Refined Leadership - ADHD Lens

Managing ADHD during the pandemic | Guest Peter Shankman

Back in June of 2020, I interviewed Peter Shankman, host of the "Faster than Normal" Podcast and he shared some great insights on how he is managing his fast brain during the pandemic.
I like to apologize in advance for the sound quality which is why I was hesitating to even publish this episode but I really think what Peter shared was important for all of us to listen to and especially now which is almost the end of 2020.
About Peter Shankman:
The New York Times has called Peter Shankman "a rockstar who knows everything about social media and then some." He is a 5x best-selling author, entrepreneur and corporate keynote speaker, focusing on customer service and the new and emerging customer and neurotypical economy. With three startup launches and exits under his belt, Peter is recognized worldwide for radically new ways of thinking about the customer experience, social media, PR, marketing, advertising, and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and the new Neurodiverse Economy)
In addition to his passion for helping people and companies find success, some of Peter's highlights also include:
• Founder of HARO - Help A Reporter Out, which became the standard for thousands of journalists looking for sources prior to being acquired three years after launch
• The ShankMinds Breakthrough Network, an elite, online mastermind of thought leaders, business experts, and change-makers
• Faster than Normal - The Internet's #1 podcast on ADHD, focusing on the superpowers and gifts of having a "faster than normal brain,” which has helped thousands of people all around the world realize that having a neurodiverse brain is actually a gift, not a curse.
Peter is a worldwide influencer and/or spokesperson for several global brands including Sylvania Lighting, National Car Rental, Manscaped.com, Thule, and many others.
Finally, Peter is a father, a 2x Ironman triathlete, a class B licensed skydiver, and has a pretty serious Peloton addiction. When he’s not traveling around the world speaking to companies big and small, he's based in NYC with his six-year-old daughter and 19-year-old cat, both of whom consistently refuse him access to the couch.
I would love to hear from you:
Can you do me a favor? Pls take a few minutes and rate this show or even better it would mean so much to me if you wrote a quick review, I thank you in advance.
Is there a topic you want to learn more about? Or do you have a question about a challenge you are facing with your ADHD? Leave me a voice mail https://www.speakpipe.com/Coachcathy super easy todo, Record, Listen, and push Send. I will respond in my upcoming episodes.
Did you know my show was recently listed in feedspot.com as Top 25 ADHD Podcasts? I am super excited to be part of this list, head over there to see other amazing ADHD shows.

Managing Procrastination and ADHD

Procrastination is a common theme among ADHDers, it's never-ending and it comes in so many different flavors. I think it's a major cause of so much stress and anxiety for us.
In this episode, I wanted to share a few stats and ways of how we can approach procrastination. I hope you get one or two insights and a shift in the way you view your procrastination.
Reference to the ted talk I mentioned - The surprising habits of original thinkers | Adam Grant
I would love to hear from you:
Can you do me a favor? Pls take a few minutes and rate this show or even better it would mean so much to me if you wrote a quick review, I thank you in advance.
Is there a topic you want to learn more about? Or do you have a question about a challenge you are facing with your ADHD? Leave me a voice mail https://www.speakpipe.com/Coachcathy super easy todo, Record, Listen, and push Send. I will respond in my upcoming episodes.
Did you know my show was recently listed in the feedspot.com as Top 25 ADHD Podcasts? I am super excited to be part of this list, head over there to see other amazing ADHD shows.

Overcoming Decision-Making Challenges with ADHD: Insights and Strategies

Decision making can be one of the hardest tasks for adults with ADHD. In this episode, I mention Dr. Brown's of the Impaired Executive Functions and how I relate it to decision making.
There are many factors that go into why we struggle with decision making, I am sharing a few with you here and also tips on how to address it. As always these are my observations from my coach training program and research.
Here is the link to the detailed version of Dr. Brown's model - https://www.brownadhdclinic.com/the-brown-model-of-add-adhd
I would love to hear from you:
To see if coaching is right for you, book a discovery call with me. Did you know most of the time your subconscious (your autopilot) is driving your actions and behaviors without you knowing, find out more Be sure to subscribe to this show to stay current with my weekly episode Leave me a voice mail about this topic or other questions related to Managing Adult ADHD https://www.speakpipe.com/Coachcathy super easy todo, Record, Listen, and push Send. I will respond in my upcoming episodes.
P.S. Can you do me a favor? Pls rate this show or even better it would mean so much to me if you wrote a quick review
P.S.S. I am so excited!!!! Did you know my show was recently listed in the feedspot.com as Top 25 ADHD Podcasts? I am super excited to be part of this list, head over there to see other amazing ADHD shows.

