ADHD at Work: How to Create a Neurodiverse-Friendly Workplace
Episode 13
Is your workplace truly inclusive for employees with ADHD—or are hidden barriers holding them back?
In episode #13 of The People Success Circle, we dive into what it really takes to support ADHD at work with guest expert Stephanie Scheller.
From small meeting tweaks to major mindset shifts, this conversation is packed with real-world strategies for creating a neurodiverse-friendly workplace where everyone can thrive.
Whether you're an HR leader or a business owner, you'll walk away with practical insights to boost engagement, reduce burnout, and unlock untapped potential.
🎧 Tune in or read on for tips you can implement this week.
In Episode 13 of The People Success Circle, I sit down with ADHD expert Stephanie Scheller to explore what it really means to support neurodiverse employees—starting with awareness and leading to action. Here’s what we cover:
Why creating an ADHD-friendly workplace benefits both neurodiverse and neurotypical employees
Simple, practical ways to reduce overwhelm and overstimulation at work
How ADHD shows up in leadership—and what it looks like to “chase the dopamine”
Tips for managing employees with ADHD in ways that foster trust and performance
How to delegate and design roles that align with energy, focus, and strengths
Small shifts that make your meetings more inclusive and productive for all
The biggest misconception about ADHD (hint: it’s not laziness)
🎧 Tune in or read on for insights that can help your whole team thrive.
🔗 Helpful Links
🌐 Mindy’s website for business consulting: https://www.limerockcareerco.com
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Episode 13: Watch or Listen
Key Takeaways From My Conversation With Stephanie Scheller
Small Adjustments Can Make a Big Impact
Creating an ADHD-friendly workplace doesn’t require a complete overhaul. As Stephanie shared, even simple changes—like limiting group sizes or adjusting seating arrangements—can significantly reduce overstimulation and help employees stay engaged. As leaders, we can look for low-effort, high-impact tweaks to improve the work environment for everyone.
Structure Supports Success
ADHD brains often struggle with executive functioning, focus, and information retention. One practical solution? Share meeting agendas ahead of time—with clear prompts for input. This gives all team members, especially those with ADHD, the time they need to process and show up prepared. I loved this reminder that structure isn’t about control—it’s about creating safety and clarity.
ADHD in Leadership: “Chasing the Dopamine”
As a leader with ADHD myself, I resonated with Stephanie’s insight about chasing dopamine. ADHD leaders often feel inspired by new ideas and directions—but that constant pivot can derail teams. I’ve learned the power of having a trusted team who feels empowered to help me stay focused. Awareness, transparency, and open communication are key.
Task Design Should Match Strengths and Energy
Stephanie introduced a powerful idea: design roles that play to each team member’s strengths and energy. Whether or not your employees have ADHD, chunking work in ways that feel energizing can boost productivity and morale. Her team even revisits their roles every six months to realign—something every business owner could benefit from.
Neurodiverse Teams Are a Competitive Advantage
When employees feel safe to be themselves at work—especially neurodiverse team members—they show up with more creativity, loyalty, and long-term engagement. Creating a truly inclusive workplace is not just the “right thing to do”—it’s a smart business move that improves performance across the board.
People First, Profits Follow
If you’re struggling to get leadership buy-in, here’s what I remind my clients: when the people side of the business isn’t working, everything suffers. Sales, service, retention, culture—it’s all connected. When you invest in your people, you build the foundation for long-term success. And it all starts with seeing what’s really going on behind the curtain.
🎧 Want the full story, examples, and action steps?
Listen to the full episode of The People Success Circle for more insights on building a thriving culture that drives results.
Read the full transcript
Mindy:
Thank you for joining us on The People Success Circle podcast. I have invited Stephanie Scheller to come—did I say that right? Scheller? Yes. Okay. Thank you for joining us on the podcast this week. Stephanie is an expert in neurodiversity at work, from marketing to event planning to leading neurodiverse teams. I’m so excited to welcome you, Stephanie. Thank you for joining us today.
Stephanie:
Thanks for having me. This is one of my favorite topics, and I’m always excited to find a place where we can dig in and have a conversation. I think neurodiverse people bring so much to the workplace—and it gets a bit of a bad rap sometimes.
