Refined Leadership - ADHD Lens

Why can a capable ADHD professional know exactly what needs to be done—and still find it incredibly difficult to begin?
In this conversation, Cathy Rashidian speaks with Brendan Mahan, MEd, MS, author of Overcoming the Wall of Awful, about the emotional barriers that can build around work we have struggled with before.
A report, email, decision or difficult conversation may look straightforward from the outside. Internally, that task may be carrying frustration, uncertainty, shame, fear of failure or memories of previous struggles.
In this episode, we explore:
What can be hiding inside a seemingly simple task such as sending an email
How repeated struggles contribute to the Wall of Awful
Why caring deeply about the outcome can sometimes make beginning harder
The difference between activating under pressure and performing well under pressure
How urgency, anxiety, frustration and anger can become a damaging way to smash through the wall
What it means to put a door in the wall or climb it
How skills, resources and expectations affect workplace performance
What leaders often miss when they move straight into problem-solving
Questions to ask yourself when you are staring at your own Wall of Awful
Brendan Mahan is an internationally recognized ADHD and executive-function expert, host of the ADHD Essentials Podcast and author of Overcoming the Wall of Awful.
📘 Learn about or pre-order Overcoming the Wall of Awful:https://brendanmahan.com/the-wall-of-awful-book/
🎙 Learn more about Brendan:https://brendanmahan.com/
🌐 Learn more about Cathy Rashidian and Ready Set Choose:https://www.readysetchoose.com/
 
Subscribe for thoughtful conversations about professional and leadership development through an ADHD lens.
#ADHDAtWork #ADHDLeadership #WallOfAwful

What happens when the mask comes off?
In this episode, Coach Cathy dives into the unique challenges faced by high-achieving professionals with ADHD who feel pressured to conform to traditional leadership molds. Through her personal story of exhaustion and the breaking point that led her to quit her executive role, Cathy shines a light on masking—the exhausting effort to hide your struggles and maintain a polished facade.
She unpacks the toll this takes on your mental bandwidth, decision-making, and ability to lead authentically. Cathy offers clear insights into the signs you might be leading from survival mode, why understanding ADHD is a game-changer, and how small, strategic shifts can help you lead with clarity, sustainability, and alignment with your values.
Whether you’re feeling stuck in the cycle of burnout or navigating your next leadership transition, this episode will leave you with actionable steps to recalibrate your approach in a way that works with your brain, not against it.
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Introduction: What does it mean to lead with ADHD?01:09 Personal Story: The moment the mask shattered.01:31 Understanding Masking: Why it’s so draining and its impact on leadership.02:46 Survival Mode vs. Authentic Leadership: Recognizing the signs.04:56 Reflecting on Leadership and ADHD: A new lens for aligned leadership.07:05 Steps to Aligned Leadership: Practical strategies to start leading differently.08:37 Invitation to Connect: Learn how ADHD-informed coaching can help you lead authentically.
If you’re tired of performing leadership and ready to step into authenticity, this episode is for you. Tune in to reclaim your energy, find clarity, and lead in a way that feels true to who you are.
Feel free to reach out if you’d like to have a conversation about how you can work together. Schedule a call using this link.
 