Managing ADHD with Coaching: Sarah’s Inspiring Journey and Key Insights

There are a few ways to manage ADHD, and not all of us will use the same methods and systems. In this episode, I wanted to share with you Sarah's story on how she is able to manage her ADHD with coaching.
Full disclaimer that Sarah is a client of mine and this episode has not been edited in any way. I wanted to ensure that you hear firsthand her experience, and also get a glimpse into what it is like to be in my coaching program.
Each of us has our own unique set of challenges when it comes to ADHD and each of my clients have their own unique discoveries. The important part of this message is to get professional support and make your mental health your number priority. Once you learn the science of your brain wiring life can become so much easier and your brain can become your best asset.
I would love to hear from you:
To see if coaching is right for you, book a discovery call with me.
Did you know most of the time your subconscious (your autopilot) is driving your actions and behaviors without you knowing, find out more
Be sure to subscribe to this show to stay current with my weekly episode
Leave me a voice mail about this topic or other questions related to Managing Adult ADHD https://www.speakpipe.com/Coachcathy super easy todo, Record, Listen, and push Send. I will respond in my upcoming episodes.
P.S. Can you do me a favor? Pls rate this show or even better it would mean so much to me if you wrote a quick review
P.S.S. I am so excited!!!! Did you know my show was recently listed in the feedspot.com as Top 25 ADHD Podcasts? I am super excited to be part of this list, head over there to see other amazing ADHD shows.

Overcoming Self-Criticism with ADHD: Diann’s Inspiring Journey to Radical Self-Acceptance

In this episode, I was so inspired by Diann's story on radical self-acceptance. I thoroughly enjoyed her real talk style, wisdom, and her story to Radical Self Acceptance.
One of the common themes that I come across working with professionals and entrepreneurs are around self-acceptance. Even though most of them have been able to achieve amazing things in their life, there is this undercurrent running in their minds around how they truly view themselves and if are unresolved issues during stressful times the inner critic becomes loud with voices of "not good enough", "I should be doing it better", "I am not pushing hard enough". I am sure you can relate.
I enjoy listening to Diann's podcast so much that I invited her to my show so that she can give us some of her insights on self-acceptance. I am sure you will relate in some way to her story and hope that you gain a few insights through her wisdom.
Diann mentioned the book Radical Acceptance Audio Book by Tara Brach: https://amzn.to/34bzlXY
Be sure to subscribe as I will be having Diann back on the show for another insightful conversation.
About Diann Wingert:
Diann Wingert is a mindset and productivity coach for female entrepreneurs who identify with the traits of ADHD, officially diagnosed or not. During her 20-year career as a licensed psychotherapist, Diann saw many brilliant and ambitious women struggle with unidentified ADHD, including Diann herself. Since her own mid-life diagnosis, she now mentors women who are “driven but distracted” to overcome procrastination, perfectionism, and people-pleasing so they can craft a life and business they love.
Diann’s website is www.diannwingertcoaching.com and her podcast,
The Driven Woman Podcast can be found on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and all popular podcatchers.
Connect with her on Social Media Links, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook Group
Diann's 6 Steps to ADHD Mastery: https://www.diannwingertcoaching.com/6-steps
I would love to hear from you:
Leave me a voice mail about this topic or other questions related to Managing Adult ADHD https://www.speakpipe.com/Coachcathy super easy todo, Record, Listen, and push Send. I will respond in my upcoming episodes.
Did you know most of the time your subconscious (your autopilot) is driving your actions and behaviors without you knowing, find out more
Be sure to subscribe to this show to stay current with my weekly episodes.
P.S. Can you do me a favor? Pls rate this show or even better it would mean so much to me if you wrote a quick review as to how you find did show beneficial.
P.S.S. I am so excited!!!! Did you know my show was recently listed in the feedspot.com as Top 25 ADHD Podcasts? I am super excited to be part of this list, head over there to see other amazing ADHD shows.

