Originally published: 19 August 2026
Newsletter title: What ADHD Employees Need Most Isn’t What You Think
Most people don’t struggle because they lack motivation
When someone at work isn’t performing consistently, it’s natural to look for answers in the individual.
Do they need to be more motivated?
More organised?
More resilient?
More accountable?
While these questions are understandable, they can sometimes lead us away from the real issue. Many capable ADHD and neurodivergent professionals aren’t struggling because they lack commitment or potential. They’re working within environments that unintentionally make good performance harder than it needs to be.
The conditions people work in matter. Clear expectations, supportive systems, manageable cognitive demands and opportunities to build practical skills all influence whether someone can perform consistently over time. When those conditions are missing, people often compensate by working longer hours, masking their difficulties or pushing through exhaustion until burnout becomes inevitable.
In this edition of The Neuro-savvy Leadership Newsletter, I explore why sustainable performance isn’t created by demanding more from people, but by creating better conditions for them to succeed.
In this newsletter you’ll discover
- Why motivation is often mistaken for the real performance issue.
- What a Japanese maple tree taught me about workplace performance.
- Why structure, support and skills work together to create sustainable success.
- How leaders can shift from asking “What’s wrong with this person?” to “What conditions will help them thrive?”
Why it matters
Organisations invest heavily in recruiting talented people, yet many unintentionally create environments that make it difficult for those people to perform at their best.
This is particularly true for employees with ADHD and other forms of neurodivergence. When workplace systems rely on constant self-management, ambiguous expectations or unnecessary administrative friction, even highly capable people can appear inconsistent. Too often, the response is to increase pressure when what would make the greatest difference is improving the conditions in which people work.
Creating better conditions isn’t about lowering standards or giving special treatment. It’s about removing avoidable barriers so people can direct their energy towards meaningful work instead of constantly fighting the environment around them.
The result is not only a better experience for employees, but more sustainable performance for organisations.
Read the original newsletter
In this edition of The Neuro-savvy Leadership Newsletter, I share the story of a tiny Japanese maple tree that refused to grow until it was moved into the right conditions. It’s a simple metaphor that illustrates a powerful leadership lesson: before assuming someone isn’t thriving because of who they are, ask whether they’re simply trying to grow in the wrong environment.
The article also brings together three ideas that have featured throughout this newsletter series – Structure, Support and Skills -and explores how they can transform the way organisations think about ADHD, performance and leadership.
Read “What ADHD Employees Need Isn’t What You Think” on LinkedIn
Related resources
You may also be interested in:
- How Hidden Workplace Friction Undermines Performance and Productivity
- Why Traditional Productivity Advice Doesn’t Work for ADHD and Neurodivergent Professionals
- The Manager’s ADHD Support Guide
- Execute@Work
- Executive Coaching
About the Neuro-savvy Leadership Newsletter
The Neuro-savvy Leadership Newsletter explores ADHD, neurodiversity and workplace performance through the lens of leadership, organisational systems and sustainable ways of working. Each edition shares practical insights to help leaders, HR professionals and neurodivergent employees build environments where people can do their best work—not by demanding more effort, but by creating the conditions that allow capability to flourish.
The Manager’s ADHD Support Guide
A practical guide for leaders to unlocking ADHD talent at work.