329 Elle O'Flaherty

Jeffrey Feldberg: [00:00:00] Elle O'Flaherty is a performance optimization and productivity speaker who helps executives and professionals accelerate their growth. A former litigator, she interweaves insight with practical tools, Elle founded Interlaced Solutions, an executive coaching firm with an ADHD subspecialty. National and international media outlets have published her articles on performance and ADHD. Adult training specialists and coaches alike have lauded her first of its kind certification for career coaches and counselors working with ADHD clients. Elle lives in Washington, D. C. 

And before we start this episode, a quick word from our sponsor, Deep Wealth and the 90 Day Deep Wealth Mastery Program. Here's Jane, a graduate who says, and I quote, the Deep Wealth Mastery Program prevented me from making what would have been one of the biggest mistakes of my career. I almost signed on the dotted line with an unsolicited offer that I now realized would have shortchanged my hard work and my future had I accepted that offer. Deep Wealth Mastery has tilted the playing field to [00:01:00] my advantage.

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Welcome to the Deep Wealth Podcast. While you heard it in the introduction, [00:04:00] we have a former litigator now turned success coach to bring the best performance out of you, out of your team, really to help you unlock your future. Particularly those who maybe have a lot of energy, they're all over the place.

They're super creative. But there's something called ADHD or something along those lines that may be holding them back. Well, guess what? You're going to come out of this interview a whole lot more informed and probably excited about what's ahead for you. But I'm going to put a pause in it right there.

Elle,, welcome to the Deep Wealth Podcast. An absolute pleasure to have you with us. And I'm really curious,Elle, there's always a story behind the story. What's your story? What got you from where you were to where you are today?

Elle O'Flaherty: Thanks, Jeffrey. I'm really glad to be here. Well, my story is a little bit of a winding path. As you mentioned, I was a federal appellate litigator and a trade negotiator. The majority of my career I spent litigating World Trade Organization disputes in Geneva, so a little bit different than you would think where I would start.

And I just found I am part of the ADHD community, [00:05:00] and I found that more and more I was realizing that The legal world, while wonderful and important, was not a good fit for me and how my brain works. And I had always had these very, very safe jobs, very reliable income, all that good stuff.

But I found that there was this spark in me to start my own business. And I started Coaching my own team for success the team that worked for me while I was litigating and then it grew. I started learning more and more about executive coaching and different kinds of coaching and now with my specialty in ADHD coaching.

So I took the leap that so many of us who have started businesses. And it was a hard right turn for what I had been doing, but now I just find myself so much more fulfilled and I've been able to build a business that works with my brain and the areas that maybe I'm not as strong in I have been able to get other very lovely people to help me with those.

So it's [00:06:00] amazing how much entrepreneurship. It's a great fit for people with ADHD. As you said, because of our creativity and reduced our higher risk tolerance, we make great, and in fact, we are 300 percent more likely to be entrepreneurs than neurotypical folks. So, there are many of us who are founders and in the C suite.

Jeffrey Feldberg: Wow. So,Elle, there's a lot there to unpack and I, I'm just curious. So go back to your litigation days. I mean, not just any lawyer, not just any litigation lawyer, you're really out there. Very high profile. I would imagine all kinds of different characters. What was that like back in the day for you?

I mean, that must have forever changed your view on the world and on business, perhaps even how to deal with people. What was going on with that?

Elle O'Flaherty: It absolutely did. It was really interesting, especially being in an international business environment and understanding how cultural differences play into things and, the way that people communicate with each other. is so [00:07:00] complex. Just communicating if you're purely doing business in the United States can be one thing and people are definitely diverse here, but that added layer of the cultural differences was fascinating to me.

And one of the reasons that I do what I do now, I really love working with other people and understanding their perspective and how their brains are working. So it was really eye opening and to see how business is done globally, it can be quite different. In many different ways, and so, yeah, that was a great background, and also just to understanding the human experience, I think that although we have cultural differences, we have such a strong commonality of human experience.

And one of the things that I find is people tend to put out the most polished versions of themselves, especially in a professional setting, which makes sense. But when I'm working with people, either in these sort of larger corporate trainings or one on one coaching, I find that there's so much magic in saying.

