Musings from the conference

Attendees reflecting on the Chadd Conference

Expo Booths

Here's the Innovation Team at the Expo. Great stuff they learned and were teaching us at the conference .

National Resource Center Booth

This is at the expo, it was a large room with many vendors. When I printed out all the booths it was 3 pages long, so you can imagine how noisy it was in there. Here is the booth for the Chadd National Resource Center. NRC distributes the most researched and published information regarding ADD/ADHD. They are a wonderful Chadd resource and a wealth of information.

Chadd National President Opening Night

These are backwards right now - will try to fix later but the first video is Steve Peer at the podium on Thursday night and the second video is the introduction of Chadd National President Steve Peer.

Celebrities

Wow, Chadd went all out and got the same hotel as this celebrity....

Just kidding..... Chadd didn't know he was here but how cool that Jesse Jackson sat at the table next to us in the lobby tonight!

What a great day at the Chadd Conference

The Chadd leader’s training on Thursday morning was very engaging. Not only was attendance up but the speakers addressed advocating for ADHD by going to media outlets and building relationships with elected politicians. I never thought of developing these relationships myself in order to effect change for the ADHD community.

The second half of the session was dedicated to social media; blogs, Twitter, Facebook and such. Some of the mechanics were discussed of how to best utilize social media to promote causes. I must admit I am new to really understanding Twitter and Facebook. I have a Twitter account but do not really use it to the full extent of tweeting. I am learning and this session has helped to open my eyes about how to utilize twitter to increase our community. Watch the newsletters for more information on the new twitter handle.

One observation that I have this year is that the overall energy level of the conference is heightened. It may be the vast number of attendees;1200 attendees as opposed to the 400 last year, but it’s like there is something different in the air. The ADHD community as a whole is joining together to figure out the best ways to help the community and create successes. I’m so proud to be here for our ADHD community.

#Chadd10

Today is all about Chadd Leadership

Here we have a future leader coming to learn about starting a new chapter of Chadd near Memphis TN and we have Pam, a current Chadd leader talking about the fun she is having!

Chadd Leadership Day

A view of the Chadd Leadership luncheon. It was delicious. And Trish White, Chadd Leader extraordinaire talking about why she does what she does for our Chadd organization!

Chadd Conference

Just wanted to let you know we are having some technical difficulties with our video transfers. Stick with me, hopefully they will be up soon. Otherwise follow along on twitter with hashtag #chadd10 for more details.

Conference Preparation

There are many ways to prepare for a conference, here is how I am preparing for the Chadd National Conference in Atlanta, GA next week.

Musings Chadd ADHD / ADD Conference

Musings Pre Chadd Conference

As I start to prepare for the Chadd conference this year, I’m remembering last year’s conference with the old friends, new friends I made and the tools and learnings that I was able to use and share. For the next two weeks my blogging will be all Chadd Conference. I will blog my experience for you to understand the excitement and teachings of the conference through my eyes.

Check back often to see a view from Atlanta.

Three elements for managing ADHD in the workplace

Three elements for managing ADHD in the workplace

After the teenage years, and/or after school has been completed, where do ADHD symptoms go? For most, they go to the workplace. For those impacted by ADHD, there is no magic bullet that suddenly causes ADHD symptoms to stop interfering with their daily functioning, effectiveness and abilities. However with some strategies in place, one can succeed in a chosen career. Here are three steps to setting the intention on success with ADHD:

1) Diagnosis

A person with ADHD has a 60% chance to have other symptoms (depression, OCD, ODD etc.). A proper diagnosis is necessary so treatment, support, skills and systems training, and coaching will be most effective. This diagnosis will serve as a blueprint for coach, skills trainer and prescribing physician to do their best support delivering one from frustration to focus. It is important to set the foundations in all aspects of life so that the individual can carry these over to the workplace.

