Originally published: 26 August 2026
Newsletter title: When capability becomes camouflage
Those who need support most are often the least likely to ask for it
Many leaders assume they’ll know when someone is struggling.
They expect declining performance, missed deadlines or requests for help to signal that an employee needs additional support. But in reality, some of the people at greatest risk of burnout are the very same ones who appear to be coping exceptionally well.
They’re the people who always deliver. The ones colleagues rely on when things become difficult. They rarely complain, rarely say no and often seem capable of taking on “just one more thing.”
From the outside, they look resilient.
Behind the scenes, however, the effort required to maintain that performance may be unsustainable.
For many ADHD and neurodivergent professionals, years of compensating, masking and pushing through challenges can make struggle almost invisible. Their capability becomes a form of camouflage, hiding the very signs that would normally prompt others to offer support.
In this edition of The Neuro-savvy Leadership Newsletter, I explore why waiting for people to ask for help is often too late, and how leaders can create workplaces where support becomes part of everyday leadership rather than a last resort.
In this newsletter you’ll discover
- Why highly capable employees are often the last people to ask for help.
- How competence can unintentionally hide burnout and overwhelm.
- The warning signs leaders should notice before performance declines.
- Why peer support and psychologically safe conversations matter.
Why it matters
One of the biggest misconceptions about workplace wellbeing is that people who need support will naturally seek it.
In reality, many high-performing employees have spent years becoming exceptionally good at managing other people’s perceptions. They continue delivering results while quietly absorbing increasing levels of stress, often believing that asking for help will make them appear less capable.
By the time their struggle becomes visible, they’re frequently already exhausted.
For organisations, this creates a hidden risk. Leaders who rely solely on visible signs of distress may overlook the employees who are carrying the greatest cognitive and emotional load. Building regular conversations about workload, capacity and unnecessary friction into everyday leadership helps identify problems earlier, reducing burnout while supporting more sustainable performance.
Read the original newsletter
In this edition of The Neuro-savvy Leadership Newsletter, I reflect on a pattern I’ve observed repeatedly throughout my coaching work: the more capable someone appears, the less likely others are to recognise they need support. Through real-world observations and practical leadership advice, I explore why competence can become camouflage—and what leaders can do to make support more accessible before people reach breaking point.
→ Read “When Capability Becomes Camouflage” on LinkedIn
Related resources
You may also be interested in:
- The Paradox of the Protean Performer
- 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 create environments where people can thrive – not by expecting individuals to struggle in silence, but by building support into the way work gets done.
The Manager’s ADHD Support Guide
A practical guide for leaders to unlocking ADHD talent at work.