What you're talking about is really normal. [00:08:00] It's really common, especially for the ADHD clients I work with. It's like suddenly the stress leaves the room and they just know that whatever it is that they've been hiding or thinking is a negative for them, it's just normal. So, yeah, it was a great experience, and I'm really thankful that I did have that experience.

I mean, the legal background, the negotiation background has really informed how I work now and how I understand other people, so I am thankful that I had that strong, you know, I was a working attorney for nearly 20 years so I'm very glad that I have that background.

Jeffrey Feldberg: And so from a litigation perspective, and we're speaking about the human condition, I mean, that would likely suggest that somehow along the way things broke down and we're going to agree to disagree, but to the point where it actually ends up in court, I mean, it's really a last resort. And so looking back on that.

Two decade plus journey that you had. Any advice for our listeners of maybe one big takeaway? Hey, don't do this. If you don't want to end up in litigation, if you don't want [00:09:00] to end up in some really challenging, I would suspect negative kinds of situations, avoid this at all costs, what would come to mind?

Elle O'Flaherty: Absolutely. I would say either you or someone on your staff or who you're paying has to understand the rules. And has to understand what's out there that needs to be followed. Every business has rules, some of them highly regulated. I was working in agriculture and of course food products are highly regulated.

But you have to understand the rules in order to conform to them. And so making sure that you have a good, solid understanding before you act can really keep you out of a lot of trouble.

Jeffrey Feldberg: Makes a lot of sense. Know the rules, know where you can and can't cross that line and follow that. And hopefully that keeps you out of trouble. And so from the human condition there to now in the corporate place where you're working. So for our listeners, they've probably heard of ADHD, but maybe they don't really know what that means.

Maybe they even have a potential [00:10:00] superstar on the team, but they're not looking at that person like a superstar really more as a troublemaker. Oh my goodness. Did we make a mistake in hiring this person? What's going on? So what would be some of the telltale signs of someone on the team or maybe even in their personal life, a family member or friend who has diagnosable ADHD?

What's going on with that? What should we know?

Elle O'Flaherty: Good question. It's interesting because we think right now the highest studies have shown that about 10 percent of the population is actually ADHD, so it is not uncommon, it's actually quite common, and the big difference between the ADHD brain and the neurotypical brain is that Ours is entirely interest based.

So whereas neurotypical people can organize their tasks and priorities based on importance, and it can be to them, to their, boss, their partner, whomever, we lack that. We prioritize based on interest. So if something catches our interest, then that's when our brain starts. Going nuts. The name ADHD, [00:11:00] Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is the worst name because we don't have a deficit of attention.

Instead, we have highly variable attention. So if something catches our interest, then we will be the most productive and creative and big ideas and amazing worker you've ever seen. What most people focus on is when things don't catch our attention. So for instance, I don't particularly find the administrative and accounting side of my business enthralling.

And so, that is where I hired other people to do that for me. But the things that I do putting together, I do a lot of public speaking. I'm a professional speaker too. And so when I'm putting together my presentations, I am hyper focused, which neurotypical people call it a flow state, but for us, we call it hyper focused and it's.

Even, it's much more intense than what neurotypical people experience as a flow state. We can work for 16 solid hours and not even realize that time has gone by. We are absolutely, we also, [00:12:00] our brains don't filter information in the same way that neurotypical brains do. And so we're able to make connections between all this different information that neurotypical people can't, which is why in a business setting, this person If they aren't interested in the work, they'll be low performers, and you'll be wondering why they haven't filled out their TPS report, and that's because it's boring.

But in the right situation, with something that catches our attention, we are the people who go way above and beyond. We're the people who not only think outside the box, but don't realize there is a box. So, we're your innovators, your inventors. Actually, a huge percentage, the American Bar Association did a study in 2018 that showed almost 25 percent of lawyers have ADHD.

And one of the reasons is we can put together these incredible creative arguments and be quick on our feet, great in emergencies. And so if you are able to work with us in the right way and encourage our brains in the right way, [00:13:00] we will basically be some of your absolute superstars and top performers.

Jeffrey Feldberg: SoElle, it sounds as though the label ADHD really gets a bad rap out there because when you hear ADHD, at least in popular media, it's very negative, but from what you're sharing and I know from my own personal experiences, very successful people. Entrepreneurs, large companies, they've really changed things.

They say, Hey, Jeffrey, I'm ADHD. And so perhaps it's really a superpower that's just been mislabeled. Thoughts about that?

