Lead With Curiosity - ADHDifference

Designing Work & Life Around Real Brains

So much of life with ADHD is shaped by assumption. Assumption that productivity looks one way. Assumption that focus should be constant.
Assumption that distraction equals laziness.

Kit Slocum invites us to replace assumption with curiosity.

Not: “Why can’t you just concentrate?” But: “What helps you concentrate?”

Not: “What’s wrong with me?” But: “What’s happening for me right now?”

“There’s so much power in opening up conversations and dialogue with the people that you work with… How do we all communicate best? How do we prefer to work? What are your types of energy levels?”
— Kit Slocum, ADHDifference

Curiosity doesn’t excuse behaviour, it explains it. And once we understand what’s actually going on with regulation, energy, sensory load and capacity, we can design support instead of shame.

Why It Works

When we lead with curiosity, we gather data instead of criticism:

What conditions help me focus?
What environments overwhelm me?
When is my energy strongest?
What shuts me down?

Curiosity activates problem-solving. Judgement activates threat. And ADHD brains don’t perform well under threat.

The Neural Passport

Kit reminds us of the Neural Passport concept – a living document that outlines how your brain works best.

Think of it as a personal user manual. Not a diagnosis summary nor a list of weaknesses, but a clear description of:

Optimal working conditions
Sensory sensitivities
Energy patterns
Communication preferences
What helps when overwhelmed
What makes things worse

Instead of explaining yourself repeatedly, you can share your Neural Passport with a manager, colleague, partner, or teacher.

Curiosity becomes clarity and clarity becomes access. This shifts ADHD from something to defend to something to design around.

When to Use It

Lead with curiosity and build your Neural Passport when:

You feel misunderstood at work
You’re entering a new environment
You keep hitting the same friction points
You want to advocate without oversharing
You’re tired of reacting instead of designing

This is especially powerful in leadership and team settings.

How to Practice It

Start with Self-Curiosity: For one week, observe without judgement. What helps? What drains?
Write It Down: Create a one-page Neural Passport. Keep it practical and specific.

Example prompts: “I focus best when…” “I struggle most when…” “If I seem distracted, it usually means…” “When overwhelmed, it helps if…”
Share Selectively: You choose who sees it. It’s a tool for collaboration, not disclosure pressure.
Update It: Your brain evolves. Your passport should too.

The Science Behind It

ADHD is strongly associated with executive function differences, including challenges in inhibition, working memory, and self-regulation. Research shows performance in ADHD is highly context-dependent meaning environment and emotional safety significantly influence functioning.

When individuals experience criticism or ambiguity, stress increases and executive function decreases. Conversely, psychological safety and collaborative clarity improve engagement and persistence.

A Neural Passport operationalises that insight — turning self-knowledge into structured support.