexible to suit you – virtual, in person, weekly – more/less frequent, up to an hour each session usually for 12 weeks.  Don’t let your perceptions talk you out of getting the coaching you deserve.

Coaching is very different to Counselling or Therapy. It’s designed to move you to a place you can thrive and no longer need a Coach.

Is it now time to start the journey to take off your mask?

Precedents…………. Do they dent confidence in the workplace?

Jane JamesLeave a comment

@BenMachell’s piece on office etiquette caught my eye yesterday.

Humorous, but with a potential sting in the tail for all workplaces!

We’ve all worked in environments where Ben’s examples have been present. 

I can’t count the number of times I’ve gone into a corporate toilet only to hear a phone call taking place in a cubicle interspersed with the noises of bodily functions – you get the picture. 

Or the times my personal space has been invaded with over the shoulder peeks at my screen – not a good idea considering my specialist areas of mental health and wellbeing! 

Ben’s opening piece on the recent precedent set at an Employment Tribunal illustrates how workplaces can be landmines of offence without critical thinking.

Nadine, a recruitment manager won a case of unfair dismissal after greeting her boss three times only to be deliberately ignored each time. The ET Judge ruled this was unreasonable and likely to undermine trust and confidence. Of course we don’t know the whole context of this case. 

One glaring thought hit me, what if one of the parties was neurodivergent? 

The Hyperactivity part of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is misleading.  There are multiple different types of ADHD and the impact will be unique to each individual. Consider someone who experiences ‘Hyperactivity’.  This isn’t visible on the outside, it’s often the chaos of multiple racing thoughts on the inside. 

While speaking with someone who is ADHD and experiences hyperactivity, they can look as if ‘they have zoned out’ when in reality, their impulsive brain is chasing down a thought they’ve just had. Would they be at risk of a challenge at ET if they didn’t respond to greetings?

Do we automatically jump to ‘someone has offended us’? 

Or do we challenge that thought and check with them first to make sure our thought is fact and not just our thought?

What do you think?

Is there something we can learn from @LiamPayne’s tragic death?…. In my view – Hell Yes!

Jane JamesLeave a comment

Speculation is rife in the media – which must cause amplified pain to those closest to Liam.

Did he fall or jump?

No one will ever be 100% certain. 

What is 100% certain is ADHD carries a higher risk of suicide. 

Why?

The pressures of living and working in a neurotypical world when your brain is neurodivergent are intense. Add in the Impulsivity element of executive functioning many have coupled with alcohol/drugs, the decks are stacked against anyone thinking things through when intense pressure hits.

Workplaces have long been aware of the need to train their staff in mental health and wellbeing, how to build their own resilience and awareness to recognise and deliver first responder steps to colleagues. Indeed, global proactive courses are well established and known. We even have an international standard – ISO45003 for workplace psychological safety!

Is that enough?

I don’t believe it is.

Why?  

Humans have one of two brain types, which means every workplace does too – neurotypical or neurodivergent. 

Symptoms of neurodivergence can be interpreted as ‘bad behaviour’ or ‘attitude’ potentially leading to all sorts of issues including loss of talent, team impact, ET challenge, risk to brand reputation and compensation. With waiting times for assessments runing into multiple years, coupled with a lifetime of masking, individuals may not realise they are neurodivergent.

So, what else can organisations do?  

Raise awareness of the difference by rolling out training for all.

  • Raising Awareness of ADHD for Managers – what you might see, what you might do, legal position in the UK
  • How to be an Ally – how to support your neurodivergent colleague
  • 1:1 Coaching for your neurotypical team members enabling them to identify how their ADHD shows up and how they can tame it. 

As an ADHD Coach, I’ve been running these sessions in various workplaces and seen the positive difference made.  Indeed, many managers realised their own neurodivergence in the training. Others could see traits in their teams and families. All gained clarity on what they could do.

What do you do in your workplace?

Let’s talk blankets!

Jane JamesLeave a comment

Not the fabric kind – but the attitude kind.

When a successful training programme is created to deliver transformation, over time, the creator can be lulled into thinking no tweaking is necessary.  The formula is right. All elements are covered.

Like a child’s comfort blanket – it’s familiar and safe.

But there is a unique element on the most tried and tested programme – the audience.

Being alert for body language cues, environment hitches etc enables the trainer to ‘tweak on the hoof’ ensuring the transformation sought is achieved to the whole audience.

Two decades ago, I was scheduled to give an address to the graduation audience of the Real Apprentice, an employability programme I ran at the time.  My script was vetted and agreed by my then employer and their client hosting the event.  Part of my script involved audience participation – a ‘show of hands’. I knew this script word for word. On the stage looking out to the audience, it was clear the script wouldn’t work.  The audience was in complete darkness to me – so the show of hands part was redundant. Which made the agreed script redundant also! I spoke from the heart instead.  The buzz in the room proved it was the right thing to do

Like my peers, I make a point of discovering the transformation required, why and the needs of the audience with my client to ensure any training delivers.

I love the whole process of training from start to finish. Hearing the audiences and clients feedback energises me with new ideas.

Following accreditation as an ADHD Coach earlier this year, it was clear to me, raising awareness of ADHD in the workplace was critical, not just for neurodivergent people but their managers and colleagues too. Symptoms can be mistaken for behaviours causing a heap of pain to all involved which can be avoided with a little knowledge.

Raising Awareness of ADHD For Managers explores what managers might see, easy adjustments they can consider, engaging the whole team, employment law and the risk of ETs.