Elle O'Flaherty: Absolutely. The metaphor that I use, I'm left handed, and if, as a left handed person, if you've ever tried to use a right handed can opener, it is Impossible. It's mechanically impossible. It's unbelievably frustrating. So I kind of think of ADHD like when you give a left handed person a left handed can opener, suddenly they're able to conquer the world, at least as far as canned foods can go.

A lot of what I do when I'm working with Senior professionals, C suite executives who have ADHD is just giving them the right tools for their [00:14:00] brain because we don't want to cram an ADHD brain into a neurotypical hole. Instead, we want to help work with the brain so that we are doing things in a way that works for ADHD people.

So yeah, I totally agree. I think that it has, it's one of the most stigmatized mental differences, one study that I saw not too long ago, it showed that about 96 percent of neurotypical people have very negative associations with ADHD, and frankly, the media is not helping. We are always the butt of the joke but.

There are superpowers and it really is amazing. And some of the most creative and inventive people, either we know, or we think had ADHD people like Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, of course, tons of comedians Robin Williams and others. So yeah I account for all of my business success. I give to my ADHD.

I really think it absolutes with my superpower and a lot of the founders and other folks that I work [00:15:00] with who are entrepreneurs say the exact same thing.

Jeffrey Feldberg: And so I'll walk us through somebody approaches you. Hey, El, I'm Jeffrey. This is my company. Here's a particular situation that I've been having some challenges with. Can you help me with that? What would that situation be like? What would that be if I'm listening now as a listener? Okay. Do I have El come in?

What would that look like? What's your process with that? What should I be looking for?

Elle O'Flaherty: Great question. So my firm of coaches we are typically hired by organizations. And we usually start out with a broad training. That's company wide or offered company wide to explain ADHD. Most people either don't know anything about it or have really a lot of misconceptions. So we will give a foundational knowledge.

We also talk about how to work with ADHD colleagues, whether you're a manager or a peer. So we usually start with that and that does a couple of things. One, it signals that the company is supportive of the ADHD employees, which frankly, up until [00:16:00] extremely recently, like I'm working with some of the first companies to do that.

And from a DEI perspective, it is a game changer. And as many as, or more than 10 percent of your employees may be ADHD. So you're really reaching a huge number of people. Then typically we will work with, sometimes you work with executive teams. Because maybe a founder or someone else might be ADHD and we help them with communication, understanding how to work with each other, how to set up the office.

So it's ADHD friendly, all sorts of things. We also work with managers so that they understand how to supervise these employees to their best effect. And then we typically will do group or one on one coaching with the employees who are ADHD. And that's, We see some real magic there. I'm trained, I have actually seven coaching certificates because apparently I hate myself, but ADHD is the most magical form of coaching that I've ever learned because the difference that it makes and how transformative it is and how much more hope and [00:17:00] trust in themselves that people have and then how their performance takes off is incredible.

Just as a concrete example, I'm hired by quite a few large law firms. And generally they'll see their partners and their associates who I work with, their hours significantly improve their billable hours. And so it's neat. We put metrics in place so that we can judge how well things are going.

But this is one of those things where if you invest in your ADHD employees or founders or whomever, you get a massive return on your investment as far as productivity goes.

Jeffrey Feldberg: And so as we're talking about this, I'm reminded of the pandemic, thankfully it's well in the rear view mirror, but if anything, it showed us that people left terrible commutes, terrible bosses to find a better situation. It really made people rethink life and say, Hey, you know what? I want to enjoy this.

And so as employers, as we're listening to this podcast, finding and keeping world class talent is more challenging than ever before. And particularly with technology now, I could [00:18:00] be in New York City, but I could be just as well in Costa Rica or somewhere in Europe, wherever it's going to be and, start to do the same kinds of things.

So when you say an ADHD friendly office, never heard that term before. What does that mean? What does that look like?

Elle O'Flaherty: Great question. So it can mean a lot of things. It's everything from the way that tasks are assigned. We tend to have trouble with short term memory. So making sure that tasks are either assigned in writing or that the person has a chance to record what's being said so that they can get the task down.

So at the end, the product of what they are delivering is what you're actually asking for. It's a really small thing, but it's an instantaneous and huge improvement in performance. It can also be things like the physical space, so some of us need fidgets or different kinds of chairs, things like that.

