In the corporate environment, I realize that communicating well goes beyond desirable ability, is a competitive differential. Clear meetings, surrounding presentations and inspiring discourses can accelerate strategic decisions, consolidate leadership, and of course bring results to companies. But I see that for professionals with ADHD (attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity), this task carries specific challenges that often go unnoticed.
According to the Brazilian Association of Attention Deficit (ABDA), ADHD reaches 5% to 8% of the world’s population. In fact, a portion of them are executives and professionals who live daily to turn their ideas into clear and consistent messages without losing the thread.
When a leader communicates, he influences team dynamics and project progress. In the case of neurodivergent professionals, the challenge is even greater, due to the propensity to disperse on the stimuli of the environment, get lost in the midst of their own reasoning or the questions that naturally arise during important meetings.
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On the other hand, there is the opposite extreme as well, with the risk of the person with ADHD dive into a hyperfoco that disconnects the audience, unraveling details during their speech that may sound irrelevant and undoubtedly making the presentation boring, prolix by creating obstacles that can compromise the clarity and effectiveness of a strategic presentation in meetings.
The risk is to transform promising ideas into confusing and tiring messages.
The good news is that over 10 years training different leaders’ profiles, I realized that some techniques can be very effective in supporting these professionals at decisive moments of presentations.
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O first step It is the awareness. Each person needs to recognize their strengths and points of limitations to be able to prepare with excellence and make the most of the opportunities.
For example, those who live with ADHD know that the so -called “white” in the middle of a speech can destabilize the entire presentation. This is why the preparation assumes a central role.
Remember to structure messages on paper or Word to have a linear and didactic view of your speech. If you can, mark the keywords in bold throughout your text to guide you when studying your material and reminds you at the time of presentation. It’s okay to have a sheet to consult or PowerPoint to guide you and retain the attention of your audience.
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Another technique Important, when studying the presentation, if you are in PowerPoint, divide it mentally into 3 blocks: beginning, middle and end. Hence, rehearse, in particular, the opening and closing of the presentation at least three times. From experience, by training hundreds of professionals over the years for conventions, lectures, results meetings, I can assure you that the most difficult times for most are opening and closing.
The beginning is when the adrenaline is still on the rise, the breath gets panting and the heart shoots… And here among us, the risk of forgetting or “stumbling” in the words right away can sabotage you in the rest of the presentation. And training the end is strategic, because ending up and remembering to provoke the next steps is essential.
There is also the question of interruptions. For those who have ADHD, being diverted from reasoning by questions or comments outside the scope can compromise the entire line of thought. The way out, I believe, is not in censoring the interaction, but in redirecting it. Therefore, having as its guide the mental map in topics, symbols or slides is essential to help you resume the conversation.
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If on the one hand, who has ADHD struggles to avoid dispersion of the goal, on the other hand, there is also the excess, since hyperfoco is also a characteristic of this profile when it is very interested in the subject. The risk? Tire the audience with a long and detailed prolix exhibition that disconnects from the public. This is where techniques such as storytelling, strategic breaks, and prior rehearsal recording come as tools I recommend. The goal is not to limit depth, but to ensure that the narrative keeps the audience together to the end.
A very effective exercise for those who have been able to keep the focus on the script they planned is to repeat aloud and in up to 1 minute the central theme of each slide of the presentation. This will help memorize the essential points and maintain the clarity of reasoning without the risk of being prolix or getting lost throughout the speech.
The same goes for time management, often a critical point. My suggestion is to combine at the beginning of the meeting time, use a visible timer, or have a ally -ally colleague when they miss a few minutes to help you maintain objectivity without harming your authenticity.
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Are you likely that you read this article not even ADHD, but have you ever stopped to think that in your audience at the next presentation you may have someone Neurodivergentigentgent decision maker?
And how to retain people’s attention? It is advice for you: Remember that the form is as important as the content. The way you will express your message is decisive in holding people’s attention, generating clarification and of course, achieving your goal at the end of the meeting. Show the relevance of what you have to talk right away and why they should hear you.
Also, escape the monotony. Keep an open posture, explore your faces and mouths and vocal expression to bring energy and emotion in your speech. The use of breaks, varying the rhythm of speech, using the gesture in tune with the message is essential for you to captivate the audience and keep with you.
As you can see, there are different profiles of people, forms of attention and reasoning that, when respected, expand the strength of the message.
The role of HR areas and business training and development is very strategic. Companies need to be aware of the impact that leaders have everyday life in achieving results and providing conditions so that these differences are not barriers, but active. Clarity in speech and active listening become allies of an organizational culture that supports the team to enhance skills.
Fostering people development is a business strategy. Behind each style of attention is creative potential, leadership capacity and engagement power. When the environment favors clarity and focus, the talents stand out and the results multiply.
