Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) are terms familiar to most and are usually ascribed to children. Yet, many adults, particularly those in their late 30s and older, may suffer from one of these disorders and not even know it. ADD and ADHD were not widely studied, discussed, debated, and diagnosed until the 1990s, long after many adults were out of the school system.
For adults with ADHD, the workplace can be stressful and challenging. “If these challenges are not recognized and coping strategies not developed, people with ADHD may find themselves jumping from job to job, being terminated, and becoming increasingly frustrated and unhappy” wrote psychologist Janet Frank.
In the workplace, ADHD adults may encounter “ADHD traps” such as distractibility, impulsivity, boredom, time management and organization problems, procrastination, difficulty with long-term projects, and interpersonal difficulties.
Dr. Edward Hallowell, founder of The Hallowell Center, writes that “external structure” is key. He suggests using lists, color-coding reminders, and notes to self. “Prioritize. Avoid procrastination. When things get busy, the adult ADHD person loses perspective. . . . Take a deep breath. Put first things first. Procrastination is one of the hallmarks of adult ADHD.”
Dr. Hallowell writes a blog where he offers suggestions, tips, and techniques for understanding and dealing with ADD and ADHD. Most of all, he wants people to remember that “treatment of adult ADHD begins with hope.”
Adults with ADD and ADHD may have legal protections under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 which prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities in higher education and the workplace. Some state laws may go further than these federal laws in prohibiting discrimination. Check with your state government or an attorney who practices in your jurisdiction to determine your rights under state law and federal laws.
(Originally posted to KidsTerrain.com)
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Workplace Bullying: The Silent Epidemic
Workplace bullying refers to persistent aggressive or unreasonable actions of a person (or group of people) towards an employee (or group of employees). Bullying behavior is that which intimidates, degrades, offends, or humiliates a worker. The behavior may be inflicted verbally, nonverbally, psychologically, or physically.
The Workplace Bullying Institute* just released its Labor Day 2008 Survey “How Employers & Co-Workers Respond to Workplace Bullying.”
The WBI study surveyed two separate 400-person respondent groups. The participants visited the WBI web site and completed one or both of the surveys, asking about either their employers’ responses to bullying, or asking what co-workers did.
The question posed: At work, have you experienced any or all of the following types of repeated mistreatment: sabotage by others that prevented work from getting done, verbal abuse, threatening conduct, intimidation or humiliation?
I found the results to be astounding.
Question: When the employer was told about the bullying, what did the employer do?
* 1.7% - conducted fair investigation and protected target from further bullying with negative consequences for the bully
* 6.2% - conducted fair investigation with negative consequences for the bully but no safety for the target
* 8.7% - inadequate/unfair investigation; no consequences for bully or target
* 31% - inadequate/unfair investigation; no consequences for bully but target was retaliated against
* 12.8% - employer did nothing, ignored the complaint; no consequences for bully or target
* 15.7%- employer did nothing; target was retaliated against for reporting the bullying but kept job
* 24% - employer did nothing; target was retaliated against and eventually lost job
Bullied workers reported that a majority of employers (53%) did nothing to stop the mistreatment when reported and many (in 71% of cases) retaliated against the person who dared to report it.
In 40% of cases, targets considered the employer’s “investigation” to be inadequate or unfair with less than 2% of investigations described as fair and safe for the bullied person. Filing complaints led to retaliation by employers of bullied targets leading to lost jobs (24%). Alleged bullies were punished in only 6.2% of cases; bullying is done with impunity.
When asked: Bully’s rank relative to the targeted person:
7.6% Bully ranked lower than the targeted individual
18.7% Bully was a co-worker, colleague, a peer of the targeted individual
73.6% Bully ranked above the target by one or more levels in the organization
Additional facts from the Employers’ Response study:
* 95% of respondents were self-described targets of bullying (past or current)
* 59% of the bullies were women; 80% of targets were women
* 74% Bully enlisted others sometimes or always; 26% Bully worked alone
For more information on workplace bullying, visit our resources page “Let’s Talk About…”™ and view our webinar, Bullying In the Workplace.