Mindy:
It does, it does. I personally am neurodiverse. I have ADHD, and I have two sons who have autism, ADHD, and OCD. So I feel like I live in a neurodiverse world. I kind of assume everyone knows about it, but then I realize there aren’t a lot of people who really understand neurodiversity—especially how it affects the workplace, the employee, the leader, and everyone involved. I’m just glad we can have this candid discussion.
Stephanie:
Yeah. I agree. I think there are a lot of misconceptions out there. Hopefully we can debunk a few of those today.
Mindy:
Yes, for sure. I'd love for you to start by telling listeners a little about your background and your business—what led you to your expertise in this area?
Stephanie:
I produce events—personal growth and business growth events, primarily for small business owners and entrepreneurs. These events cover marketing, sales, leadership, operations—all the core parts of being an entrepreneur. But we build our events based on what we call the ADHD iOS—the ADHD internal operating system.
We spent time understanding how the ADHD brain functions—the neurobiology behind it—and then used that information. For example, if we know sharp noises trigger the ADHD brain into threat mode, we design the event environment to reduce those. If the ADHD brain has a hard time retaining information, we serve coffee with cayenne pepper to help with memory. People are often amazed at how different the experience is.
Mindy:
That’s amazing! So what drew you to specializing in the neurodiverse or ADHD customer?
Stephanie:
My own ADHD. My first business was a sales training business. We were doing very well, but I realized I didn’t want to be a sales trainer forever. A friend suggested I just produce events for small businesses since I’d already been doing that. My first response was absolutely not! I’d been to those “grow yourself” events—they were exhausting, emotionally manipulative, and I hated them.
My friend just said, “Build the event you want.” So I did. After every event, I’d list what worked and what didn’t. Like—too many distractions? Let’s remove a chair at each table to reduce multiple conversations. That way, everyone stays in the same discussion and the brain isn’t overloaded.
Eventually, I realized all these changes I was making were because of my ADHD. So we said, “What happens if we do this on purpose?” That’s when we really leaned into it—custom scents, coffee blends, music, long checklists—everything designed with the ADHD brain in mind.
Mindy:
That’s incredible. And you’re right—many HR leaders plan staff events, so this really connects. If they experience how powerful these changes are in a one-time event, they might bring the same practices into day-to-day operations.
Stephanie:
Exactly. What we do at events can absolutely be brought into the workplace. And what’s really cool is that while these adjustments benefit neurodiverse team members, they’re also appreciated by neurotypical employees. Everyone benefits.
Mindy:
Yes! Like when I led a workshop yesterday—I saw firsthand how changing group size made a big difference. Groups of three had better engagement than groups of four. It makes so much sense when you see it in action.
Stephanie:
That’s the stuff I geek out on! The little things make a big difference.
Mindy:
One of the things I love about doing this podcast is learning from guests who are experts in areas I’m not. I’m an HR expert, but I always learn something new—and you’ve already changed the way I think. Thank you!
Stephanie:
Yay! Short answer to your question: I first got interested in the intersection of psychology, neuroscience, and business because of a fake study I heard in college. It said flickering subliminal messages like “Buy popcorn” during a movie could increase sales. Even though it was debunked, it freaked me out. I started studying psychology to understand how people influence each other.
Then, when I started my business, I realized understanding psychology helps with marketing. And understanding how the brain works helps with building better events—where people retain more, apply more, and want to come back. It all connects.
Mindy:
That’s so powerful—and so needed. Neurodiversity exists whether we acknowledge it or not. If we want better employee engagement, we need to support how people actually work best. Engaged workplaces are more productive and profitable.
Stephanie:
Absolutely. If someone is masking all day—trying to function in a way their brain isn’t built for—it’s like driving with the parking brake on. They burn out faster. But when you lift that burden, they thrive.
And what’s exciting is that sometimes people don’t even know they’re neurodiverse until they experience accommodations and realize how much better they function. That’s always fun to watch.
Mindy:
Yes! And with the increase in adult diagnoses, especially with ADHD, it’s important to recognize that even without a diagnosis, people can benefit from these strategies.
