ADHD, ADD & AuDHD at Work – What It Is, What It’s Not, and Why It Matters
- Jun 3
- 11 min read
Updated: Jun 6
Welcome to Part 1 of my multi-part blog series on ADHD, ADD & AuDHD – written for leaders, professionals, late-diagnosed neurodivergents, and every curious human who’s ever thought,“Wait… is it just me?” (Spoiler: It’s not- by far...)
Neurodivergence at Work: Why This Matters Now
Whether you are neurodivergent – or you're leading, living, or collaborating with someone who is – this series is for you.
👉 Neurodivergence refers to brains that work differently from what’s considered “typical.” That includes ADHD, ADD, autism, AuDHD, dyslexia, and more.
It’s not a defect. It’s a different way of experiencing the world, thinking, and interacting.
And in today’s workplaces, we can no longer afford to lead as if everyone processes the same.
This series doesn’t skim the surface. It goes deep.
From emotional regulation and executive dysfunction to masking, leadership potential, system design, and burnout – nothing is left unspoken.
Not in theory. In reality.
Whether you’ve just received a diagnosis or you’ve been self-navigating for years,
Whether you're leading teams, raising children, or rebuilding your sense of self –this series is for you.
What to Expect From This Series
Across single parts you’ll learn:
What masking really is — and why it’s so often mistaken for “professionalism”
How ADHD strengths like hyperfocus, emotional attunement, and pattern recognition are overlooked in traditional work environments
Why burnout loops hit neurodivergent professionals harder (and how to break them)
What real support looks like — beyond fidget toys and vague “just ask if you need anything”
How leaders, HR, and teams can unmask their systems and lead with less pressure and more presence
What You’ll Find Inside
Masking & Burnout: The Hidden Tax on Neurodivergent Brains
Why the real cost isn’t missed deadlines — it’s the performance of being fine.
ADHD in the Workplace: When Potential Meets Process
The superpowers, the traps, and what it takes to thrive.
The Masking Inventory + Burnout Radar
A hands-on tool to check your masking habits and track burnout before it hits.
What Real Support Looks Like
From flexible systems to co-regulation in leadership — this is support that works.
Stories From the Spectrum
Voices of late-diagnosed adults and what we can all learn from their lived experience.
Coming Soon: Free Full PDF Download
At the end of the series, you’ll get access to the full content as a free PDF workbook!
🧠 Because your leadership shouldn’t come at the cost of your truth.
🌪 ADHD 101: What It Is (and What It’s Not)
ADHD has long been one of the most misunderstood labels in psychology — often reduced to
either a punchline or a productivity “quirk.”
The stereotype persists: a fidgety kid bouncing off the classroom walls or a distracted adult who
just “needs to try harder.”
But ADHD — especially in adults — is far more nuanced, often invisible, and deeply misjudged
in leadership, work, and life.
It’s time to set the record straight.
✦ Definition, Upgraded
ADHD (Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder) is not a deficit of attention.
It’s a disorder of attention regulation — a neurological difference in how the brain manages:
☞ Focus
☞ Motivation
☞ Time
☞ Memory
☞ Emotional processing
🧠 ADHD impacts executive function — the mental skillset that allows you to plan, prioritize,
shift focus, remember tasks, and regulate emotions.
So while others calmly make a list and get to work, someone with ADHD may be:
☞ Wrestling with 30 unprioritized thoughts
☞ Overwhelmed by emotional intensity☞ Paralyzed by the fog of “not now… maybe never”
And no — it’s not just a childhood issue.
Most adults with ADHD either went undiagnosed, misdiagnosed, or masked so well that no
one noticed… until burnout hit.
✦ What It Feels Like From the Inside
Imagine starting the day with 15 browser tabs open — in your screen and your brain.
Some are critical, but you can’t remember why. Deadlines are looming, but your body feels
frozen.
You want to start — you just… can’t.
Or worse — you start seven things and bounce between them like popcorn in a pan.
Then, out of nowhere, you hyperfocus — on a task you didn’t plan for — and work until 3am.
No breaks. No food. No context.
Now multiply that by 365 days… and tell someone to lead a team.
This is the paradox of ADHD:
• It’s not about not working hard.
• It’s about working against your own nervous system in a world that rewards linear
focus, quiet compliance, and fast email replies.
✦ Real-World Examples
We’re skipping the Elon-Branson loop. Those examples romanticize chaos more than they
illuminate reality.