*© 2008, Workplace Bullying Institute, bullyinginstitute.org
(Originally posted to KidsTerrain.com)
The Workplace Bullying Institute* just released its Labor Day 2008 Survey “How Employers & Co-Workers Respond to Workplace Bullying.”
The WBI study surveyed two separate 400-person respondent groups. The participants visited the WBI web site and completed one or both of the surveys, asking about either their employers’ responses to bullying, or asking what co-workers did.
The question posed: At work, have you experienced any or all of the following types of repeated mistreatment: sabotage by others that prevented work from getting done, verbal abuse, threatening conduct, intimidation or humiliation?
I found the results to be astounding.
Question: When the employer was told about the bullying, what did the employer do?
* 1.7% - conducted fair investigation and protected target from further bullying with negative consequences for the bully
* 6.2% - conducted fair investigation with negative consequences for the bully but no safety for the target
* 8.7% - inadequate/unfair investigation; no consequences for bully or target
* 31% - inadequate/unfair investigation; no consequences for bully but target was retaliated against
* 12.8% - employer did nothing, ignored the complaint; no consequences for bully or target
* 15.7%- employer did nothing; target was retaliated against for reporting the bullying but kept job
* 24% - employer did nothing; target was retaliated against and eventually lost job
Bullied workers reported that a majority of employers (53%) did nothing to stop the mistreatment when reported and many (in 71% of cases) retaliated against the person who dared to report it.
In 40% of cases, targets considered the employer’s “investigation” to be inadequate or unfair with less than 2% of investigations described as fair and safe for the bullied person. Filing complaints led to retaliation by employers of bullied targets leading to lost jobs (24%). Alleged bullies were punished in only 6.2% of cases; bullying is done with impunity.
When asked: Bully’s rank relative to the targeted person:
7.6% Bully ranked lower than the targeted individual
18.7% Bully was a co-worker, colleague, a peer of the targeted individual
73.6% Bully ranked above the target by one or more levels in the organization
Additional facts from the Employers’ Response study:
* 95% of respondents were self-described targets of bullying (past or current)
* 59% of the bullies were women; 80% of targets were women
* 74% Bully enlisted others sometimes or always; 26% Bully worked alone
For more information on workplace bullying, visit our resources page “Let’s Talk About…”™ and view our webinar, Bullying In the Workplace.
*© 2008, Workplace Bullying Institute, bullyinginstitute.org
(Originally posted to KidsTerrain.com)
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Out Of The Mouths Of Babes...
On Saturday August 30, three years and two days after hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, I saw a segment on Good Morning America about an extraordinary 3rd grade art project at a New Orleans elementary school. The children were asked to create two boxes—one filled with memories from the storm that changed their lives; the second to contain their hopes, wishes, and dreams for the future.
For these children, the memories of Katrina are still palpable. This was never more evident to me than in these words from 9-year-old Rodney Green.
"People are still suffering from the storm. People still don't have houses, food, and water. And people don't have enough money to afford it because of the storm. People are still struggling. Katrina never left," he said. "The water may have gone, but she never left.
As the powerful winds and rain of Gustav head towards these same shores, the resiliency of the men, women and children of this battered region will once again be pushed to extraordinary limits. People will suffer from yet another storm. Homes, many just recently rebuilt, and houses in the final stages of becoming homes, stand on the precipice of disaster.
The water may have gone, but she never left. And now Gustav is about to join his sister.
(Originally posted to KidsTerrain.)
For these children, the memories of Katrina are still palpable. This was never more evident to me than in these words from 9-year-old Rodney Green.
"People are still suffering from the storm. People still don't have houses, food, and water. And people don't have enough money to afford it because of the storm. People are still struggling. Katrina never left," he said. "The water may have gone, but she never left.
