Neurodiversity: the impact of ADHD on entrepreneurship
Oftentimes conversations surrounding diversity and entrepreneurship are focused upon the advantages of diverse leadership teams in terms of gender and race. However, there is another conversation to be had in terms of neurodiversity and how this intersects with entrepreneurship.
Neurodiversity encompasses those whose brains function differently than most and includes those with autism, dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD and more — all natural variations in human genetics. Reports from the likes of USA Today and The New York Times discussing anecdotal evidence of highly successful entrepreneurs with ADHD have drawn attention to the relationship between ADHD and its impact on entrepreneurship.
In turn, entrepreneurship and neurodiversity, particularly in terms of ADHD, has been a topic of academic studies over recent years with increasing attention being paid to how ADHD symptoms can be strengths within the context of entrepreneurship, rather than the weakness it is too often perceived as.
What is ADHD?
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, presenting with its own strengths and challenges. Simply put, ADHD brains function differently than neurotypical brains, rather than necessarily ‘better’ or ‘worse’. The three types of ADHD diagnoses are: 1) predominantly inattentive, 2) predominantly hyperactive or 3) a combination of inattentiveness and hyperactivity.
ADHD is characterized by symptoms of inattentiveness, impulsivity and hyperactivity displayed across multiple environments such as work, school and/or home life, and these traits can cause issues for those with ADHD symptoms within these environments.
Whilst living with ADHD can be challenging within the structures of modern society, there are also some strengths that ADHD provides within the context of entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurship and ADHD: a competitive advantage.
Whilst the diversity movement is making headway in terms of the inclusion and representation of the LGBTQ+ community, race and gender, neurodiversity can often go overlooked. It is established that diversity drives innovation and market growth, and one reason why including neurodiversity in this conversation is important is because neurodiversity is a competitive advantage in business.
Many of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs have been diagnosed with ADHD and often attribute a large part of their success to their ADHD symptoms — including Sir Richard Branson (Virgin), Ingvar Kamprad (IKEA) and David Neeleman (JetBlue).
Recent research has shown that certain entrepreneurial characteristics are linked to ADHD symptoms, such as opportunity recognition, innovative achievement, risk taking, action orientation, entrepreneurial intentions, entrepreneurial alertness and may even be linked on a genetic level. This demonstrates the entrepreneurial orientation of individuals with ADHD symptoms. Entrepreneurial orientation is a crucial factor in the success and growth of a business and refers to the strategic policies and practices businesses use when launching new ventures and identifying opportunities. These practices are influenced by the personality and behaviour of the founder or owner which are three dimensional — risk taking, innovation and proactiveness.
So, what exactly are these ADHD symptoms and how do they translate into the context of entrepreneurship?
- Inattentiveness and ideation.
Inattentiveness can manifest through daydreaming; “the desire to imagine and discover unexplored terrains”, which contributes to increased ideation and can enhance creativity.
- Hyperactivity and hyperfocus.
Whilst sustaining attention and persisting with tasks that are uninteresting to them is difficult, those with ADHD possess the ability to engage in a state known as hyperfocus; “the ability to sustain rare levels of intensity and focus on activities and projects that capture their interest”.
- Impulsivity, urgency and risk taking.
Impulsivity, urgency and sensation seeking are all traits consistent with ADHD and entrepreneurship. ADHD individuals are driven by a sense of urgency, and often function highly when engaged in crisis mode, giving them the ability to assess and take action quickly in situations where neurotypical individuals may panic and freeze.
These primary traits relate to entrepreneurship in various ways, and often intersect with each other. Whilst inattentiveness can impede proactiveness, it encourages ideation; thereby enhancing creativity and problem solving — which is needed for innovation. Hyperactivity leads to high levels of proactiveness, culminating in initiating change when needed rather than engaging in reactionary behavior. When combined with hyperactivity, inattentive ideation facilitates proactive innovation.
From ideating to pitching, the propensity to engage in hyperfocus is helpful in various facets of entrepreneurship.
As hyperfocus presents itself when someone is passionate about or interested in a particular subject, their infectious enthusiasm can assist ADHD entrepreneurs in creating interest and buzz about their business — helpful when pitching to investors or marketing their products. Impulsivity can also be a distinct advantage in entrepreneurship as it indicates a tendency to take higher risks and action when faced with uncertainty — leading to higher growth rates and innovative achievements within an enterprise.
Why is it important to include neurodiversity within diversity initiatives?
There are two dimensions to diversity — inherent and acquired. Inherent diversity encompasses what one is born with — gender, race, sexual orientation and neurodiversity, whereas acquired diversity refers to what one develops through experience. Companies that have increased diversity at a leadership level where both dimensions of diversity are represented are more innovative and outperform others. There are also positive links to growth, performance and entrepreneurial behaviour from those with ADHD symptoms within an organisation, indicating that these benefits not only carry from the top-down but also promote intrapreneurship, thereby benefiting the organisation from within.
Considering this top-down effect, entrepreneurs that are neurodiverse can naturally aid in creating a company and a culture that accommodates the individual needs of their staff whilst cultivating hiring processes and practices that accommodate neurodiverse candidates better. Neurodiverse individuals bring strengths, perspectives, and experiences with them which are different to neurotypicals both in terms of inherent and acquired diversity — as their brains function differently to most, which has also contributed to their lived experiences. This leads to thinking outside the box and the creation of an environment where different ideas are encouraged and heard.
Whilst ADHD symptoms can be a strength within the context of entrepreneurship, those living with ADHD and other neuro-divergences can still struggle to thrive in a world that was not designed for them or their strengths. Certainly there is more headway to be made and research to be done, but it is important to acknowledge both the strengths of ADHD in entrepreneurship and the challenges it presents in wider settings in order to better understand entrepreneurship and each other, as many people may unknowingly live with ADHD. Entrepreneurship is only one of many realms where we can work to destigmatize neurodiversity in general and ADHD in particular, and allow those living with these symptoms to flourish.
Gitangeli Lalloo is Marketing Analyst at Antler Netherlands.
Read more insights from the Antler team here.
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