|
Author: Sarah Jane Keyser Article source: http://www.xeal.com/. Used with author's permission.
Tent caterpillars create a cocoon for an entire colony. Within one colony there are two types of caterpillar. One type, pioneers, weave long threads forming the skeleton of the tent. The others, the workers, weave cross threads filling in the structure. If there are too many pioneers, the tent is too big and collapses. If there are not enough pioneers, the tent is too dense and the colony suffocates. Viva la difference.
Within the colony of human beings we can find similar differences. Some are explorers, entrepreneurs extending the boundaries of our environment in art, science, or business. The rest fill in the details as accountants or managers.
As a manager you know that creativity is the quality which enables your company to expand and improve products, services and processes. The best salespeople, strategic planners and inventors are creative people who generate a steady flow of ideas. However, creativity may come with other features which are not so desirable such as impulsiveness, lack of organization of ideas, paper, and time, and social problems in communication and relationships at work or at home.
SAM WAS THE BEST SALESMAN the company had ever seen, but his boss was about to fire him because he couldn't get the paper work done.
MARY WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL STRATEGIC PLANNER at work, but at home she couldn't clear up after dinner, her husband had to teach her how to put things away.
ANDREW WAS AN EXPERT IN HIS FIELD, but in his head he felt like a fraud. The dissonance between his expert status and his mental image of himself led him to a severe depression and two years of lost work.
OR MAYBE YOU HAD TO FIRE MICHEL. He was just too argumentative. He was always antagonizing someone. No one would work with him in a team. Too bad because his work was excellent.
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)* is a neurological difference in the brain which causes difficulties with the executive functions of planning, prioritizing, decision making, organizing, time management and more. It touches from 3 to 5% of the adult population ( Kevin Murphy, associate professor of psychiatry and chief adult :ADHD clinician at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester) and appears frequently in the fields where creativity is required. To state this another way: the positive asset of creativity and the negative problems are two sides of one coin.
We all feel disorganized, forgetful, or at odds with the world some of the time, but for those affected, ADD is a quality of life issue which is of long duration. One of their most common complaints is a feeling of being out of joint with their surroundings. They may feel frustrated by their own failure to achieve and deceived because they can't make effective use of their potential. They have great difficulty harnessing their many ideas and bringing them to completion.
From your point of view, as a manager, ADD can be a question of lost productivity and accidents. You probably hired them because they were passionate, intelligent, full of ideas, and had great energy (all typical qualities of ADD), but once on the job the difficulties appear. Now you may consider them lazy or irresponsible due to frequent absenteeism, lateness, below average productivity, missed deadlines, or senseless conflict.
Or you may see another picture, a person whose work is excellent, but is working exceptionally long hours for the work done, seems overly sensitive to comments, may be having difficulty in his private life due to poorly managed finances or friction with his spouse, or appears to have a problem with alcohol or even drugs.
The first step for such a person (and it may be you, the manager) is a medical diagnoses by a doctor who is knowledgeable in ADD. If the diagnoses is for ADD, the doctor will prescribe one of several medications. Medication helps the brain to function effectively, but it may not be sufficient. The second step is to seek the help of a coach trained in ADD who can help him see where and how ADD is affecting his life and guide him in developing strategies for managing the issues and using his strengths.
HERE ARE SOME TIPS for dealing with employees who may be affected by ADD.
*--Recognize that the problem is not willful disobedience or moral failure but of neurological origin.
*--Provide lots of positive encouragement and guidance; negative criticism they give themselves.
*--Help them adapt their working environment to their personal needs.
*--Provide support systems to help with the paper work and other detail tasks which are stifling for people with ADD.
*--Provide a coach knowledgeable in the problems of ADD. Coaching for ADD focuses on understanding how ADD affects the client and on building structures to manage daily tasks.
To conclude, Mr. or Ms. Manager, if you are concerned about your productivity level or bottom line, look for your employees' strengths and help each one to do what he/she is good at and they will reward you richly.
_____________________________________________________________
* Attention Deficit Disorder(ADD) is not a helpful name. It is not about a deficit of attention but about an inconsistency of attention. A person with ADD can pay attention very well to things that are interesting and therefore stimulating, but they have difficulty controlling their attention in situations in which they find no stimulation.