But it's also the way that we're interacting with people. In the past, ADHD, many people interpret some of the things that we're doing as laziness or a refusal [00:19:00] to perform, or it could be a lot of different things, or, disorganization, all those sorts of things. Once we get into a company and we start putting systems and processes in place, there is such a difference in what you can expect from your employees.

And, frankly, what's interesting is neurotypical people, when they're under stress, they don't We'll start to have the same executive function challenges, that's organization motivation, task prioritization, all that good stuff, they'll have the same challenges as people who have ADHD. So although we're going in talking about ADHD.

These things really tend to benefit everyone once they're in place. So it's kind of nice that there's a win there. And something that I love people experiencing once they hire us, they'll say, wow, it's actually, I really want to do a bunch of these things. People always say that, whether they're neurotypical or not.

Jeffrey Feldberg: And so a couple of things there. So firstly,Elle, when I hear you say the term neurotypical, is that quote unquote the everyday [00:20:00] person, the quote unquote normal person who's not ADHD? Is that what you mean by neurotypical?

Elle O'Flaherty: do. So neurotypical, those are the folks who aren't part of the ADHD the Autism Spectrum Disorder, some of our other communities. So yes I prefer not to use the term normal because I don't think there's anything abnormal about being ADHD and I The gene that we think is responsible for it has actually been positively selected throughout all of human history.

There's this one really interesting modeling that the NIH did, where they showed that early human groups who had a small number of people with ADHD characteristics, That was actually critical for group survival. so yeah, so anyway, going back to what you're saying neurotypical, the folks who aren't part of our communities.

And then neurodivergent is the word for folks who are on the autism spectrum, people with ADHD, things like that.

Jeffrey Feldberg: Got it. Okay. But what I'm hearing you say is even for the neurotypical person under stress, [00:21:00] they can then really fall apart and have some of the same challenges. That's someone who would be clinically diagnosed with ADHD. And so my takeaway from that is, it's not just for people who have ADHD. When you put some of these policies, cultures in place, it's really for everyone because let's face it, it feels more stressful today than it was last year or five years ago or 10 years ago.

So it sounds like there's really something in it for everyone when it comes to putting some of these best practices in place.

Elle O'Flaherty: Absolutely. Yeah. Find me someone these days who isn't under stress. But yeah, it benefits everyone and it makes things just go more smoothly. It can actually help with stress reduction and feeling like people have more control over their day once they put some of these tools in place. So yeah, I often tell people that, but once they experience it it's pretty amazing.

Jeffrey Feldberg: And so my next question, you would be completely correct to say, well, Jeffrey. Every company's different. Every person is different. It's all really circumstantial, but I'll ask the question anyways. [00:22:00] When you look at some of the tools that really make a difference for the culture, for the business to alleviate that stress, or someone who thinks a little bit differently, or ADHD, not ADHD, if you looked at maybe one or two of those tools that 80 percent of the time really make a big impact, what would some examples of that be?

What would those tools be that we can think about?

Elle O'Flaherty: So, yes, you're absolutely right that because we have interest based brains, it's different what people latch onto as far as tools, but in a very general sense. Some of the big things that have an impact are encouraging companies to have more flexible job descriptions. So whereas it used to be much more flexible, someone can start in the mail room, move their way up.

They could have different jobs. These days, we tend to, if we hire someone in marketing, you're a marketing person and that's where you live. Encouraging companies to have a little bit more leeway, and to let people ask to work on different projects, or to experience different sides of things, and eventually perhaps [00:23:00] move towards their interest.

That is a huge change that can very much help ADHD people, but frankly, everyone who wants to grow and learn in their job. That's sort of on a macro scale. On a micro scale, quite a bit of the tools that we give people as far as. Externalizing their brain and their memory, so things like putting in place routines that are, they don't have to remember, they can just fire up an app or there are many different ways to do this, putting routines in place putting creating their calendars and their to do lists in certain ways that work for certain brain types.

That can make a huge jump in productivity and also in feeling like they've accomplished what they wanted to accomplish at the end of the day. Which, I've noticed for both ADHD and neurotypical people, these days, most people feel like they are never done. So at the end of the day, their to do list still has things on it, they aren't able to shut off their workday and move into [00:24:00] their personal life, and I think that is really draining and leading to burnout, so that is something that I always like to focus on as well.

