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Recent studies Thanks to ADHD to become a successful entrepreneur?
As a rule, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with significant disadvantages for those affected. But the symptoms can obviously also bring benefits. Thus, the research team led by Professor Holger Patzelt from the Chair of Entrepreneurship of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in recent research to the conclusion that the ADHD symptoms promote important entrepreneurial characteristics.
ADHD is characterized by symptoms such as lack of concentration, hyperactivity, impulsivity and lack of self-regulation, which are often associated with impairment of performance and are often treated with medication. The international team of researchers led by Professor Patzelt has now focused on the potential benefits of ADHD symptoms in his latest study, and found surprising results in terms of entrepreneurial characteristics. The results were published in the Journal of Business Venturing Insights.
ADHD definitely offers some advantages in terms of entrepreneurial qualities. (Image: undrey / fotolia.com) Benefits of ADHD symptoms?
Time and again successful entrepreneurs have been linked to ADHD and "at some point we noticed that some of the symptoms of the disorder are similar to the behaviors commonly referred to as entrepreneurial - in a positive sense," explains Prof. Patzelt. Based on 14 self-employed ADHD patients, the scientists therefore examined the influence of ADHD symptoms on entrepreneurial behavior. "Entrepreneurs with ADHD are characterized by the willingness to try out new things, passion and perseverance," says the TUM. The intuitive decisions in unsafe situations are a reason to question existing models of economics, the researchers emphasize.
Impulsiveness as an entrepreneurial property
The impulsiveness makes people with ADHD impatient quickly, but has the advantage that those affected can act under unforeseen circumstances, "without falling into fear and paralysis," explains Prof. Patzelt. In difficult situations, these people are thriving, continues Patzelt. Often those affected would act without thinking, even with far-reaching decisions. A study participant reported how he spontaneously bought the company of a friend at a lunch, after he told him during the meal that he wanted to retire. Other subjects would also have invested large sums of money into very unsafe projects without a strategy.
Important is the focus on the company development
The boredom in her former job led several respondents to become self-employed, also because they are always in a position to pursue new ideas of their own. "A pronounced willingness to try out new things and take risks is an important entrepreneurial feature," stresses Professor Patzelt. However, the impulsive behavior of the respondents only led to success if the subjects were able to focus on activities that were essential for the company's development. The main drawback of impulsivity are problems with routine work such as accounting.
Tasks in hyperfocus
As a further entrepreneurial advantage in ADHD researchers call the so-called hyperfocus, a condition in which people with ADHD focus on a task that they are particularly interested in exceptionally intense. An entrepreneur, for example, has reported that when looking for new solutions for his clients, he is often completely absorbed in the work. "Entrepreneurs can gain a great competitive advantage with passion, perseverance and the expertise that they build on this," explains Professor Patzelt.
Increased activity level an advantage
The high level of activity of the respondents also offers them an entrepreneurial advantage. So many respondents worked day and night without taking their time off, the researchers report. This is due to the intoxication in which they get through the hyperfocus, but also to the physical restlessness. Businesspeople use this as a force for their great workload. Overall, it became clear that ADHD was a key factor in the decision to become self-employed ... Also, ADHD has influence on important entrepreneurial characteristics such as risk taking, passion, perseverance and the willingness to invest a lot of time, says Professor Patzelt. The impulsiveness also plays a special role, because for people with ADHD, intuitive behavior feels right, even if the result is bad.
Impulsive action as a new approach to economics
Patzelt also sees in the research result as an important impetus to rethink past assumptions of economics: "How we judge entrepreneurial decisions is strongly oriented on rationality and positive results", but the question arises whether these decisions are in the face of an unmanageable variety Unpredictability can always be rational. "People with ADHD show us a different logic, which perhaps fits better with entrepreneurial behavior," Patzelt concludes. (Fp)