"I know what I need to do, but I don't trust that I'll do it when I need to do it."
If that sentence lands, this conversation is for you.
In this episode of Refined Leadership: ADHD Lens, I sit down with Dr. Russell Ramsay, one of the leading voices in adult ADHD and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. We talk about his new book, Once I Get Started, and the cognitive theme he believes runs beneath much of adult ADHD: self-mistrust.
This is not a productivity conversation. It is a conversation about what actually happens between knowing what to do and doing it — and why that gap shows up so often for capable, high-performing professionals.
What we explore:
Self-mistrust as a possible central cognitive theme of adult ADHD, and how it shapes self-worth, decisions, and follow-through
Why ADHD is better understood as a performance problem than a knowledge problem
Motivation as an emotion, and why deadline pressure stops being a sustainable strategy
Self-regulatory efficacy: why some people disengage early, and what protects against it
How thoughts, feelings, and behaviors operate as a braided cord rather than a linear chain
People-pleasing, social capital, and why ADHD professionals may overestimate their relational debts
Procrastivity, or productive procrastination — when it is adaptive, and when it is avoidance
Taskidermy tasks: the items that keep reappearing on your to-do list without moving forward
The SAP Method: Specific, Actionable, Pivot Points for getting unstuck
How CBT for adult ADHD differs from CBT for depression or anxiety, and why the implementation focus matters
Masking, intentional self-presentation, and the difference between coping and concealment
This episode offers language for patterns that often go unnamed at work — and a more grounded way to think about why standard advice keeps falling short.
About Dr. Russell Ramsay: Dr. Russell Ramsay is a psychologist who specializes in the assessment and psychosocial treatment of adult ADHD. He has lectured internationally, published widely, and authored six books on adult ADHD, including his most recent, Once I Get Started. He is a CHADD Hall of Fame inductee.
 
Pre-order Once I Get Started by Russell Ramsay, Ph.D.: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/783710/once-i-get-started-by-russell-ramsay-phd/
 
 
Connect with Cathy Rashidian: ReadySetChoose.com
Resources:
Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1) Symptom Checklist Instructions
https://add.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/adhd-questionnaire-ASRS111.pdf
 

In this episode of Refined Leadership: ADHD Edition, I’m sharing the story of two career-defining decisions I made at the height of my corporate leadership roles—both of which I now realize were driven by ADHD.
On the outside, they looked like bold, deliberate moves. On the inside, I was in fight-or-flight mode, making fear-based calls that brought short-term relief but long-term consequences.
You’ll hear:
How ADHD traits like impulsivity, emotional intensity, and uncertainty intolerance can influence leadership decisions under pressure
Why big life transitions (like parenthood) can magnify ADHD tendencies at work
The difference between acting from clarity versus acting from discomfort
What I wish I had done differently—and how you can apply those lessons in your own leadership role
If you’ve ever left a role, made a major career move, or passed up an opportunity only to later question the decision, this episode will give you tools to pause, assess, and choose with strategy, not stress.
If you are at that tipping point—knowing something needs to change, but not sure what—this is where a pause can change everything. My ADHD-Powered Clarity Pit Stop is a focused, one-on-one session to help you slow down, see the full picture, and make your next move from strategy, not stress.
You can learn more here → ADHD-Powered Clarity Pit Stop
 
Subscribe to our new YouTube channel here:Get leadership insights through the ADHD lens

If you’re ADHD and high-performing, here’s what no one tells you — self-leadership is your lifeline.
In this episode, Coach Cathy explores how neurodivergent professionals can lead themselves with more clarity, compassion, and confidence. You’ll learn how to: • Track your energy patterns (instead of forcing productivity) • Identify personal anchor practices • Ask for what you need — without over-explaining
You’ll also hear personal stories, practical tools, and an invitation to connect with others on the same journey.
📍Topics Covered:0:00 – Welcome0:32 – What is Self-Leadership?1:53 – Why Knowing Yourself Changes Everything4:49 – Owning Your Story6:59 – Practical Tools That Actually Work8:39 – Final Thoughts + Community Invite
👉 Join the Quantum Thinkers Community:http://qtcommunity.com
🔔 Like, Subscribe & Share if this hit home.

Are you constantly pushing through the exhaustion — because slowing down feels like failure?
 
For ADHD professionals, what looks like resilience is often toxic overfunctioning. Burnout doesn’t always show up as collapse — sometimes it looks like perfectionism, people-pleasing, or staying “productive” at all costs.
 
In this episode, “ ADHD Burnout Isn’t Your Fault — But Here’s What’s Keeping You Stuck” we unpack the real traps keeping you stuck:
The Self-Sufficiency Trap (when you refuse to ask for help)
Overcompensation loops (doing more to prove you’re enough)
Hyperfocus disguised as productivity (when you can’t stop even when you want to)
You’ll walk away with:
A new lens on resilience through Quantum Thinking
Practical tools to recognize burnout patterns early
Mindset shifts to protect your energy without guilt
 
 
Burnout doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means your strengths are out of alignment.
 