🎤 Solange Knowles
Multidisciplinary artist + creative director who’s spoken publicly about navigating ADHD in a
world that demands polish over depth.Her creativity isn’t “scattered” — it’s layered, intentional, and boldly fluid.
🏊 Michael Phelps
The most decorated Olympian in history. He’s openly discussed channeling his ADHD through
rigorous routine, emotional discipline, and focus under pressure.His brilliance wasn’t just
physical — it was neurological resilience.
✍ Renée Brooks (Black Girl, Lost Keys)
ADHD educator and advocate whose diagnosis came late, like many Black women.
Her platform challenges racial and gender bias in ADHD recognition — turning misdiagnosis
into unapologetic advocacy.
Each example dismantles the idea that ADHD is just “distraction.”It’s a different language of
brilliance — one that isn’t always translated in traditional spaces.
✦ Why This Matters in Leadership
Leadership isn’t just KPIs, Asana boards, or back-to-back meetings.
It’s:
• Emotional regulation
• Strategic vision
• Team influence
• Decision-making under pressure
An ADHD leader might:
✔ See connections others miss
✔ Innovate rapidly under stress
✔ Bring raw empathy and creative edge to team culture
But they may also:
✘ Miss follow-ups
✘ Avoid conflict due to emotional fatigue
✘ Be labeled “scattered,” “intense,” or “too much”
The risk?
Without awareness, these leaders are:
• Misunderstood
• Mislabeled
• Overlooked
• Or burned out entirely
This isn’t just a diversity issue.
It’s a leadership pipeline crisis — playing out in slow motion.
✦ When ADHD Shows Up Late
For many adults — especially women, non-binary folks, and BIPOC professionals — ADHD
doesn’t appear in childhood reports.
It shows up after collapse.
You start noticing patterns:
• Chronic burnout
• Being “too intense”• Struggling with simple routines
• Hitting walls in parenting, corporate life, or business that no coaching can fix
Late diagnosis is both relief and grief.
You finally understand your brain.But you’re also left untangling:
• Decades of shame
• Misunderstood behaviors
• Unmet needs and missed support
That’s why ADHD awareness isn’t a luxury.
It’s a leadership necessity — especially when it doesn’t look like what you were taught to
expect.
✦ Final Takeaway
ADHD isn’t a quirk.
It’s not a punchline.And it’s not a leadership flaw.
It’s a neurodevelopmental difference — one that, when recognized and supported, becomes:
• A source of deep empathy
• A catalyst for creative brilliance
• A path to intuitive leadership
But if left unseen — or worse, dismissed — it becomes:
• A minefield of mislabeling
• A fast track to burnout
• A tragic waste of potential
👉 If you lead people, learn the language of ADHD.
👉 If you live with ADHD, build systems that work with your brain — not against it.
This is how we stop losing brilliant minds to broken systems.
Types, Terms & Twists: ADHD, ADD & AuDHD Explained
So… what’s the actual difference between ADD and ADHD?
It’s like arguing whether it's “iced coffee” or “cold brew.”
Same family, slightly different flavors — and one of them is a little more hyped.
ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) was the term used pre-1994 to describe folks who struggled
with focus and attention without the hyperactivity.
Think: zoning out, daydreaming, half-writing emails you forget to send. It’s now officially
considered a subtype under the umbrella term ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity
Disorder).
Yes, even if there’s no bouncing-off-the-walls energy, it’s still ADHD. Because the real issue
isn’t activity level — it’s executive function.
➡ Translation? ADHD isn’t about being hyper. It’s about the brain’s “air traffic control system”
(working memory, focus, motivation, self-regulation) going on strike at random intervals.
The 3 Official Flavors of ADHD:
1. Inattentive Type (formerly called ADD)
The daydreamer, the forgetter, the “quiet struggler” who misses details, forgets deadlines, and drifts in meetings (even ones they care about).
Often missed in girls, women, and introverts.
Real-world face: Zoë Kravitz’s character in High Fidelity — focused on 10 playlists at
once but forgets to pay rent.
2. Hyperactive-Impulsive Type
The blurter, the foot-tapper, the brainstorm-on-steroids energy that can light up a room —
or dominate it.
Often seen in kids, but it doesn’t just “go away” in adulthood — it morphs.
Real-world face: Think Richard Branson before the media training — chasing ideas like
squirrels on espresso.