As the powerful winds and rain of Gustav head towards these same shores, the resiliency of the men, women and children of this battered region will once again be pushed to extraordinary limits. People will suffer from yet another storm. Homes, many just recently rebuilt, and houses in the final stages of becoming homes, stand on the precipice of disaster.
The water may have gone, but she never left. And now Gustav is about to join his sister.
(Originally posted to KidsTerrain.)
Just What We Need, More Hubris (Dear John McCain...)
To: John McCain:
I'd like to submit my qualifications for Chief of Staff. (Actually, I've more executive experience than Sarah, but she's already nabbed the VP nomination). But if Sarah truly believes she is qualified to be a heartbeat away from the presidency, she just may need me there in the wings as her Chief of Staff.
Here's a comparison of our résumés for your convenience:
Sarah Palin: Governor of Alaska for 18 months; mayor of Wasilla, pop. 5,470 (2000 census), BA Journalism; won the Miss Wasilla beauty contest (age 20), some sort of executive business experience, member NRA.
Rita Schiano: Owner Rita Schiano Freelance Writing/Editing; Owner The Reed Edwards Company; current Director of Communications KidsTerrain, Inc.; Owner/manager/chef Casual Cafe* restaurant (1989-2000); Vice President of Book Operations Executive Enterprises Publications Co. Inc (New York); past President and Vice President of BNI-Sturbridge, past Vice President Woman in Business; BA Philosophy; MA course work Miami University; Miss Teenage America pageant (took top 13 year old, Miss Central New York; member Rotary International District 7910; member Woman in Business; member Business Network International (Sturbridge Business Builders); member ASCAP
Sarah's belief in herself to be qualified for VP (and possibly the presidency) has inspired me to look deep within and find the hubris needed to throw my name in the running for Chief of Staff.
* 26% Close in first year; 61% close after 3 years...we were in business 11 years before pulling a "Seinfeld" -- going out while on top of the game.
I'd like to submit my qualifications for Chief of Staff. (Actually, I've more executive experience than Sarah, but she's already nabbed the VP nomination). But if Sarah truly believes she is qualified to be a heartbeat away from the presidency, she just may need me there in the wings as her Chief of Staff.
Here's a comparison of our résumés for your convenience:
Sarah Palin: Governor of Alaska for 18 months; mayor of Wasilla, pop. 5,470 (2000 census), BA Journalism; won the Miss Wasilla beauty contest (age 20), some sort of executive business experience, member NRA.
Rita Schiano: Owner Rita Schiano Freelance Writing/Editing; Owner The Reed Edwards Company; current Director of Communications KidsTerrain, Inc.; Owner/manager/chef Casual Cafe* restaurant (1989-2000); Vice President of Book Operations Executive Enterprises Publications Co. Inc (New York); past President and Vice President of BNI-Sturbridge, past Vice President Woman in Business; BA Philosophy; MA course work Miami University; Miss Teenage America pageant (took top 13 year old, Miss Central New York; member Rotary International District 7910; member Woman in Business; member Business Network International (Sturbridge Business Builders); member ASCAP
Sarah's belief in herself to be qualified for VP (and possibly the presidency) has inspired me to look deep within and find the hubris needed to throw my name in the running for Chief of Staff.
* 26% Close in first year; 61% close after 3 years...we were in business 11 years before pulling a "Seinfeld" -- going out while on top of the game.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
It Gets More and More Insane....
On the news today I heard that the Iraqi government will have a budget surplus of $79 billion dollars this year. Does anyone else out there see the insanity of this? Our national debt has increased an average of $1.80 billion per day since September 2007. To date, the Pentagon tags the cost of the Iraq war at roughly $600 billion and counting. And Iraq has a $79 billion dollar surplus?
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
S'plain It To Me, Lucy
How come those folks who use the "Never send a boy (read Obama) to do a man's (read McCain) job" have no problem sending boys to war?
Friday, July 25, 2008
A Cruel and Needless Death…
As this story continues to be in the news, I decided to share my thoughts on this as posted originally for KidsTerrain's Expert Blog Series last November...
I’ve been mulling over this topic for several days now, trying to wrap my mind and emotions around this horrific story. It is sad enough when a child feels so despondent that the only alternative is to take one’s life. But, in the case of Megan Meier, knowing that a parent…a neighbor who lived just four houses down from the child…played a part in this child’s death overwhelms me.
Megan’s parents were not neglectful; they did not allow their daughter unfettered access to MySpace. According to journalist Steve Pokin of the St. Charles Journal, Megan’s mother monitored quite closely whom her daughter added as a friend to her MySpace page.
The cyber-friend was ‘Josh Evans,’ a sixteen-year-old, good-looking boy (a fake photo) who claimed to live nearby and who was home-schooled. With her mother’s permission, Megan began on online friendship with ‘Josh.’ Once Megan’s trust was gained, the contact from ‘Josh’ grew nasty and vile. ‘He’ posted comments such as, “Megan Meier is a slut.”
The truth of this story may never have been known had another parent—who learned of the phony account from her own daughter who had access to the ‘Josh’ profile—not told Megan’s parents about the hoax several weeks after Megan’s death.
What sticks in my craw, not only in this case, but in the virtually unrestrained world of cyberspace, is how, once again, the law is not protecting our children. The woman who created ‘Josh Evans’ phony profile has not been charged with a crime. She allegedly told the St. Charles County Sheriff’s Department she “created Josh’s profile” to gain Megan’s confidence and find out what Megan was saying about her own child online.
There is no law on the books to hold the neighbor-parent responsible for her actions. And it has taken nearly a year for the Megan Meier story to hit the national and international news. Megan’s parents are now leading the charge to create more legal safeguards for children on the Internet.
Incidents of cyber-bullying seem to be growing exponentially. For parents and teachers, dealing with child bullies is tough enough. But when the bullying of a child is done by an adult—a neighbor, a child’s friend’s parent—it’s enough to make me want to throw the right to privacy out with the bath water.
(Posted originally on 11/29/07 for KidsTerrain)
I’ve been mulling over this topic for several days now, trying to wrap my mind and emotions around this horrific story. It is sad enough when a child feels so despondent that the only alternative is to take one’s life. But, in the case of Megan Meier, knowing that a parent…a neighbor who lived just four houses down from the child…played a part in this child’s death overwhelms me.
Megan’s parents were not neglectful; they did not allow their daughter unfettered access to MySpace. According to journalist Steve Pokin of the St. Charles Journal, Megan’s mother monitored quite closely whom her daughter added as a friend to her MySpace page.
The cyber-friend was ‘Josh Evans,’ a sixteen-year-old, good-looking boy (a fake photo) who claimed to live nearby and who was home-schooled. With her mother’s permission, Megan began on online friendship with ‘Josh.’ Once Megan’s trust was gained, the contact from ‘Josh’ grew nasty and vile. ‘He’ posted comments such as, “Megan Meier is a slut.”
The truth of this story may never have been known had another parent—who learned of the phony account from her own daughter who had access to the ‘Josh’ profile—not told Megan’s parents about the hoax several weeks after Megan’s death.
What sticks in my craw, not only in this case, but in the virtually unrestrained world of cyberspace, is how, once again, the law is not protecting our children. The woman who created ‘Josh Evans’ phony profile has not been charged with a crime. She allegedly told the St. Charles County Sheriff’s Department she “created Josh’s profile” to gain Megan’s confidence and find out what Megan was saying about her own child online.
There is no law on the books to hold the neighbor-parent responsible for her actions. And it has taken nearly a year for the Megan Meier story to hit the national and international news. Megan’s parents are now leading the charge to create more legal safeguards for children on the Internet.
Incidents of cyber-bullying seem to be growing exponentially. For parents and teachers, dealing with child bullies is tough enough. But when the bullying of a child is done by an adult—a neighbor, a child’s friend’s parent—it’s enough to make me want to throw the right to privacy out with the bath water.
(Posted originally on 11/29/07 for KidsTerrain)
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