How to Manage Up When Your Boss Has ADHD

What happens when both you and your boss have ADHD? How do you manage up effectively without feeling overwhelmed?

In this candid conversation, I'm joined by my longtime friend and former colleague, Sherry, as we explore the challenges — and surprising advantages — of managing up when both the manager and employee are neurodivergent. We share personal stories about discovering our ADHD diagnoses, how it impacted our working relationship, and the systems we built to thrive together in a corporate workplace.

We’ll cover strategies for managing priorities, setting weekly check-ins, creating supportive communication systems, and building trust through confident vulnerability. Whether you're an employee or a manager, you'll walk away with actionable tips for managing up and creating a stronger, more neurodivergent-friendly workplace.

➡️ Topics we cover:
Signs your boss might have ADHD
Managing competing priorities and constant new ideas
How to structure weekly check-ins with a neurodivergent manager
Using systems and visual aids to stay aligned
How to advocate for yourself while supporting your manager
Why confident vulnerability builds stronger teams
Communication tips to prevent overwhelm and defensiveness

Chapters:
0:00 – Introduction: Managing Up with an ADHD Boss
0:48 – Our ADHD Diagnoses and Workplace Journey
1:42 – Sherry’s Early Adult ADHD Diagnosis
3:10 – Managing Chaotic Energy in the Workplace
4:00 – Prioritizing When Your Boss Has ADHD
5:30 – Using Corporate Systems with Neurodivergent Teams
7:00 – Creating Custom Systems for ADHD Success
9:00 – Hiring for Strengths: Building a Neurodivergent Team
10:30 – Practicing Confident Vulnerability at Work
11:30 – Trust and Strengths-Based Leadership with ADHD
12:30 – Managing Up with Reverse Accommodations
14:30 – How to Help Your ADHD Boss Prioritize Tasks
16:00 – Why Weekly Check-Ins Matter for ADHD Managers
18:00 – Structuring Effective Check-Ins at Work
20:00 – Remote Work Challenges for ADHD Teams
21:00 – How to Over-Communicate Without Overwhelming
22:30 – Knowing When to Ask for Help at Work
24:00 – Spotting and Managing Defensiveness in Conversations
27:00 – De-Escalating Defensiveness with Neurodivergent Managers
29:00 – Respecting Corporate Context and Rigid Thinking
30:00 – Asking About Processes Without Triggering Defensiveness
31:00 – Writing Clear Emails to ADHD Managers
33:00 – Final Thoughts: Managing Up Helps Everyone Thrive

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🔑 Topics Covered in My Content: ADHD in the workplace, Autism awareness and corporate challenges, Managing neurodivergent teams, Professional growth for ADHD & autistic employees, Coaching tips for workplace success

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