Brad Williams at Small Business Branding has a great post on how ADDers can be brilliant entrepreneurs. Via Adult ADD and Money
As an ADD entrepreneur, I can definitely relate to all of them.
Because for many entrepreneurs and marketers, their creative energy is fueled by this so-called “DISORDER.” You must realize that some of the most phenomenal business concepts, and marketing strategies, have been created by “ADHDers”.
Yes… There are many people who have negative experiences with ADHD. But for those of us who are running our own businesses, it might do us a bit of good to consider APPRECIATING this diagnosis that has been stereotyped as a “disorder.” Without it, you might lose your greatest superpower… The ability to create and manage businesses.
Some of the points echo my Top 10 Advantages of Having ADD in a High Tech Career post. I’ve noticed when I’ve gone to entrepreneur related business events and I mention I’m an Adult ADD coach, I have a lot of people come up to me to say that they might or do have ADD. Of course, there’s also the two Three (Virgin’s Richard Branson is #3) ADD billionaire’s who think that having ADD is a competitive advantage
Here’s a summary of his main reasons
ADHDers Have An Insane Amount Of Energy
ADHDers Are Phenomenal At Multitasking
ADHDers Can Make The World Disappear
ADHDers, Literally, Experience “Brain Storms”
ADHDers Invented The Concept Of “Thinking Outside Of The Box”
ADHDers Love To Learn
ADHDers Are Info-Addicts
ADHDers Are Human Radars
Check them out in detail here
What do you think are some advantages to having ADD as an entrepreneur?
I had a job in which I was responsible for accounting, human resources, purchasing, building management, safety, mail room operations, air craft operations, charter contracts, and pilot safety, and other business operations for a 230 person regional office and up to 30 offices spread throughout the region.
I knew nearly all of the 800 employees in the region, knew what kind of car they drove to work, what part of town they lived in, spouses and children, their degrees and disciplines, etc.
I thrived on the 70 to 100 interruptions a day and managed to stay up with and ahead of changes that occurred over a 25 year period. I installed the first computer network in the building, maintained it for years, and later installed and maintained a leading edge digital, fiber-optic PBX phone system with an advanced auto-attendant system….. all while continuing to supervise a staff of 16 employees who performed the work in their respective sections. I could always not only do any task myself, I developed procedures and wrote manuals for each person in each of the disciplines.
While I could focus when I had to on a single task, a three hour project often had to be completed after 6:00PM when everyone else went home and I was alone.
It drove my subordinates nuts when I skipped from task to task. I had trouble answering the most basic questions because there was too much going on for me to focus and give a simple answer.
After I learned that my son and daughter were ADD, I understood myself better. I got through high school and college but studying was torture and I had trouble memorizing….. even the alphabet when I was in elementary school. IQ 127 to 142? My grades never reflected any abilities above average.
I had the perfect job for an ADD. When I got bored, there was something else that needed attention.
A normal, non-ADD person would have had to limit the interruptions and would have never been able to deal with the constant bombardment of tasks and problems.