Attention Deficit and/or Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) is the current term as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV) of the American Psychiatric Association. The current understanding of researchers is that there are two different problems, attention deficit and hyperactivity which may occur together or separately. Hyperactivity is well known as a problem in boys, but it usually subsides in adolescence; problems of attention tend to persist in adults. About The Author
Sarah Jane Keyser is an ADHD coach with an international practice who helps adults and adolescents find joy and fulfillment with ADHD. Feel free to use this article as long as you include author's bio and a live link to her website.
Learn more about ADHD at http://www.CoachingKeytoADD.com
or sign up for Zebra Stripes, a free E-zine for ADHD at Click here
Some Farmers and Organic Growers are Upset at Monsanto
The organic farmers are angry that Monsantos terminator GM seeds will prevent the farmers from saving seeds from their harvest for next years crops and that Mon...
5 Critical Promotion Mistakes People Make With Articles
Did you realize that writing and publishing articles online represents one of the best-kept website traffic secrets?
Empowering Ourselves with the New Energy Dynamic
Whatever you want to change in your life, correcting the flow of light with the one-time, permanent activation of the EMF Balancing Technique®, will accelerate ...
How to Choose an Internet Marketing Strategy on a Shoestring Budget
Having a Wildly Successful Website Doesn't Have to Cost an Arm and a Leg
10 Flaxseed Facts to Improve Your Nutrition
This article is about the overall health benefits flaxseeds bring. It also discusses ten great reasons why people should eat flaxseeds everyday.
Forgotten Your New Years Resolutions Already? How To Get Back On Track
Did you start the year with a bang and a promise that this year you were really going to keep your new year resolutions. But some how you let them slip again. ...
Replacing Your Lost Wedding Ring
Imagine it's Halloween evening and you've just gone to the door to greet another eager child with your big bag of trick-or-treat candy. You look down at the gri...
Breaking the Growth Barriers in the Information Technology and Software Sector
There's nothing automatic about corporate growth, particularly in the information technology industry; build it and they will come is a myth. In the real world ...
Top 7 Reasons to Hire a Virtual Assistant
This article introduces the reader to the virtual assistance field. It explains what a virtual assistant is, the services they provide, and offers reasons and ...
Terms For The Horse Lover
When first becoming involved within the horse world, it is good if you can equip yourself with some basic horse terms to help smooth the way.
Traditional Bridal Shower Gifts
The tradition of hosting a bridal shower for the bride to be grew out of a desire of the friends and family of the bride to get to know each other better, stren...
More Business Card Uses
Using a business card for upselling and getting people to events is very easy. You will find some great ideas on how to use business cards for more than an intr...
Killing Them Softly
The Essentials of Managing Ethics in Financial Public Relations
Catholic Voters Need to Rethink Morality
If Catholic doctrine calls for the sanctity of all human life, then why is it that church leaders implicitly endorse Republican candidates that are pro-life at ...
Protecting Your Personal Information
Identity theft is a phenomenon that is growing in leaps and bounds according to law enforcement authorities. In fact, on both the state and federal level we've ...
Winning the Battle of the Bulge: Successful Strategies
Every war is made up of many battles. Stringing together a series of battles helps to win the war. If you are dealing with personal debt, credit counselors wi...
Are You Having Difficulty Meeting Your Financial Obligations?
Information for people who have let their debt get out of control.
Becoming An Affiliate Marketer: You Can Do It
Becoming an affiliate marketer is an interesting and exciting process. There are so many programs out there for you to promote. You should think seriously befor...
No Weight Gain For Me This Christmas - How About You?
You can have control over your weight within the next six weeks which means you can forget about a problem with your weight this Christmas. What a boast!
Printing - How Do I Buy It?
Printing, find the cheapest and go with it, after all it's just a waste of money. Nothing could be farther than the truth. If you care about your business read ...
What is Knowledge Management Anyway?
When you think of all the things companies have, you do not always consider the knowledge they have. For instance, a company is only as good as its employees, ...
Turn Your eBay Experience Into Even More Profit
Are you using eBay to it's maximum potential. Do people turn to you for advice on eBay...
Wood Panels and Humidity
Coping with wood movement All wood workers need to be aware of wood movement when building furniture projects. Failure to consider this important factor can ca...
Potty Train Your Baby From Age 3 Weeks
Moms traditionally start to potty train their babies between ages 2-3. A new technique sweeping the country suggests baby can start potty training from age 3 we...
|
Print this page