Overcoming Adversity with Positive Psychology: Finding Purpose and Joy

In this episode, I talk with Marc Cordon, MPH - Positive Psychology Coach, who shares his story about how he was always different than the rest, from his ethnicity all the way to his brain wiring. He shares how he went from musician to higher education and then into multicultural work.
Marc shares from the heart and positive psychology changed his view on social justice and to do it from a place of Joy.
When you listen to this episode, remember this is a person who was diagnosed with many conditions such as Identity struggle, Mood disorder, anxiety, ADHD, Bipolar, Depression but Marc did not let these labels get in the way of searching and tapping into his highest purpose. He shares how he figured out what brings him joy. He is super clear of his values and that is one of the key steps in finding your purpose and happiness.
At about 19:00 min mark, he shares a few tips on how he manages his business to stay focused and grounded.
Towards the end of the talk, he goes into what toxic positivity means and how our emotions have a purpose be it anger or joy, and why it is important to pay attention to all of our emotions.
I could have talked to Marc for hours, it was my pleasure to listen to his story and I am delighted to hear how he is able to manage his brain while following his purpose.
As Marc mentioned he is running a program right now on Joy Revolution, head over to get the details
About Marc:
Marc Cordon, MPH, is a positive psychology coach, co-founder of The Joy Revolution™, and author of the book Beyond Resilient: The Coach’s Guide to Ecstatic Growth. He specializes in transitions, leadership, performance, and well-being, helping people break through to the next level to find greater enjoyment and purpose in their lives. With a focus on misfit entrepreneurs and leaders who march to the beat of their own drum, Marc’s coaching empowers people to claim their own joy as they make a difference for others. He has appeared on national television and radio shows and has delivered two TEDx talks on positive psychology and social justice.
Marc served as the Associate Director of Health Promotion and of Multicultural Programs & Services at Emory University where he developed programs and curriculum on social justice, positive psychology, and community engagement. He has received a BS in Neuroscience and Behavioural Biology and a Masters in Public Health in Policy & Management, as well as coaching accolades from the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching and the WholeBeing Institute.
Let's keep the conversation going,
Leave me a voice mail with any questions either on this topic or other topics related to Managing Adult ADHD https://www.speakpipe.com/Coachcathy super easy todo, Record, Listen, and push Send.
Did you know your subconscious (your autopilot) is driving your actions and behaviors without you knowing, find out more
Be sure to subscribe to this show to stay current with my weekly episodes.
Can you do me a favor? Pls rate this show or even better it would mean so much to me if you wrote a quick review as to how you find did show beneficial.
Did you know my show was recently listed in the feedspot.com as Top 25 ADHD Podcasts? I am super excited to be part of this list, head over there to see other amazing ADHD shows.

Redefining Goal-Setting for ADHD brains: Achieving Success through Mindset Mastery

When it comes to goal setting and achieving, I no longer pay attention to it and it has been life-changing. ⁠ ⁠ For me, it is about truly mastering the state of mind that I am to reach my ultimate vision for life, family, health, community, and business. ⁠ ⁠ You might say, well Cathy, it starts with goal setting!?⁠ ⁠ Yes and NO!!!! ⁠ ⁠ What if you do have a goal, but underneath of the goal lays a whole bunch of fear, doubt, guilt, and catching up to the "Joneses". Which most often some crap will interfere with achieving your goal. ⁠ ⁠ The way I have learned to see it is that so long as you have not addressed all the underlying crap that is behind that goal, achieving it will be a struggle. You will be that hamster on a wheel, just going and going and not getting anywhere or you just simply give up. ⁠ ⁠ But what if there was a much easier way to get to your destination? ⁠ ⁠ Once I learned this concept Mastering my State, I no longer focus on goal setting, to-do lists, or worrying about being productive. ⁠ ⁠ In this podcast episode, I will share with you what the process is. ⁠ ⁠
Let's keep the conversation going,
Leave me a voice mail with any questions either on this topic or other topics related to Managing Adult ADHD https://www.speakpipe.com/Coachcathy super easy todo, Record, Listen, and push Send.
Did you know your subconscious (your autopilot) is driving your actions and behaviors without you knowing, find out more
Be sure to subscribe to this show to stay current with my weekly episodes.
Can you do me a favor? Pls rate this show or even better it would mean so much to me if you wrote a quick review as to how you find did show beneficial.
Did you know my show was recently listed in the feedspot.com as Top 25 ADHD Podcasts, super excited to be part of this list, head over there to see other amazing ADHD shows.