2) Medication

Medication for most helps with focus and is about 20 – 50% of the support needed for a satisfying and productive life. Medication provides a window into focus and an opportunity to do the work of life on the job. More fundamentally, medication provides a window to learn and develop a skill, set up and install a system or practice focus skills so that one becomes increasingly more effective in the workplace.

3) Skills Development and Coaching

Life includes dreams and desires for those with ADHD, just like for those without ADHD. Having a diagnosis of ADHD doesn’t mean giving up on ones dreams, it simply means creating an effective work around to take us from where we are to where we want to go. Once it’s determined how ADHD shows up, effective strategies can be determined for time management and project completion. Checklists, routines and task lists can be managed uniquely by each individual and for their career.

A fifty year old ADHD client came to me. He worked in information technology for a large corporation. They were downsizing. He wanted to find work he would do well and enjoy. We completed assessments and goal oriented coaching conversations regarding his skills, talents, interests and how ADHD was impacting his day to day functioning. Through this process, he decided he would love to set up small computer networks in small businesses and homes and to do so as a self employed person.

He enlisted support from his wife and two handymen. His wife, who worked for a large publishing company, had the ability to place a number of classified ads to his target audience, as a free employee benefit. He also spoke with some handymen, who were already serving the people he wanted to serve. He and the handymen began referring business to each other. He was ready when the downsize notice came. He already had a waiting list of clients for his business.

Just as when one is school, a person with ADHD at work needs to have a current diagnosis, skills training, support and coaching along with proper medications to perform at optimal levels.


Robb Garrett, MA, MCC, is ADD/ADHD Expert, providing trainings, guidance and solutions to living with ADD / ADHD at work. He may be contacted at CoachRobb@TamingADD.com or
(612) 869-8742 ext 1. More information regarding Taming ADD and Robb Garrett can be found at http://www.tamingadd.com, including ongoing trainings and speaking engagements. Look for his book to be published soon on ADHD.

ADHD From Over Promise and Under Deliver to Under Promise and Over Deliver

ADHD From Over Promise and Under Deliver to Under Promise and Over Deliver

One thing that could be thought of as a social skill is the operating from the private internal philosophy of striving to under promise and over deliver. Many people, especially those with ADHD, find themselves in situations of over promising and under delivering thus negatively impacting relationships.

Generally when we say that someone over promises and under delivers, it means that person doesn’t keep his/her word. They agree to meet somewhere to do something or get something done and they either never show up or are late. They may not do the task, complete it late or do it with poor quality. Many with ADHD can fall into the habit of over promising and under delivering in part due to impulsivity. In the moment when the boss, friend or family member directs one to do something; part of the impulsivity to please someone in the moment is to just say yes. Many do this without checking the calendars to see if they have time or thinking through other commitments. This causes the over promising and under delivering scenario.

If you haven’t gotten the training on how a calendar can support ADHD and worked with someone to find a way that works with your ADHD, I would highly recommend doing this hard work. By not having the skills to plan and complete projects, and not developing some habit that cause you to say, “Let me check my calendar and get back with you tomorrow” you may be negatively impacting relationships. Make time to create this habit so you have plenty of time to check your schedule and other responsibilities. This also allows you to have a moment to think about if you want to do what has been asked.

On the flip side, to under promise and over deliver, is usually created by a combination of:

1. Having that default “Let me get back to you” habit or some phrase you could adopt, memorize and make your own as an auto response to someone asking you to do something. This eliminates getting into a situation where you agreed to do something you are unable to do or unable to do well in the time you’ve agreed to do it.
2. Doing the work to create a calendar system. This process would include spending the time to select and develop a calendar program along with triggers to help you remember to check your calendar regularly to see what’s in it, help you enter data as it comes in and update other data.
3. Mastering project planning and completion, not in the way other family members, coworkers or teachers necessarily want you to do, but finding a way that you can have a work around with your own ADHD symptoms.

