ADHD Isn’t a Trend, It’s a Workplace Reality

I have a question for you. How often do you hear the term "executive functioning" thrown around? I am pretty sure that most of my community reading this article will be nodding their heads and thinking, "Come to think of it, I hear that term used in the workplace a lot". 

Many of you will be familiar with what executive functioning is, but for those who are unsure, it is more than just getting things done. It’s the set of mental processes that allow us to manage ourselves, our thoughts, emotions, and actions.

As Dr. Russell Barkley, a leading expert in ADHD, puts it: Executive function is about self-directed actions that help us choose goals and create, enact, and sustain behaviour over time to achieve them.

In other words, executive functioning is how we turn intention into action. It’s how we plan, focus, regulate emotions, start tasks, shift gears, and hold ourselves accountable. But what happens when these systems are out of sync? With ADHD, these systems and skills are often off balance, which can lead to missed deadlines, emotional overwhelm, and burnout… even in the most capable professionals.

This is why understanding executive function is essential for inclusion, performance, and psychological safety in the workplace. 

Understanding Begins Where Assumptions End

I have the privilege of working with some of the brightest, most driven professionals I know.

Each client brings a unique mix of strengths, talents, and insights to their work and home life. They also bring real, personal challenges, especially when it comes to how their brain operates in high-demand environments. Response inhibition, emotional regulation, task initiation, time blindness, and motivation… these aren’t just productivity or personality quirks. They’re neurological realities.

And yet, despite the growing awareness of neurodiversity, especially ADHD, outdated attitudes still linger in the workplace. You’ve likely heard some of them:

“Everyone has ADHD these days.”
“It’s just an excuse for a poor attitude”
“People are jumping on the bandwagon for special treatment.”

These statements land like paper cuts. Not loud or dramatic, but sharp because they’re all too familiar.

Let’s be clear: ADHD is not a trend. It’s not a phase. And it’s definitely not a performance excuse.

What ADHD Really Is

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects the brain’s self-regulation systems: working memory, impulse control, planning, time perception, motivation, and emotional regulation (Barkley, 2012). It is situationally variable, highly individualised, and often invisible, especially in high-performing professionals.

When we dismiss ADHD as a buzzword or a personality flaw, the consequences ripple across the workplace:

• Talented employees don’t ask for support or accommodations

• Managers misinterpret executive dysfunction as laziness or poor attitude

• Emotional sensitivity gets mislabeled as “too much” or weakness

• Shame builds. Trust erodes. Performance suffers.

The Diagnosis Gap: It’s Not Overhyped, It’s Under-Identified

The real issue isn’t overdiagnosis; in fact, it’s the opposite.

Studies show that up to 75–80% of adults with ADHD remain undiagnosed, especially among high-functioning professionals who have learned to mask symptoms or compensate through sheer effort (Kooij et al., 2019). These individuals may appear capable and motivated, but underneath, they’re burning out from relentless overcompensation.

What’s often misunderstood as flakiness, procrastination, or inconsistency is actually untreated executive dysfunction.

Why This Matters for HR, Culture & Leadership

Whether you’re managing performance, developing people and culture strategies, or leading teams, understanding executive functioning and ADHD is a modern leadership skill.

Especially now, as progressive organisations commit to inclusive, human-first cultures, and understand that true inclusion is not just a value, but a strategy.

From my experience over two decades working with executives and high performers, I’ve seen what’s possible when we lead with insight instead of assumption:

✅ Psychological safety improves
✅ Retention of neurodivergent talent increases
✅ Presenteeism and burnout decrease
✅ Inclusion becomes real, not just performative

Research backs this up. When organisations adapt their communication styles, offer flexibility, and apply strengths-based frameworks, innovation and productivity rise across the board, not just for neurodivergent minds (Austin & Pisano, 2017). 

📖 Read: Neurodiversity as a Competitive Advantage – Harvard Business Review

A Note for Executives & Professionals with ADHD

If you’ve ever been told that your ADHD is a “trend,” or if you’ve kept quiet about your diagnosis to avoid being judged, you’re not alone.

I’ve heard the same story in many forms. One investment banker I coach recently described it as “walking a tightrope whilst always wondering if today I’ll land on acceptance or rejection.”

Here’s what I want you to take away:

ADHD isn’t the problem. When understood and supported, it’s often the solution.

Traditional workplace systems tend to confuse capability with conformity. ADHD is not about whether someone can succeed; it’s about understanding how they’re wired to succeed.

Instead of asking, “Why can’t they just focus?” we should be asking:
“What do they need to feel empowered and thrive?”

That’s the foundation of inclusive, forward-thinking leadership.

The Future of Work Needs Every Kind of Brain

When we understand the brain, we stop making assumptions. And we start building workplaces where every team member, regardless of how they process, regulate, or plan, can contribute meaningfully, feel psychologically safe, and thrive.

Caroline Beresford
Future-Focused ADHD Coach for Executives
theaddvocacyproject.com