Learning how to shine bright like a diamond, while staying true to yourself.

Noticing When Something’s Broken

Have you have ever been asked to do work that you didn’t like? Maybe the work was out of alignment with your values. Maybe it required you to lean into skillsets you considered under-developed and lacked confidence. Maybe it was something you used to do, but felt drawn to different work now that you’ve [insert accomplishment or personal evolution here].

This could be due to external changes in policy, leadership, and role. It could also be due to something internal shifting and needing something different out of the work you are doing. If you’ve found yourself in this position, it probably wasn’t a great experience. In speaking with clients that found themselves in such places, they’ve used phrases like “I feel hollow,” and “this is the dullest version of myself.”

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Assessing The Situation

My organization uses Hogan Assessments to learn more about individuals. These assessments shine a spotlight on how they show up on the best (and worst) of days. The assessment also provides insights on their motives, values, and preferences.

Staying True To Yourself

This exercise helps us understand YOU, and helps you better align with the work, systems, and processes that help you be yourself while delivering your best work. This isn’t necessarily to change who you are, but it helps you remove friction points that aren’t aligned with your true you. As Dr. Seuss said in the book “Happy Birthday to You!,” “Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is you-er than you.”

If a company or leader makes you feel like you need to “mask” or be some filtered version of yourself, it’s fair to question if you can really shine there, or if masking will soften your sparkle. Masking isn’t exclusive to the ADHD and neurodivergent communities, but experiencing the need to mask at work is a prime example of something could move things out of alignment with your values, and keep you from being true to yourself.

Finding Your Sparkle

Finding our sparkle comes when things are in balance. When it comes to work, we balance what we know with what we are interested in learning. We balance timeline, quality, and value. We balance what we love doing with the work that needs to be done. We are much more likely to light up when talking about work if it’s material we are interested in. We are on track to shine when we’re given the tools to succeed. We sparkle when our core values are reflected in our every day work.

Rediscovering My Sparkle

Although I’ve supported leaders and organizations in this area for years, I admittedly lost track of how my unique experiences and education could differentiate me from others in similar fields, while also making me happier in my work.

I started jotting down everything I help leaders and business do (and why I think I’m qualified to do it!), and it fell into three distinct circles. 15+ years of leadership development experience with trainings and certifications from a handful of well-regarded leadership training and assessment organizations. PCC credentials from the International Coaching Federation with over 500 client hours and 200+ hours of coaching education. ADHD and Neurodiversity expertise from various institutions and organizations.

Each circle on it’s own could be a whole career, but each one left me feeling incomplete in how I served clients. These siloed skillsets and experiences only told part of my story. It’s when I can leverage all three together, and overlap the circles, that I feel like I’m really serving clients best.

The Trillion

The overlapping section of three circles makes a 3-sided shaped with bowed edges. Kind of a fat triangle, if you will. In the world of diamonds and gemstones, this “fat triangle” shape is called a trillion cut.

I realized, my sparkle comes from operating within that trillion shape on the Venn Diagram of Executive Coaching, Leadership Development, and Education on Neurodiversity & ADHD in the Workplace.

Introducing Leadership Gems

I was really on a diamond and gemstone kick after making this connection, and thought this would be a good name for this newsletter! These newsletters will continue to offer up insights on the intersection of leadership, coaching, and neurodiversity. I hope these ‘gems’ resonate with you as you navigate your own career.

Next Stop: SXSW!

If you will be in Austin, TX for SXSW please join us on Monday, March 10 for a panel discussion on ADHD in the workplace. I will take the stage with

Jesse J. Anderson, Margaux Joffe, and Jaye Lin to discuss how to create work environments that not only support ADHDers, but also strengthen teams and organizations.