Under promising and over delivering means that if you agreed to get a task done in two weeks but you know pretty much for certain based upon your skill level, calendar, and availability of time and energy; that you can do it in a week; you make the agreement to do it in two weeks. So if the project actually takes 13 days, due to life happening, you are still completing the project a day early. Rather than if in a knee jerk response you said, “Oh I can get this done in a week.” Then when life inevitably happens and it takes 13 days, you are delivering the project 6 days late.

So that’s the idea, some people get a little confused in thinking this is deceitful or even lying, however that is not the case. It is just taking into account that life happens, meaning things come up that weren’t planned or expected. Any number of things could come up that delay things from happening so it’s an art and skill to allow for the unexpected emergencies and inconveniences. We know they are coming and we are mindful of the fact that we don’t know when thus we keep it in mind when making agreements. The beautiful thing about that is it often it allows you to do something a little sooner or a little better than you agreed to do it. So keep that in mind when you are making agreements to do something by a certain time, give yourself a window of time to consider if you want to agree or not and give yourself the luxury of time to assure yourself that you keep your word. That’s how this fits into the social skills arena, it helps you build great relationships because friends, coworkers and family will learn from experience, over a period of time that when you agree to do something you will do it and you will do it on time. This makes for great relationships.

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Noticing Your Environment with A.D.H.D.

Information Management: Noticing Your Environment

This week when thinking about information management we are going to think about the environments that surround us daily. For those with A.D.H.D. our environments could be an enabler to our minds moving away from the task at hand. Your environment may mean your work space, your school space, your car, your bedroom, your home; basically any space you find yourself trying to accomplish a task from your to do list. Your job this week is to notice what is working for you and what isn’t. So thinking of it environmentally, what physical arrangements are conducive to your effectiveness at completing each task?

• When you are working or studying at a desk, what visually supports you to get your work done or what might be getting you off task?
• What sounds are in your environment? Is it silent, noisy, music, television, how loud?
• Do you work better by yourself, with a team or just by having someone in the room with you?
• Does your chair support you to sit upright and focus and is your keyboard in the right space?

Another thing to notice is your energy patterns, many people with A.D.H.D. have varying energy patterns through the day where certain tasks are better suited for certain times of day or evening. Personally, I like afternoons better. I have harnessed the energy from the morning and can create better in the afternoon. I know of others who love the morning and find as soon as their feet hit the ground they are pumping out great work. Everyone is unique with this you just need to notice what is true for you.

Some tasks just can’t get done without a person present. This is quite normal for someone with A.D.D. Similar to shadow coaching, when it comes to clearing the desk, organizing or filing ~ sometimes having a person in the room (main qualification that someone in their presence you feel good about yourself) even if they are working individually on their own thing, just having them in the room helps you to get those things done.

As you go through this week, log what you notice into a journal then strive to implement a new change each day or each week to manage your environment more effectively.

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Organization in the Workplace

When it comes to organizing those with A.D.H.D. / A.D.D. might start with some simple basic things that will help get our mind organized. With A.D.H.D. / A.D.D. , sometimes our minds are distracted to the point of overwhelm, so we will start with organizing our minds.

There are many ways to organize our minds:

• On the basic level, research continues to support the idea that about 30 min of daily aerobic exercise is great for adding focus, mood regulation and mental energy.

• We already believe that fish oils are great especially those that have been processed in such a way that the molecular structure is small enough to penetrate the blood brain barrier.

• There is great value in being aware of what your preferred learning modalities are you visual, auditory or kinesthetic. Gaining this knowledge can alleviate frustrations.

• There’s the environmental factor where we might consider the home, office or school environment. When possible selecting or adapting these environments to support us to be effective. We can do so by being aware and learning about the impact of sound on our concentration; music, silence or other types of sound may help us to focus and create an organized mind environment.

• There is the tactical or practical hands-on business of organizing time, information and stuff.

