| AADD - Adult Attention Deficit Disorder is often | | | | employee that you suspect is not living up to your |
| difficult to understand. This is especially true when it | | | | expectations you might want to consider asking them |
| exists in one of your key employees. It may often be | | | | to be tested. However, before you make that leap |
| disguised as peer relationship problems, moodiness, | | | | you might want to check with legal counsel. |
| forgetfulness, lack of commitment, complacency and | | | | For the individual employee, being diagnosed with ADD |
| even substance abuse. Now for the disclaimer --- I am | | | | means finally having an explanation for many of the |
| not a medical doctor nor do I profess to be an expert | | | | challenges your employee has been experiencing. You |
| on AADD. The objective of this article is simply to | | | | must be careful though, because an explanation is not |
| bring to your attention that erratic, unusual and | | | | an excuse. An excuse can be defined as "a |
| unacceptable behavior can sometimes be related to a | | | | justification used to obtain forgiveness." Employees still |
| medical condition that often is overlooked. This | | | | must perform and they must take responsibility for |
| condition is called Adult Attention Deficit Disorder. If this | | | | their performance. |
| article suggests any familiarity of circumstance with | | | | A Matter of Choice and Treatment |
| any of your employees then seek a professional | | | | Just because an employee has been diagnosed with |
| medical opinion. | | | | AADD doesn't mean he is relieved of the responsibility |
| It's Not Just For Kids | | | | to live up to the expectations of the job. On the |
| Mistakenly, people have believed that ADD was a | | | | contrary you now know the reason for past |
| childhood condition that often disappeared at the onset | | | | performance which allows the employee the |
| of adulthood. That is not always the case. It has been | | | | opportunity to make the right choices regarding |
| proven that ADD often persists into adulthood and can | | | | personal performance. They are no longer simply |
| have a dramatic impact on an employee's | | | | victims. This means they must learn to manage their |
| performance at work. It has been reported that more | | | | AADD through treatment, positive attitude and choice. |
| than 50% of children diagnosed with ADD carry the | | | | It will take time, patience on your part and the |
| condition well into their adult lives. | | | | employee's part and it will take persistence and |
| However, ADD in adults is difficult to recognize. | | | | practice. |
| Sometimes when an employee has difficulty starting a | | | | There are medications available to treat AADD. |
| task, staying focused and following through it is simply | | | | Additionally, behavior modification principles |
| considered poor performance or incompetence. The | | | | administered through coaching and counseling can be |
| inability to pay attention for long periods of time is a | | | | very effective. |
| common symptom of ADD. The inability to complete | | | | Seek professional advice. It is important to recognize |
| assignments, lack of organization and talking | | | | that there is help available and treatment is easily |
| excessively are also common symptoms. It is easy to | | | | attainable. The employee should find comfort in |
| understand why this behavior is often interpreted as | | | | knowing that their problems are related to a medical |
| plain old poor performance. However, other symptoms | | | | condition and they are not incompetent, stupid or lazy. |
| for ADD often occur in addition to those behaviors | | | | Is It Really Worth It? Why Not Just Terminate |
| that may mislead us. Other symptoms include a lack of | | | | Employment? |
| self control, poor memory, anxiety, depression, | | | | Good question. The answer isn't simple. The answer is |
| punctuality, poor attendance and inconsistent emotional | | | | that it depends. It depends on your company values, |
| behavior. | | | | your values, integrity, your moral convictions, the values |
| If one of your underperforming employees has ADD | | | | and integrity of the employee and any number of |
| and it has not been recognized or treated, it is likely | | | | other considerations. So, if you find yourself in a |
| that this employee will also demonstrate a very low | | | | situation that may lead you to believe you are facing a |
| self esteem. They may seem to be lazy and feel like | | | | potential case of AADD, dig deep and look at your |
| they are not as smart as everybody else. | | | | personal convictions because in the end only you can |
| Be careful of Assumptions | | | | decide what the right thing to do is. |
| Don't make assumptions. If you have a valuable | | | | |