As a manager, how much do you understand ADHD?

We live in a world that predominantly frames ADHD as negative, a disorder, and implies that those with ADHD are somehow broken. It has the words ‘deficit’ and ‘disorder’ in the title, but framing your life as ‘deficient’ is not a great way to begin to understand yourself.

In fact, in their 2021 book ADHD 2.0, expert ADHD psychiatrists Dr Edward Hallowell and Dr John Ratey (both ADHDers themselves) suggest a positive reframe of some ADHD traits to VAST (Variable Attention Stimulus Trait). This is a helpful shift, as it provides a way to explore ADHD more positively.

• ADHD at work: Three management approaches to supercharge careers

Dr Thomas E. Brown, a clinical psychologist and researcher in the field of ADHD, argues that ADHD affects a broad range of executive functions and should be understood as a developmental impairment of executive functions, not just attention and hyperactivity.

So what exactly is attention stimulus and what are executive functions? How do they help us gain a more nuanced view of ADHD? Let’s take a look by breaking these factors down into four key components.

1. Brains wired for ‘interest’ not ‘importance’

ADHDers often exhibit a unique neurological framework in which their brains prioritise tasks based on intrinsic interest rather than external importance. This predisposition means that their motivation is significantly driven by what is immediately stimulating (or interesting), rather than what is conventionally recognised as important. This can lead to difficulties in prioritising tasks that are crucial (but not necessarily engaging). It can also create challenges in academic, personal and professional settings where adherence to externally set priorities is required.

For example, an ADHDer might excel in high-stress, fast-paced jobs that provide constant novelty, whereas they may struggle with repetitive, monotonous roles.