Jeffrey Feldberg: Wow,Elle, there's a lot there to unpack. I really like what I'm hearing. And so for starters, they would seem really in opposite directions because on the one hand, you're saying, okay, I have your job descriptions, have your areas of responsibility, flexible, not rigid, that there's a little bit of openness, you can cross some lines here, experiments, see where that goes, but then on the other hand.

Where rigidity probably is a good thing, routines, when we start, when we end, when we're no longer answering emails or even getting emails. And at first blush, it would seem that the two really are at opposite ends. But as you're talking through that, as you're explaining it, it really isn't. And what I like about this, it goes back to culture.

And so here at Deep Wealth in our nine step roadmap, step two X Factors, this is what really can make or break a company. Culture is one of the X Factors, one of the number one X Factors, because Your [00:25:00] competition with all their money, all their experience, they can copy most of what we do. But money cannot copy culture.

And so what I like about this is if I have someone who's really talented, they have this ADHD kind of thinking, or they're going in these different directions. But if I give them the flexibility, well, they may stumble upon the next market disruption that will put us out of business into a bigger business, but at the same time, for the staff to not overwhelm them.

And it's interesting. I was just reading, I don't like naming names, but one of the most valuable companies in the world today, they're a titan of business. They, when they are hiring people now. They're saying, you know what, in some instances, we don't want you to have a college degree because we're going to have to untrain you on everything.

We want you to come at this with an open mind. We're going to train you what to do and what that looks like. And then we hear stories of other companies, very successful, it's frowned upon if emails are sent over the weekend or in the evenings, because it just creates burning the candle at both ends. And at Deep Wealth, we're all about that because our [00:26:00] health is really our first wealth.

That's where it starts. That's where it begins. That's really where it's ending. And so what you're talking about here is a rich, a vibrant culture, regardless of where you are on that thinking spectrum, this can make a huge difference for everyone. Would love some more thoughts on that.

Elle O'Flaherty: I could not agree with you more. Absolutely. Especially when, if we look at an individual that we hire, not just as they're filling, they're solving this problem for this individual job, but if we look at them as a yes and, so yes, maybe they're working in marketing and they happen to come up with this great innovation that is the next big thing that's going to grow our company.

Giving the space for people to do that, both in their job, and also giving them time to think, because ADHD people especially are the kind that when they're walking the dog, they might come up with, the next great cell phone, or whatever. So allowing people the time to have creative thought.

And be able [00:27:00] to turn off, the urgency of every day to day things is so critical, I think. And if you're looking for innovators and people who will come up with the most creative answer that you would never have thought of or questioned These are the ADHD people in our community.

That's just the way our brains work. And so, yeah, I think that we are really losing something in the way that people are doing business these days by clipping people's wings, trying to keep them in a little job description box. And also by. Pushing people to the brink where they don't have time to be creative and they don't have time to celebrate their wins of doing a good job, savoring that, and then moving on to the next thing.

So, yeah, I absolutely agree with you.

Jeffrey Feldberg: AndElle, as you're talking about this, is there a particular story that you can share with us of a client you were working with where someone was having some real challenges, the future was uncertain or even murky looking, and then you come [00:28:00] in with your coaching, with your techniques, or the team with their techniques and the strategies, and it turned around.

Anything that you can share with us?

Elle O'Flaherty: Absolutely. I was working with a founder. And the C suite team, and they were having trouble communicating because as many of us do with ADHD, we think quickly, we talk quickly, and we express our ideas quickly. And so this founder was moving on to different ideas quickly before people could really catch on.

They were having trouble getting this person's attention for the day to day things and to, it was just kind of disjointed. So we came in and worked with the team. We first explained how the ADHD person's brain is working, which is often really illuminating for other people. We got them the support they needed in the form of an excellent executive assistant, which is pretty critical for a lot of high level ADHD people, so that we could remove some of the, nitty gritty kind of admin things out of this person's [00:29:00] time, and they could focus more on the big ideas and the things that were going to make a difference.

At the same time, we identified what was absolutely crucial for everyone else in the C suite to make sure that communication was happening, that the founder understood why it was important, and that we were getting things flowing better. And as a result they were able to grab onto new ideas that did end up hugely growing their business.

the ADHD person was able to communicate them in a way that made sense to other people. They were able to focus on it enough and follow through so that they could get it to a point where they could hand it off. And it is just recognizing strengths, right? This person was the big ideas.

