Episode 537: Is my ADHD affecting my work and my startup got acquired

Navigating the transition into leadership while managing ADHD requires leveraging unique strengths like rapid context switching and curiosity while implementing personal processes to mitigate impulsivity. ADHD-related traits, such as hyper-focus and a tendency to interrupt, can be managed through self-awareness and deliberate communication strategies rather than viewing them as insurmountable obstacles. Meanwhile, maintaining startup-style agility within a large, acquired organization necessitates shifting tactics from informal consensus to formal documentation. Large companies prioritize risk mitigation and political stability over raw speed; therefore, driving change requires building a clear, written case that creates common knowledge among stakeholders. Success in these environments often involves accepting that decision-making processes are more structured and slower, requiring patience and strategic alignment rather than the immediate, informal pivots characteristic of smaller, early-stage teams.