3. Combined Type
The chaotic cocktail of both: zoning out one moment, bouncing off walls the next.
These folks often feel like two speeds: stuck or sprinting.
Real-world face: Issa Rae in Insecure — spiraling in her head, then suddenly doing three
things at once (with questionable timing).
AuDHD: Where ADHD Meets Autism
Ever met someone who’s both wildly spontaneous and deeply pattern-driven?
That might be AuDHD — a crossover of ADHD and Autism. It’s not rare. It’s just rarely
recognized.
People with AuDHD often:
• Crave novelty and routine (confusing to outsiders)
• Struggle with sensory overwhelm but hyperfocus on passion projects
• Mask like pros — then burn out hard
Leadership twist? These folks are often incredibly creative systems thinkers — but traditional
workplaces push them to pick one lane.
ADHD, ADD & AuDHD: What’s the Difference — And
Why It Matters
Not all ADHD looks the same.
Some people are buzzing with energy and ideas. Others seem quietly scattered, daydreamy, or
perpetually “elsewhere.” Still others feel like their brain is playing three chess games and hosting
a TED Talk at once — while forgetting to eat.
That’s because ADHD isn’t one-size-fits-all.
Let’s break it down:
Type | Core Features | Often Overlooked In… |
ADHD (Combined) | Inattention + impulsivity + hyperactivity (internal or external) | Women, adults who mask well |
ADD (Inattentive) | Trouble focusing, zoning out, forgetfulness, low stimulation-seeking | Quiet kids, introverts, high achievers |
AuDHD | Dual diagnosis of Autism + ADHD. Intense inner world, sensory sensitivity, masking | BIPOC, LGBTQ+ adults, late-diagnosed women |
Why this matters:
• Diagnosis pathways are often built around male, hyperactive children — leaving many
adults, especially women and marginalized folks, misdiagnosed or undiagnosed for
decades.
• Each subtype carries its own strengths and challenges. Understanding the nuances can
improve not only self-awareness but also how we lead, love, and design systems that
work with our wiring — not against it.
💬 Self-Reflection Questions:
Here are a few prompts to deepen your understanding — or spark discussion in a leadership
setting:
• Which description feels most familiar to you — even if you were never diagnosed?
• Do you relate more to internal chaos or external distraction? Or both?• Have you ever masked so well that no one — not even you — realized you were
struggling?
• What would change in your work or relationships if your subtype were fully
acknowledged?
• How might your leadership style be shaped by your specific neurotype — and how
could that be a strength?
Why this matters:
When teams and leaders understand these nuances, it unlocks a new level of
trust, support, and innovation. It stops labeling brains as “difficult” and starts appreciating them
as divergent contributors.
🧭 TL;DR (But Read it Anyway):
The terminology isn’t just academic. It’s practical. Understanding the flavor of ADHD someone
lives with helps you support — not stereotype. And if you’re the one living it? It helps you name
what’s happening so you can lead with clarity, not confusion.
The Late Diagnosis Curveball
“Wait… I’ve had ADHD all this time?”
How Did No One Notice?
Here’s the twist: a shocking number of adults — especially women, professionals, and high
achievers — are diagnosed with ADHD after 30. Not because they “suddenly got it.” But
because they were just good at hiding it.
We’re talking valedictorians, CEOs, therapists, teachers.
People who…
• Survived on structure, guilt, or caffeine
• Overfunctioned to mask executive dysfunction• Built entire coping systems just to “keep up”
• Internalized failure as personality, not neurology
For decades, the only visible narrative was “the hyper little boy in school.” Quiet girls, distracted
dreamers, the ones who coped by pleasing or performing? Missed entirely.
“I wasn’t disorganized — I was just messy.”
“I wasn’t impulsive — I was spontaneous.”
“I wasn’t overwhelmed — I was lazy, right?”
No. You were neurodivergent. And the world didn’t give you a name for it — so you blamed
yourself.
Masking, Overfunctioning & the Executive Disguise
Here’s what late-diagnosed adults often have in common:
✅ They’re high-functioning — but exhausted.
✅ They’re smart — but their inbox is terrifying.
✅ They’re praised for multitasking — but actually spinning out.
✅ They’re seen as calm — but internally buzzing.
This is masking: learning to suppress or overcompensate for ADHD traits to “fit” into
neurotypical systems.