This person was not the implementer. So expecting them to be the big ideas and the implementer was really hindering what this company could do. And I see that all the time. I see the expectations that are different for what this person should be versus where their strengths lie. This is Super high level matching talent to task, and it's really, it's absolutely critical.

Jeffrey Feldberg: And [00:30:00] so,Elle, what does it look like? So when it's you or the team, you're coming into my company, as an example, we've had that preliminary discussion and we both feel, okay, yes, there's some areas here that we could have some help with, take us to the next level. What does your process look like in terms of what you're doing?

How long does that take?

Elle O'Flaherty: Great question. So it depends on who we're working with. At the executive levels, we tend to have some initial meetings, we really want to understand what's going on. We don't go in saying this is the solution, because first we really need to understand what's going on and why, and how things working out.

Then we usually do some education around ADHD and how those brains work. And then we typically try things. I really encourage the, our clients to think of it like a science experiment. I can't tell you what's going to grab your brain's interest, but by noticing what does and doesn't, we're gathering data, and we're building a structure that works for that person and that organization.

So we [00:31:00] follow their lead as far as the changes that they want to and are willing to make. But it's much more about Connecting with individuals, that one on one coaching is really critical. And usually You know, Rome wasn't built in a day, and we're often unlearning all the things we learned, we were taught by neurotypical people and unlearning all the negative messages that we get about ourselves as ADHD people.

So I will say that one on one coaching typically is six to nine months. Many of our clients kind of keep us around for monthly tune ups, things like that. But our goal here is to have lasting change. And so be that a company culture, be that for individual folks within the company. So yeah we Like to be part of that change and to really help people figure out their brain and what's going to work for them.

Jeffrey Feldberg: And with ADHD in the popular media, maybe it's right. Maybe it's not right. You'll shed some light on that with us. I've seen all different kinds of [00:32:00] things of how to best deal with ADHD on the one spectrum. Take these medications. That's a whole other conversation and perhaps one that we'd like to avoid if possible.

But I've also heard, well, hey, you know what? If you stick to a certain kind of diet, not in terms of losing weight per se, but what you eat and what you don't eat, that can really help make a difference. Is that fact? Is that fiction? Where are we on that scale? What can we do to actually help with ADHD to make sure that physically we're at the optimal place?

Elle O'Flaherty: Great question. Important questions. And don't get me started on the media, Jeffrey, because they kill me with how ADHD is portrayed. But as far as the treatment goes medication is certainly a personal decision. I will say that it's effective for about 80 percent of people but certainly a personal choice.

The after medication, the gold standard for treatment is ADHD coaching, which most people don't know. Diet and exercise. Very important, exercise is great for people with ADHD, great for everyone, right? But very [00:33:00] important diet, although not my area of expertise, they are coming out with studies that show things like magnesium, iron, B vitamins, things like that can be influential to ADHD brains and important, and so I encourage you all to check that out.

I will say, though, that coaching is the most practical and tangible. thing that you can do for ADHD. And it's really interesting. Most people in the past would get diagnosed by a mental health professional and maybe get medication from them. Maybe they talked to a therapist. There was this gap of connecting people to where they are and where they want to be and the practical tools and things that they need to make practical changes to work with their brain.

No one taught them that. And so that's really where we come in and we, highly practical, as you can guess, because I'm a former litigator, that's my happy place. But yeah, it's really, after medication, it's really a critical component for any ADHD person.

Jeffrey Feldberg: And now there's an old saying that [00:34:00] perception is reality. And let's change that perception because you're right. With the media, with what we're seeing out there, there's such a negative connotation with ADHD. It's almost like the plague. So from your perspective, from your world, where you've been, where you're going, what you've seen, what's the actual narrative?

For someone who has ADHD or they know someone who has ADHD What's the actual narrative, the right narrative that they should be thinking in their mind, the story that we're telling ourselves and what we believe. What does that sound like?

Elle O'Flaherty: Such a great question. Let me tell you about the superpowers to answer that question. So we've already talked about this huge creativity and innovation, innovative thinking. We also tend to be extremely empathetic. And we notice other people's needs. We tend to be really funny. And so there's a reason why a lot of comedians are from our community.