The process of starting to get organized can often overwhelm someone with A.D.H.D. / A.D.D. One method we find useful is the basket method. Get 5 baskets then mark each one with one of these – file, trash, give away, return to owner, don’t know need to talk to someone. As you start organizing your room everything goes into a basket. At the end of the day, the giveaway and trash baskets must be out of the house. A trip to Goodwill and the garbage can take care for these baskets immediately.

We have found that someone with A.D.H.D. / A.D.D. going through this process, it is critical to have someone on your informal support team or a professional organizer with you. Remember this is someone whom in their presence you feel good about yourself. Getting organized is tough business, however if you are in an environment of feeling good about yourself it makes this process that much better. The function of your support person is to help you talk through the stuff you are unsure about and keep you out of overwhelm. Organization can help you go from frustration to focus to gain more success in life, school and work.

Transitions in the Workplace: ADHD in the workplace

Transitions in the Workplace: ADHD in the workplace


Transitions happen constantly in life and in a multitude of ways. There are transitions between jobs, months, weeks, days, tasks, meetings and conversations--just to name a few. With ADHD, these transitions can be a time when we lose focus, become stressed or otherwise become less than our best. On the other hand, working with our support team, whom understand the nature of transitions for those with ADHD, transitions can become a chance to re-center, re-focus and come back to our best center before going to the next element in our day. For this entry, let's look at the smaller transitions between tasks, meetings and conversations.

When thinking about your work day; are there times when you are transitioning from desk work to meetings? Are there times when you are transitioning between the tasks that make up a project? Are there times when you are transitioning from a computer work to phone work? These are common transitions in the workplace that many do without thinking however for those with ADHD it might be fret with the debris of possible distractions and stress.


Let's look at a type of transition: What are some of the things that need to happen while transitioning from writing a document to going to a meeting?

1. We must notice internally (with or without external prompts) that it is time to prepare to stop what we are doing.

2. We must gather and organize things that we were working on so that they will be ready for us.
3. We must notice it is time to go to the meeting.
4. We must gather the items we need for the meeting.
5. We must get to the meeting on time and sitting down.

The less we notice and attend to these elements of transition the more that overwhelm, stress and poor focus have opportunity to come into play. When we set up systems to help us recognize these elements, we bring calm, clarity and great focus to our transitional moments which aid in our grounding and effectiveness. There are many different systems to utilize to make transitions easier. However, each person has individual needs that will help them to be successful. Some people have administrative assistants to keep them on task while others employ watches with beepers. Your coach or success team can help you to identify your challenges and implement your transition system. The practice and mastery of these fundamental elements are the makings for very satisfying, effective and productive days.

Using Your Planner to Get Started with ADHD

Using Your Planner to Get Started

Sometimes getting started can be difficult. It may be that proper scheduling or planning hasn’t been done. It may be the complexity of the task. It may be a dreaded task. Today let’s take a look at the scheduling and planning piece.

I’ve noticed that some clients have trouble getting started if they are deciding in the moment or the day of; what to get started on first or how to get started at all.
A simple approach is starting to plan a day ahead. Meaning that in the morning or afternoon, you pull out your planner to schedule and plan the next day. You may have a checklist that you can input into your calendar on specific time slots to ensure your “to do” list is completed. You may have important meetings to that need a file pulled or printed. If you plan the day before you may eliminate that overwhelmed feeling and your feeling of being in control will be heightened. There is something about getting up with a plan or schedule already in place that takes off a burden that can send my ADHD clients into overwhelm if it’s not lifted off of them.
Don’t you usually sleep better too if you know you are ready for the next day? I know I do. And don’t you love the feeling of accomplishment at the end of the day when your to do list is completed?

The main thing about getting started is just getting clear on what needs to be done, getting moving and staying in forward motion. This is where your ADHD coach can come into action. You and your coach can set your plans in motion working around your ADHD and creating a solution that will work for you to succeed. Remember everyone’s ADHD shows up different so the plan above may or may not work for you however the goal is to get started and keep moving forward with your projects. So keep trying new ideas and keep your mind open to the possibilities around you for success with getting started on your projects.