Stephanie:
Exactly. You don’t need a diagnosis to know something helps you. And it doesn’t have to be expensive either—just share meeting agendas ahead of time, for instance. That gives people space to think before being put on the spot.
Mindy:
That’s a great example. I want to shift to talk about ADHD in leadership. What are some unique challenges ADHD leaders face when managing a team?
Stephanie:
Great question. One big challenge is what we call “chasing the dopamine.” The ADHD brain doesn’t regulate dopamine well, so we often jump into exciting new ideas for that dopamine hit. I can spiral into creating a whole new business model in one night and show up the next day ready to pivot. Meanwhile, my team is like, “Wait, what?!”
It’s important to be aware of this pattern—and to let your team know. I’ve told mine, “Here’s how my brain works. You have permission to reel me in.” We even have a code word (“Lima”) when I start chasing too many ideas.
Mindy:
Yes! I do the same. I tell my team upfront that I move fast and get excited easily—and I appreciate when they help me stay on course. That kind of trust makes a big difference.
Stephanie:
It really does. If you don’t recognize the dopamine chase, it can confuse or exhaust your team. But when you’re aware of it, you can build systems and relationships to support better focus.
Mindy:
So how can leaders design roles or delegate tasks in ways that support the ADHD brain?
Stephanie:
Start by recognizing that roles can evolve. I’ve restructured roles based on what people enjoy. For example, one person might love content creation but hate graphic design—so I separate those tasks. Then we use something called the Energy Advantage exercise every six months. Team members track their tasks and rate them based on energy and revenue generation. We use that data to reassign tasks and keep people doing more of what energizes them.
Mindy:
I love that! It reminds me of strengths-based coaching. People bring their best when they’re doing what they’re naturally good at and energized by.
Stephanie:
Exactly. When people enjoy what they’re doing, they show up better. And if they hate something, they know they won’t be stuck with it forever.
Mindy:
What advice would you give to leaders managing neurodiverse employees—but who may not be sure how to support them?
Stephanie:
Start with this: your people want to do well. They’re not lazy or trying to fail. I always end my talks by playing the same piece of music in two different styles to show that the same song can sound completely different—and still be beautiful. People with ADHD may show up differently, but their contributions are just as valuable.
Mindy:
That’s such a powerful analogy. And true—people are more committed when they feel like they belong and can be themselves.
Stephanie:
Absolutely. Neurodiverse teams that feel supported tend to be more loyal, more creative, and more engaged. The research even shows higher performance and profit margins.
Mindy:
So what’s one small shift a leader can make this week to build a more ADHD-friendly workplace?
Stephanie:
Share your meeting agenda ahead of time—and include prompts where you’ll ask for input. That gives ADHD team members space to think and contribute. Without that, they might go into panic mode when asked something on the spot. This small step can create psychological safety and help everyone participate more fully.
Mindy:
That’s so true. I often write agendas as my own checklist, but adding prompts helps the whole team prepare and feel more confident contributing.
Stephanie:
Exactly. Even if people don’t take formal prep time, their brain will still start working on the questions in the background. That leads to better ideas and more engagement.
Mindy:
What’s one of the biggest misconceptions people have about managing employees with ADHD?
Stephanie:
That we’re lazy. People assume we can’t focus or hit deadlines because we don’t care—but that’s not true. ADHD brains are dealing with constant stimulation and often struggle with auditory processing or translating thoughts into tasks. We’re not lazy—we’re overwhelmed.
Mindy:
Yes. And I think we underestimate how much someone with ADHD is managing behind the scenes. Just because someone is scattered doesn’t mean they can’t contribute at a high level.
Stephanie:
Exactly. If you give a little support—like letting them wear headphones to reduce distraction, or giving written follow-ups after meetings—it makes a big difference. These aren’t big asks, but they unlock real potential.
Mindy:
Thank you so much, Stephanie. This has been so enlightening. Even as someone who lives in a neurodiverse world, I got a lot out of this conversation. I know our listeners will too.
Stephanie:
I’m so glad! Thanks for having me.