We also tend to be the people who are at the leading edge. So if you're looking for someone who is coming up with the next great thing, that's us. The story [00:35:00] about us and so I encourage people to think of ADHD folks as searching for their right setting. And I tell adults this, I encourage parents to think of it this way, you will see this spark of genius and magic when you get an ADHD person in the right setting.

And so you can't expect us to perform or act like neurotypical folks are, because our, there are four regions of our brain that are physically different. And also the way that we take up chemicals, a couple of other are different also. And so we're just a different kind of person. But what you can expect when you get us in something that catches our attention, there's really no stopping us.

And so in a professional setting, that is what we're really trying to do to catch that magic, to get people into the right setting with people who understand how to work with them. And then it's just, it's, we're unstoppable.

Jeffrey Feldberg: As you're sharing that, what I'm reminded of in preparing for this talk with you today, in doing a little bit of research, the name that kept on coming up again and again, a very topical name, [00:36:00] someone who's more from our generation, Steve Jobs. And Steve Jobs, we all know what he did and what he's done and his legacy.

And the one theme that came up with Steve Jobs, and he created all these market disruptions Created today one of the most valuable companies in the world, changed life as we know it. They're saying whether he's formally diagnosed with ADHD or not, it doesn't matter. He exhibited the characteristics and he was smart enough to know that, hey, I'm not great in these areas, to your point,Elle, I'm not really a detailed person.

But he surrounded himself with the best people to do all the things that he wasn't great in. And in this way, his superpowers shone through. He got to do what he got to do because he had the other people around him to do what he didn't want to do. And it sounds simple, easier said than done, but I would imagine when we could do that, when we can unlock that, put that into the culture, what a difference that could make.

Elle O'Flaherty: Oh, yeah, absolutely. And showing appreciation for it, right? When, when Steve Jobs was doing his thing, people weren't saying, oh, geez, you're really not filling out your time sheet, [00:37:00] right? What's going on there, right? Instead, they're saying, wow, this idea for the iPhone, there's something there and recognizing the contributions and supporting that.

Yeah, absolutely. And you'll find people at the top of their class in so many areas, some of the best litigators, as I said, because we are, many of us, natural performers, and we are fast on our feet, and can really, because we're empathetic, we can connect with people. So, Yeah, if we are given the right support, it's amazing, and that's really what I'm advocating for here, right?

I'm not saying that you're, anyone who is ADHD doesn't need to get some of these things done, they don't need to perform, what I'm saying is, How to support them so that they are your superstars. And if you could turn 10 percent of your company into absolute rock stars who have these amazing and brilliant ideas, I can't imagine someone who would say no to that.

Jeffrey Feldberg: And so I really, my takeaway as we're talking, you, your company, your team, your coaching, your system. [00:38:00] It's really enabling, it's enabling me and my company to create a culture that can get the best out of people, regardless of where they are, what label they have, what label they don't have, how they think or how they don't think, but to really put systems in place that help lower the stress, get the best out of my people, get that creativity going to create that market disruption or that next big service or product that's going to make a huge difference in our company, in the lives of our customers, the lives of the marketplace.

But we have to start somewhere. And here you are offering a system, some resources, a tried and true method of getting the best out of everyone. How am I doing with that?

Elle O'Flaherty: That's exactly right. And we, our company ethos is we approach things with positivity. So we're also a shot in the arm of. Changing a culture or adding on to a culture to approach people with positivity and to have people thinking of yes and instead of, Sort of a focusing [00:39:00] on what's negative.

And so, I've just found that ADHD people, but probably everybody, right? When you come at them with a positive and thinking about, okay, how can we grow? How can we lift you up? It's just such a difference. But yeah, we offer a plug and play solution, which is Very much new to the marketplace for how to work with ADHD or anyone in companies to help them be more productive.

And yeah, it's just, it's really neat to see the difference in how people feel about themselves and how they're contributing after we work with them.

Jeffrey Feldberg: And now, regardless of the type of company I am or what industry I'm in, what you're talking about here, their best practices, it sounds like it's really industry agnostic. I could be a startup. I could be in business for 50 years or hundreds of years. It doesn't make a difference. Manufacturing, high tech, low tech, SaaS.

It doesn't make a difference. This is really a plug and play regardless of where I am.

Elle O'Flaherty: Absolutely, yep, that's exactly right, because we're looking at the individual and not the industry, so , we work with every kind of industry you can think of, [00:40:00] next week I'm going to speak at the National Pavement Expo, so we work with everyone.