“I found the training insightful. It has already given me ideas to implement for my own team.” Katie, FM Supervisor, Northern Ireland

Raising Awareness of ADHD – How to be an Ally – enables team members to learn the frustrations their neurodivergent colleagues may feel, what they might see and how they can support.

“This resonated with me.  I support people outside work with ADHD” Dora, FM in London

Both sessions are delivered virtually, over 1.5 hours complete with an accompanying workbook for onward reflection.  

Is it time to tweak the workplace training portfolio you offer and raise some awareness?

Mental Health – is it the same as Mental Illness?

Jane JamesLeave a comment

An interesting piece by Matthew Parris in yesterday’s The Times caught my eye.

Some areas I agree with, others I have a different view.

Neurodivergence is not a mental ill health issue – it’s a neuro developmental condition the impact of which, on some, may lead to the development of anxiety, depression or worse. Consider ADHD – Executive Functioning is delayed by 30% coupled with an interest based nervous system, people at school, college, University and in the workplace may struggle with everyday things like memory, self-awareness, motivation, emotional regulation, impulsivity and problem solving which their neurotypical peers don’t. Most schools, colleges, universities and workplaces are built for neurotypical brains -amplifying the impact.

I recently trained as an ADHD 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵. Our remit is to work with people to identify how their ADHD impacts them and explore different tools that can help them tame this impact. It’s a short-term journey of between 1 to 3 months. I would never try to step into 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘆 nor 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜. These are three very different and specific areas.

What I’ve noticed from client feedback, is the simple tools have made such a difference which in turn has lessened the pressure they felt.

This prompted me to devise a Workplace Awareness session for Managers and one for ‘how to be an Ally to a colleague’. The feedback from these have been just as illuminating. Within days of attending, some managers implemented some of the content we covered. Others had a lightbulb moment on what they personally were experiencing both in and out of work.

The second part of Matthew’s piece that struck me was the medical intervention. Several therapists saw the same patient and gave completely different diagnosis. This can be dangerous when medication is issued. I’m reminded of Caragh McMurty’s journey – https://lnkd.in/esRMQgSm

I am thankful there is a growing awareness of neurodivergence. Stigma falls when this happens and people get help sooner.

For me, mental health is something many can do for themselves with the right tools and guidance. This is separate to mental illness which requires specific care.

Don’t be a fish!

Jane JamesLeave a comment

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid” Albert Einstein

Why do workplaces, society, us individuals insist on changing ‘different’ instead of celebrating it?

Could it be fear of the unknown? Why do individuals mask their neurodivergence – fear of being judged by others? 

Consider the things we take for granted today. We spend huge amounts of money to secure our own yet when they were introduced to market – their innovative creators were seen as odd, and their creations consigned to the ‘that will never work’ bin. 

I’m talking Apple computers, Tesla electric cars and Amazon. Where would we be if Steve Jobs, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos had given up at the numerous hurdles they faced getting the unique to market. Never conforming. Doing things their way.

When it comes to Equality Diversity and Inclusion in the work place, are we including brain diversity? I don’t mean IQ levels but the two different types of brain operating systems amongst our awesome teams – neurotypical and neurodivergent?

I don’t think we are there yet. Too many workplace managers are making assumptions about the behaviours they see. Too many talented people are masking, pretending to be something they aren’t to try and fit in. A bit like the fish who cannot climb the tree thinking they are stupid- why should a fish bl**dy try?

A few things to consider as a workplace manager:

  • Most adaptations neurodivergent team members need will benefit the whole team, be cost effective and easy to implement. 
  • ADHD Coaching for your neurodivergent team members is an effective reasonable adjustment which enables them to understand how their ADHD impacts them and how to tame it.
  • Awareness training to understand neurodivergence better is a great starting place for entire teams
  • An assessment for ADHD doesn’t have to be in place before your responsibilities in law kick in (UK).
  • ADHD is protected under disability in the Equalities Act 2010. I understand compensation in this area is uncapped.
  • Access to Work is a UK Government grant increased recently to £69K. Employers and new employees can access this.

As part of my business, I deliver ADHD coaching 1:1 and workplace awareness on neurodivergence and know how much difference each can make. 

Let’s help all the wonderful fish we have in our businesses be fish and not feel they have to be anything else.

What do you think?

Keep learning. Keep Growing. Keep helping others

Jane JamesLeave a comment

In business we work with diverse people from all backgrounds. We may not always know what they are dealing with.

Having worked with many awesome people over the years in my professional life, it’s clear how little we are really taught about neurodiversity and neurodevelopment issues.

Yet a little awareness in these areas can make a huge difference. Whether we are working with adults living with these issues or parents whose children are going through assessment – which can take a painfully long time.

Dr Stephen Shore gave, for me, a clear message not to judge everyone the same when he said “If you’ve met one person with Autism, you’ve met one person with Autism.”

I often do short online courses to learn a little more to support those around me better. A couple of months ago I did ADHD Champion – an awareness course to learn more. I was amazed at how much I didn’t know. Leanne Maskell is a fantastic advocate for ADHD and set up the ADHDWorks charity to raise awareness.

Today I finished a three hour course on Autism Awareness run by Vital Skills. It was easy to do these courses in parts fitting in amongst my ‘day job’.

Each has given me impactful knowledge and tools to enhance my day job.

If you are looking to raise your awareness, why not check out some online learning?

ADHD Works

HSQE LIMITED – VitalSkills.co.uk

#autism

#adhd