"A man needs a little madness, or else... he never dares cut the rope and be free." ― Nikos Kazantzakis

Every day most of us file silently up/down escalators, out of elevators, and into our corporate cubicle or work station. The ever softer tippa tappa of keyboards, muted/appropriate conversations (more often than not conducted with ear/head-sets), and phones on vibrate etc., leave any jarring sound or event totally exposed!

Add to the mix the reams of workplace etiquette and must not lists… the organizational dos/don'ts, so broadly defined, that if anyone finds any given behavior offensive then it is…!

Normal human stuff, that elsewhere might raise a laugh, like dropping the odd F-bomb, subjects such as flatulence/bowel movements, or even relating mildly off-color jokes etc., will ensure the attention of HR, inevitable warnings and probable cause for dismissal!

It has gotten so bad in some circles that direct talk is seen as aggression and confrontation is confused with conflict. People tend to pounce on the most flippant of remarks with such self-righteous alacrity that we do our best to consider each word before we say it.

Safe to say then that such an environment does not lend itself to random foolishness, idiocy or, God forbid, loud laughter!

• Have we stemmed our innate humor, our appreciation of sarcasm/irony...?
• Has our attractive youthful exuberance and playful banter been hidden behind layers of de riguer wallpaper?
• Have we confused deserved respect for others with shallow compliance with sterile rules?

During tedious formal dinners as a young diplomat in Paris, so often stuck for hours at the flowers (juniors always were seated at the center of the table) between two equally reluctant attendees, I learned that giving people permission to be themselves really works.

My trick was to put people at ease by giving people a glimpse of the madness… my silly, foolish, and often idiotic side. In so doing I accessed theirs! Laughter, irreverently inspired or not, is infectious … The seniors often caught the vibe and even the most protocol driven events degenerated from pretentious stiffness, into lively, enjoyable and memorable occasions.

I have tried to never lose sight of the fact that madness (I guess I have to add in moderation) is an integral part of the human psyche… This has served me well over the decades. I ask myself regularly, if I can really be sane if not in touch with my own lunacy? Freedom to be imperfect, spontaneous, exuberant and funny is for me the greatest catalyst in building lasting business relationships.

The impactful closing scene from the movie Zorba the Greek will perhaps illustrate my point - - and will be worth the 6 minute time investment ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OrXjjfnhCA

 Our simple good fit criteria for prospective ADHD clients are that each individual shows:

•  A firm desire to achieve fullest potential without losing their innate sense of authenticity
•  A unwavering belief that creative, lateral and original thinking are their greatest assets

Writer, Nikos Kazantzakis (of Zorba the Greek fame) in his famous work Report to Greco captures perfectly the reasoning behind our criteria:  While discussing state of 'Always on your feet'.... or ... 'Always uneasy', he writes of a learned monk’s dream:

“I saw myself as a great sage who could cure many diseases, but first and foremost could remove the demons from the possessed…  One day a woman arrived from Nazareth… ‘O illustrious sage, take pity on me and heal my son, he has many demons inside him’…
I asked him: ‘What is the matter my child, where does it hurt?’
‘Here, here…’ he replied pointing at his heart
‘And what’s wrong with you?’
‘I can’t sleep, eat or work. I roam the streets, wrestling.’
‘Who are you wrestling with?’
‘With God…’

I kept him near me for a month, addressed him ever so gently, gave him herbs to make him sleep. I placed him in a carpenter’s shop to learn a trade. We went out for walks together and we spoke about God… There was nothing impressive or difficult about these talks. We spoke of the weather, of the wheat fields and the vineyards, the young girls who went to the mountain…’

At the end of a month’s time, Jesus was completely cured. He no longer wrestled with God; he had become a man like all other men. I learned afterwards that he had become a fine carpenter… the best in Galilee… ...

Do you understand? Jesus was cured. Instead of saving the world he became the best carpenter in Nazareth. What is the meaning, then, of 'disease' and 'health'... “

The story speaks for itself! Each of us has a role, big or small, that our innate ability allows us during our lifetime - Rather than watering down the high capacity of an ADHD client to think, feel & engage, our methodology ensures that each client is accommodated in society for who and what she/he may be… !

For more information: (416) 962-6700

Any coaching initiative is focused on what the client would prefer to achieve.  The Harding approach emphasises the importance of investing enough time/due diligence into the goal-setting process. We have also learned that goals do change along the way – For this reason our methodology is flexibly structured to effectively meet client requirement at any point in time. 

Over the years we have noticed that clients are distinguished in the main by a wish list focused on:

Skill set enhancement with the view to achieving a specific outcome/goal
Or
Firm goals with the need to map out a workable strategy to ensure they are achieved

A 3rd client group (roughly 5 %), with loosely defined/open-ended goals, often sees the process as an exploration and has no fixed expectation, but rather a desire to see where the process will lead. Our analysis shows that group comprises our more senior business clients, creative types, and interestingly our ADHD student/business entry level clients.

No matter how unique, brilliant, quirky or iconoclastic an individual, all have to find their way in the same world, if not society/community! To this end, balancing subjective desires against objective realities is an essential factor in any coaching initiative.

Rodger Harding's fierce belief in each person's individual contibution to society, ensures that this balance remains an ongoing priority! Our approach strives to ensure that authenticity is never the price of conformity!