Derek Kreger joins Chase to talk about his experience being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult while working at Amazon—and how understanding his ADHD helped him make sense of the way he had approached work, learning, relationships and achievement throughout his life. Derek and Chase explore ADHD “superpowers,” the advantages and challenges of trade school, teaching and learning, rabbit holes, negative feedback, shame, self-defense, personality types and the ever-present inner critic. Derek also shares how his talents were viewed when he was younger, how ADHD has influenced his work history, and why recognizing both the strengths and challenges that come with ADHD can change the way you see yourself.
Today on the Chase Squirrelson, we’re talking with Derek Kreger, who brings a pretty fascinating perspective to the conversation about ADHD.
Derek spent part of his career at Amazon, where he developed an HR training system and was also involved in teaching and training. It was during his time at Amazon that Derek was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult—and that diagnosis gave him a new way to understand many of the things that had shaped his life and career.
In this conversation, Derek talks about that discovery and what it meant to look back at his childhood, his talents and his work history through the lens of ADHD. He shares what he sees as some of his ADHD “superpowers,” along with some of the challenges that have come with them.
Derek and Chase also talk about whether trade school can be a particularly good option for people with ADHD, how Derek approached teaching and learning during the pandemic, and why some of the very qualities that can make someone successful can also create problems along the way.
And then there are the rabbit holes—which, if you have ADHD, you probably know something about.
They talk about getting lost in those rabbit holes, achievement and moving on, negative feedback and shame, being prepared and even the shortest distance between two lines. They also get into introverts, extroverts and everything in between.
And finally, they tackle something many people with ADHD will recognize: the inner critic. Derek talks about his own experience with that voice and his work with Silence Your Inner Critic by Amber Mikesell.
It’s a conversation about ADHD, but it’s also about understanding your strengths, making sense of your experiences and learning to see yourself a little differently.
(:28) Here’s Chase as he welcomes Derek Kreger
(1:00) Who is Derek and why is he on this podcast?! Well…he worked at Amazon…and was diagnosed during this time as an adult.
(4:22) What led to Derek’s discovery – the diagnosis?
(6:35) Does Derek think that Trade School is a great consideration for people with ADHD?
(8:11) Derek talks about his teaching training at Amazon and the tools he brought into to class to help people during the pandemic.
(9:55) Derek talks about his talents and how they were viewed when he was a child.
(11:52) Derek gives examples of his “superpowers” and the downside of his work history.
(14:00) What about achievements and moving on?
(17:58) Derek talks about rabbit holes and how to handle them.
(18:49) Chase and Derek talk about drinking and the shortest distance between two lines
(19:53) Negative feedback and shame…and self defense/being prepared
(21:15) The story of the elephant and the 6 blind men.
(22:40) Extrovert…Introvert…and what’s in between.
(24:27) Does Derek struggle with the inner critic? He also talks about working with Silence Your Inner Critic by Amber Mikesell Instagram @ammikesell22
(27:06) Final words from Derek and how can you find him? