The connection between leadership and ADHD
If you ask 10 leadership experts you may well get ten different definitions for leadership. While there is no one right answer, there are certain definitions which are much more useful and insightful than others.
There is a lot of interest and comment around “authentic” leadership, which at the heart of it means leading others according to who we are but for their sake. One way is service leadership and it may be surprising to hear that this has been the recommended way in the British Army for decades. But this pre-supposes we know who we are so we can be authentic.
A good start is gaining the insights from knowing which neuro-personality styles we really are. Once over that hurdle it helps to be able to read what others are so we can lead them effectively, as we need to lead others as they need to be led – not in just the one style that suits us.
MarkTwo's comprehensive personality model backed by the latest neuroscience, identifies 4 fundamental styles each with 2 sub-styles, making 8 possibilities in total (click here to see summaries of the 4 main styles). These personality styles are fundamental to human beings (“being human”) and apply to any creed, culture, community or country, or gender. So leading authentically comes from leading out of our specific personality style but doing this in our own unique way.
A Natural cure for ADHD?
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is now the most prevalent psychiatric illness of young people in USA affecting 11 per cent of them between the ages of 4 to 7. There are similarly high rates in Australia and Great Britain. Some experts believe many diagnoses are clash of personality styles. Basically a parent of one style looking at their child who is an opposite style and asking themselves, “how would I have to feel to behave like that?” And coming to the answer firstly that there would have to be something wrong and secondly this means that there must be something wrong with my child.
The first part of the answer may be true but the second is often wrong. For decades, psychologists, such as Professor David Keirsey, have treated ADHD diagnosed children without drugs, instead helping parents to understand deep personality differences in practical ways - changing the environment to suit the child rather than changing the child.
Now Richard A Friedman, professor of clinical psychiatry and director of psychopharmacology clinic at the Weill Cornell Medical College, USA has come to a similar conclusion. He gives an example of a 28 year old ADHD patient of his who was having a lot of trouble sitting at his desk for long periods in his advertising job, focusing on one job rather than his preference for multi-tasking. Eventually the man quit his job and began a company which has him on the road in constantly changing environments. The result is that he has completely “lost his ADHD” and is not medicated, instead treating himself by changing his work environment from one where is impatience and short attention span have changed from great liabilities to his greatest assets.
Professor Friedman explains this by relating the change from nomadic to agricultural tribes and the benefit of different personality styles, where hunter gatherers with “ADHD” type personalities are well set up to succeed in a nomadic environment.
At MarkTwo, our personality model shows that for any group of humans to be successful over a long period of time, there needs to be 8 types of personality, with each being more advantageous in certain circumstances. Even in hunter gatherer tribes there will be a time for any of the 8 styles we have identified. Whether it is the intelligence of evolution or God, it seems that these 8 styles are necessary in a group if it is to be successful in the long term (click here to see summaries of the 8 styles).
Two of these eight personality styles are most likely to be labelled as ADHD – especially when parents are a particular two of the other personality styles. Parenting done well is leadership and a key challenge facing leaders is how they can authentically lead the other 7 styles which they are not especially those styles most opposite to them. Whether this is at home or in the workplace. Sir Winston Churchill was one of these two personality styles commonly linked to ADHD and yet he led very successfully but in his own way, and is considered by some to be the greatest leader of the twentieth century.
This knowledge of personality style is an invaluable and practical source of information, enabling you to understand yourself and others better, and deepen your relationships at home or work. My wife and I have personal experience with our son who some school teachers labelled ADHD. This model provided us with an understanding that helped us to get the environment right for him. When he finished school and showed no sign of wanting to go to university, knowing his personality style we whole-heartedly supported his decision to travel and work overseas. For the last three years he has been successfully working across the world and he has never been on any ADHD medication.
Come to MarkTwo's Personality Training on Fri 27-Sat 28 February 2015 in Melbourne (click here for information and registering) and find out more about it yourself and how you can practically use this knowledge. Professor Friedmann ended his article in the New York Times with, “This will not eliminate the need for many kids… to take psychostimulants. But let’s not rush to medicalize their curiosity, energy and novelty seeking … in the right environment these traits… can be a real asset."
Click here to find out which of the 8 styles you are and can you identify from the descriptions which two of the 8 are most "curious, energetic and novelty seeking"? Our son is one of these two styles.
MarkTwo Personality Training - discover more possibilities and gain greater capabilities in your life
Understand why you do what you do and why others do what they do. Gain a deeper understanding of yourself and others in ways you never imagined. It helps with:
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Brain studies and neuroscientific results are clear - individual personality differences matter. Learn how to understand yourself more and get practical insights for understanding and relating effectively to others (irrespective of race, creed, culture, gender, age or nationality). Sign up now to get the earlybird price.
This course trains people in the same Jungian model as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI) but adds a third dimension which takes it much further.
When: Fri 27-Sat 28 February 2015
Where: Tudor Box Hill Hotel, Box Hill, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Note: This extraordinary course is only run once per year for 25 participants and books out
Get more details or book the earlybird and save $660 inc GST
Click here to see full list of events.
In one word I would call the workshop: powerful...also say enlightening, energising, thought provoking, fun and challenging. Really enjoyed it - Chris Balazs, Senior Manager Quality Control, CSL Behring
TED Talk
The line between public and private has blurred in the past decade, both online and in real life, and Alessandro Acquisti is here to explain what this means and why it matters. In this thought-provoking, slightly chilling talk, he shares details of recent and ongoing research — including a project that shows how easy it is to match a photograph of a stranger with their sensitive personal information...
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Mastering Competency and Assessment
Mark Oliver facilitated a 2 day advanced assessment course in Bali for delegates from Belgium to Indonesia, and included the Chief Human Resources Officer of Genrali (Italy's biggest company) and Deputy Director of the Bank of Indonesia.
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Quote of the Month
Wanting to reform the world without discovering one's true self is like trying to cover the world with leather to avoid the pain of walking on stones and thorns. It is much simpler to wear shoes - Sri Ramana Maharshi