My husband has a coworker, who he also supervises, who is most likely LD. (Her daughter was in a special LD school and our son is LD so much sounds familiar). She is very competent technically but has attracted negative attention because she isn’t very efficient. My own read on it is she lacks “executive functioning” type skills. She doesn’t think ahead, plan, prioritize, and stay on track. Instead, she responds to the latest interuption (leaving office to go on site visit) rather than tending to the most critical time pressing concern. It is a city government office and so things not done can attract political attention and she has.
My husband wants to help her and have the office run more efficiently. He has implemented several things. He has got her some “block time” where she isn’t to be interupted and use of a conference room. I suggested that he explicitly teach her the rules of thumb he uses to prioritize work since she obviously doesn’t do so in the most efficient and political necessary way. (The work involves site approvals for developers so if they don’t get things in a timely matter they have the power to make quite a stink.)
My husband has also helped her with her workload but can’t really do that on a regular basis since he has more than enough of his work and people on high who will notice (he has already been critisized for doing so.)
She has been at this job for about a year, my husband for six months. She came from a similar job in another city where she had some difficulties also (quit before she got fired). My husband switched jobs because of his impossible boss and says the current one (who is checking up on her) is quite fair. My husband supervises her and one other employee but supervision is only one part of his job.
Any other ideas?
Beth
Re: LDcoworker
I don’t think she identifies as being LD, although family history and the things my husband has observed suggest it is the case. He said that she just doesn’t write or process information quickly.She is aware that her performance isn’t up to snuff—confessed to my husband that she is afraid she will get fired. He was expressing his bewilderment at how she manages her time and I told him she may just respond to the immediate crisis and not have the executive functioning skills the job really required. I thought perhaps she could be taught decision rules.
I was just wondering if any adults with LD had things that had done to make their planning/time management skills better that my husband could suggest to her. Sometimes it is hard for those for whom such things are second nature to know how to help others, despite good intentions. He really doesn’t want to lose her—said she is better than him technically—but her inefficiencies have caught notice of higher ups.
I think there are some mismatches between the demands of the job—choatic, high pressured, high visibility of errors, delays, and her skills. I think she would be able to do her job just fine in a different kind of place.
Beth
Re: LDcoworker
Hi Beth,
I can understand why this woman does what she does because I used to do that. Because you fear you’re going to forget, your coping mechanism is to do it right away. But if you’re currently working on something that has higher priority, that’s not good.
Gosh, I feel at a loss in responding since she hasn’t disclosed. Could her husband say to her when she expressed concern about being fired that perhaps she should see an employee assistance counselor? My reasoning for that suggestion is it was an employee assistance counselor at a company I was fired from many years ago who urged me to be tested for LD/ADHD.
I am not sure what to suggest. Does she write things down? That is definitely key.
I guess my main suggestion is your husband needs to tell her that if something comes along that she thinks needs her attention over what she is doing now, she needs to take a step back and ask herself, does it really have higher priority? Everything isn’t going to crash and burn just because you take a few minutes to prioritize your work.
Also, what I have tried to start doing at home is for example, if I have a series of calls, to do them all at once. So perhaps this woman, during the block of time your husband cordoned off for her, might want to set one period for phone calls, another one for computer tasks, etc.
I wish I could be more helpful. Good luck.
PT
Re: LDcoworker
Thanks for your insights. I never thought of the forgetting issue, although I suspect it may be more impulsive than anything else. My husband commented last night that now that he is paying attention he notices how disorganized she is about everything—keeps her money in a bag on the floor of the car as opposed to in her purse, for example. I think he is going to have to be more upfront with her about how many problems her style is causing. He tries to be too nice but his boss has her on the radar screen. I told him it is not fair to her to not tell her. Perhaps that could be the kind of opening you are talking about.
Beth
Hi Beth,
Sorry for playing twenty questions but I want to provide an answer that is on target. What is this person’s attitude about wanting help? Also, has she disclosed her LD or ADHD
Where is the breakdown occurring? It sounds like from your answer in suggesting that your husband explicitly teach her how to prioritize that it is occurring at all levels. Or is something else going on?
One thought I had would be to get her a job coach as that has helped someone I know quite a bit who has organizational difficulties. But is the employer willing to pay that expense? Also, finding the right person can be a challenge.
My organizational skills have improved quite a bit as technology has really helped. But I don’t think I could have learned them without the Adderall I am on.
Again, I am sorry to hit you with more questions. But after I read your response, hopefully, I can come up with some brainstorms.
PT