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!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
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.
Friday, November 5, 2010
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.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
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.
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.
Monday, October 4, 2010
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.
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.
Friday, September 10, 2010
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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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