Jeffrey Feldberg: Terrific. Well, let me ask you this before we go into wrap up mode. Is there a question that I didn't ask or a topic we haven't covered, or even a message that you'd like to get out there for our audience

Elle O'Flaherty: Yes, absolutely. Most people that I've ever talked to know someone who has ADHD, and many of them, especially if they're a relative or, a loved one, have felt this frustration with understanding either themselves or the person who has ADHD. I would say that there is so much hope once you're able to understand how to work with your brain or with someone you know's brain.

Everything can change. And I find that a lot of people in our community and around our community fall into this hopelessness because they keep essentially trying to do things the way they've been taught by neurotypical people. So just spreading the message of life can be so much easier and so much more [00:41:00] enjoyable when you work with your brain instead of against it.

Jeffrey Feldberg: that would a terrific message. And actually it's a great segue to our wrap up question. It's a fun question. It's a tradition here in the Deep Wealth Podcast that I get to ask every guest. So let me set this up for you, Al. When you think of the movie Back to the Future, you have that magical DeLorean car that will take you to any point in time.

So the fun part is, tomorrow morning, you look outside your window, not only is the DeLorean car there, the door is open, it's waiting for you to hop on in, which you do, and you're now gonna go back to any point in time.Elle, as a young child, a teenager, whatever point in time it would be, what would you tell your younger self, in terms of life lessons or life wisdom, or, hey,Elle, do this, but don't do that?

What would that sound like?

Elle O'Flaherty: Oh my gosh, what a great question. I would go back to middle school me. Middle school's always a little rough for all of us, right? And I would deliver two messages. First, it's not that serious. For so much of my life, I spent way too much time worrying about things. And it's not that serious.

Most of the things I worried about never [00:42:00] came to pass. And the things that did come, I was far stronger than I ever thought I could be with handling them and bouncing back. The second thing I would say is you want to accomplish and do things. There's nothing wrong with you, you have good intentions.

Your ADHD brain is making it difficult and that is separate from your intentions. So you are not lazy or procrastination or whatever it might be, the ADHD is making things harder and that is something that we can work on. So overall, I think my message would be more serenity and self acceptance.

And less self judgment and fear.

Jeffrey Feldberg: Powerful message. It's not that serious. Accept yourself. Understand who you are and you have this hidden superpower that perhaps you just heard the wrong narrative your entire life, but now's a new day and new narrative, new beginnings. I really like that. And let me ask you this before we wrap things up, if a listener [00:43:00] wants to get in touch with you or they have some questions or even, hey,Elle, why don't you come on into the company and start working with us, start coaching us, where's the best place online they can find you?

Elle O'Flaherty: My website is www. interlacesolutions. com and that's I N T E R L A C E, just like the art form. You can also shoot me an email at E L E at interlacesolutions. com I'm very creative with my email address, as you can tell. I am a huge advocate for this community. I've been working on, outreach, I've been working on the way neurotypical people see us, some policy and legislative things, anything I can do to help our community.

Be it, if I can come into a company and help folks there or if someone has an individual question, I would absolutely love if they would reach out. So please feel free to.

Jeffrey Feldberg: Terrific. And for our listeners, as always, it's in the show notes. It doesn't get any easier. It's a point and click. And takeElleup on her offer. My [00:44:00] goodness. She gave her email. Reach out to her and get some insights. Well,Elle, it's official. Congratulations. This is a wrap. And as we love to say here at Deep Wealth, may you continue to thrive and prosper while you remain healthy and safe.

Thank you so much.

Elle O'Flaherty: Thank you, Jeffrey. It was a real pleasure.

Jeffrey Feldberg: So there you have it, Deep Wealth Nation. What did you think? So with all that said and as we wrap it up, I have another question for you.

Actually, it's more of a personal favor. Did you find this episode helpful? Have you found other episodes of the Deep Wealth Podcast empowering and a game changer for your journey? And if you said yes, and I really hope you did, I have a small but really meaningful way that you can actually help us out and keep these episodes coming to you.

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So all that said. [00:46:00] Thank you so much for listening. And remember your wealth isn't just about the money in the bank. It's about the depth of your journey and the impact that you're creating. So let's continue this journey together. And from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for listening to this episode.

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