And in leadership, masking often looks like:
• Micromanaging (to control the chaos)
• Overexplaining (to avoid being misunderstood)
• Taking on too much (because delegation is hard when executive function is shaky)
• Forgetting rest exists (because productivity = worth)Masking works — until it doesn’t.
The Aftermath: Grief, Relief & the Identity Rewrite
Getting diagnosed as an adult hits hard.
Because it doesn’t just change how you understand your brain — it changes how you see your
past.
Suddenly, the years of “Why can’t I just…?” have an answer.
But with that answer comes a mixed bag:
😢 Grief for the missed support, misunderstood years, and the burnout that could’ve been
avoided.
😌 Relief that it wasn’t your fault after all.
🧩 Confusion — because now you’re rethinking every decision you made through a lens of
undiagnosed ADHD.
💥 Liberation — because now you have language, tools, and self-awareness that can actually
help.
Late diagnosis is a plot twist. But it’s not the end— it’s the rewrite.
Why This Matters in Leadership
In leadership, undiagnosed ADHD often masquerades as “being intense,” “having high
standards,” or “thriving under pressure.”
Until burnout hits.
But with awareness?
• You design systems that work with your brain, not against it
• You lead teams with more empathy and flexibility
• You become the leader you needed when you were masking
Takeaway
Late diagnosis doesn’t mean late start.
It means:You’re finally driving with the right map.
It’s not about rewriting your whole life — it’s about reinterpreting it, with the clarity you always
deserved.
How ADHD Really Shows Up
Why it’s not always visible — but always present.
The Outside-In Illusion: Calm on the Surface, Storm Underneath
“You seem fine.” Ah yes — the greatest performance of them all.
Many ADHDers are Oscar-worthy performers.
They show up. They smile. They deliver.
And behind that polished presence?
A full-blown executive function Cirque du Soleil.
What others don’t see:
• Mental math to prioritize 12 equally “urgent” tasks
• Self-coaching mantras like “Don’t interrupt, don’t forget, don’t zone out”
• The panic when someone says “Just following up…”
• Impulse control so tight it causes tension headaches
• Deep guilt from feeling like they’re always almost dropping the ball
It’s not dysfunction — it’s overcompensation.
The truth: many people with ADHD look like high performers because they’ve built layer upon
layer of invisible systems just to keep pace.
That’s not laziness.
That’s manual executive functioning — on full throttle, all day long.
🎬 Real-World Parallel:
Take Greta Gerwig — celebrated writer, director, creative powerhouse.
While she hasn’t disclosed an ADHD diagnosis, her creative process (writing at night, working
in nonlinear bursts, juggling layered projects) echoes how many neurodivergent minds
naturally operate.
The takeaway?
Disjointed doesn’t mean disorganized.
Some of the most magnetic, visionary work is born from nonlinear brains.
🏢 In Leadership & Teams:
This “mask of capability” often leads to:
• Chronic burnout
• Leaders who say yes, overcommit, and then suffer silently
• Teams assuming “they’re fine” because the job gets done
• Emotional isolation (“If I admit how hard this is, I’ll seem incompetent.”)
The Leadership Risk:
When others only see the output — not the cost — two things happen:
1. Support isn’t offered, because no one knows it's needed.
2. The leader gets stuck in performance mode, too afraid to ask for help or slow down.
How to Rewire the Illusion:
Name the invisible load — especially in leadership reflection or coaching
Stop rewarding only clean outcomes — celebrate the process too
Build in decompression rituals — post-delivery, not just pre-deadline
Design neurodivergent-friendly workflows — fewer check-ins, more clarity
Normalize unmasking in safe contexts — “It looks smooth, but took a lot. Here’s what
helped.”
💡 If it takes twice the effort to seem “normal,” it’s time to stop aiming for normal.
Authenticity, not perfection, is what creates psychological safety and sustainable leadership.
🌀 Wrap-Up: It’s Not Just About Labels — It’s About Understanding
ADHD, ADD, and AuDHD aren’t buzzwords. They’re lived realities that shape how people think, feel, work, and lead.
If this first part made you feel seen, curious, or even a bit emotional — you’re not alone.This is just the beginning.
👉 Up next in Part 2:
We’ll unpack the invisible effort, unmet needs, and why “just try harder” is one of the most harmful things you can say to a neurodivergent mind.
🔔 Want the whole series as one unedited guide when it’s done?
Sign up here and I’ll send you the full bundle when it’s ready.
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