Adult Diagnosis of ADHD: Understanding the Six Perspectives and Implications

There are the 6 perspectives of late in life diagnosis of ADHD for professionals/entrepreneurs ⠀⁠⠀
My ADHD is:⁠⠀
1. holding me back from living my life Victim ⁠⠀
2. best under stress, I don't want to change Resist⁠⠀
⁠3. it is what it is! I am doing the best I can Rationalize ⁠⠀
4. putting my needs first for once and take care of me! Self - Compassion ⁠⠀⠀
5. finding out how I can make the most of my brain Opportunity⁠⠀
6. I am the creator of my own destiny, I choose to take charge of my brain Creator⁠⠀
I am sure you can relate to each of these lenses/perspectives but ... ⁠⠀
which one has the most energy for you and is leading your emotions/behavior? ⁠⠀⠀
Well, there is a way to measure this and once I learned about my actual perspective and how it was impacting me it was a game-changer on how I manage my ADHD. ⁠⠀
You’ve taken personality tests… but now it’s time for an attitudinal assessment. ⁠⠀You’re probably familiar with personality tests like Myers Briggs, DiSC, and Enneagram. ⁠⠀
⁠These valuable tools can help you understand your strengths, embrace your weaknesses, and discover how you can work to your full potential. In that way, they typically support a “work with what you have” approach to adapting your behavior and pursuing personal excellence. ⁠⠀⠀
I have been using an effective tool to truly measure how an individual currently perceives and approaches work and life (it shows which number is their primary perspective) then we start the work to move to the next level. Just one level of shit can make a huge change in their life.
As part of my coaching process, I use an assessment that has been a critical part of creating Transformation for my clients who are able to move past their diagnosis and harness the assets of their ADHD brain. ⁠⠀
If you want to know more about the Energy Leadership Index Assessment go to readysetchoose.com or book a call with me to learn more. ⁠⠀

Overcoming Negative Self-Talk During Major Life Events: Strategies and Tips for ADHD Brains

If you ever caught yourself in that place of "should I stay or should I go" when it comes to your professional career or changing business ventures this episode is for you.
The inner critic or as I like to refer to it "the Gremlin" shows its ugly head to really keep up stuck when we are ready to make a move. As I continue my work with high performing professional and successful entrepreneurs there is one major theme that continues to show up. Unaddressed negative self-talk. Regardless of how kick-ass you have been and how far you have come, if you have not done the deep work to really tame the inner critic, it will show it's ugly head at times when you about to make a big leap into your next kick-ass adventure.
In this episode, I share with you some of the ways you can tame the beast and to really evaluate why it was even there in the first place.
Recently I have seen a peak in my listeners, I want to welcome you to my show and also to let you know how much I appreciate that you take the time to list to my stream of thoughts.
I invite you to DM me on Instagram ProudlyADHD_coachCathy with your questions. I will respond to you either directly or through an episode such as this one. In fact, this episode was inspired by a question sent by one of my listeners.

ADHD and Distractions: Staying Focused and On Track Amidst Shiny New Things

How do you manage to stay on track when the shinny new ideas/projects come knocking on your door?
I used to get in the trap of getting derailed often when I was in corporate life and sometimes it worked out and other time I was left with regret. I used to jump ship often until I learned about my brain and why I was doing this often.
I wanted to share my views and learning with you on this as I now see this in my clients that I coach and when they really dig deep and understand how to manage “jumping ship” or “oooh shiny new thing” it becomes a game-changer for their professional role or business.
Please know that I am not saying we should avoid shiny new things, there is a more strategic way to go about it, and also once you understand why your brain is craving it you can make a solid decision to either jump or step in with caution or avoid it altogether. Cause you are the master of your brain after all and you should be calling the shot not your brain or other people’s shiny new ideas/projects.