You don’t have to handle this alone. Join the Quantum Thinkers community and get support that actually gets your ADHD brain:
www.readysetchoose.com/site/quantum-thinkers-community
QTCommunity.com 

Join us in a special episode featuring a review of the Quantum Thinkers ADHD community.
Discover how this unique space empowers professionals with ADHD by transforming challenges into leadership strengths.
Learn about the community's structure, coaching methodology, and the wealth of resources available to help members thrive in their careers.
Whether you're seeking enhanced leadership skills or a supportive network, this episode provides an insightful look into how Quantum Thinkers can guide your journey toward success.
Tune in and uncover the potential within you.
We kickoff the community as of April 1 - Join us at QTCommunity.com

In this episode of Refined Leadership ADHD Lens, Coach Cathy Rashidian explores the unique strengths that neurodivergent leaders bring to the table, including innovative thinking, hyperfocus, and resilience. Learn how these leaders drive innovation, build resilient teams, and make a lasting impact on organizations by harnessing their distinctive cognitive wiring.
Discover practical strategies for turning these strengths into sustainable leadership and creating psychologically safe environments for teams to thrive. Embrace self-awareness, intentional pauses, and authentic leadership to elevate your professional approach.
Checkout QTCommunity.com for group coaching for professionals with ADHD. 
 

Welcome to Refined Leadership ADHD Lens with Credentialed Coach Cathy Rashidian, where we delve into refining leadership skills through the ADHD perspective. In this episode, Coach Cathy builds on foundational strategies from the previous discussion, offering actionable steps to clarify and sustain progress despite ADHD challenges.
Discover the MATTER framework - Milestones, Attitude, Tasks, Team, Evaluation, and Revision - designed to help you create a flexible planning system that accommodates change and unpredictability. Move away from perfectionism and embrace a mastery orientation for continual growth.
Witness how Jennifer, a tech product manager, transformed her approach using this framework and achieved success by focusing on progress over perfection.
Remember - Join our Quantum Thinkers ADHD community for tailored insights and support, and learn to lead with confidence and clarity. Celebrate each step as you build a life where you thrive, not just survive.

In this episode of Refined Leadership ADHD Lens, join Coach Cathy as she explores the power of living in truth and purpose for leaders with ADHD. Discover practical strategies for creating a personal mission statement and setting meaningful visions and missions. These tools go beyond typical productivity hacks, providing a foundation for decision-making, boundary setting, and building self-esteem.
Navigate the complexities of goal setting and time management with an ADHD-focused approach. Learn how aligning your actions with your authentic self can reduce rumination, indecision, and feelings of overwhelm. This episode is a hands-on training session designed to guide you towards intentional success, free from indecision and self-doubt.
Explore the steps to define your purpose, mission, and vision, and learn how to visualize your success effectively. Get ready to take actionable steps towards aligning your professional and personal life with your true values and strengths.
 
Visit ReadySetChoos.com for a free life values assessment and https://proudlyadhd.pro.viasurvey.org/ for a survey on character strengths.
If you’re part of the Quantum Thinkers Community, log in to access an exclusive worksheet for this exercise and share your progress with other members. Let’s grow together!
 
This episode offers a foundational framework that will be expanded into practical execution strategies in part two.
 
00:00 Introduction to Living in Your Truth and Purpose
02:18 Understanding ADHD and Goal Setting
02:52 Creating a Personal Mission Statement
03:24 Four Key Benefits of a Mission Framework
05:38 Addressing Rumination and Overwhelm
09:00 Steps to Align with Your Truth and Authenticity
09:52 Defining Your Purpose, Mission, and Vision
17:00 Actionable Takeaways and Resources
18:40 Conclusion and Next Steps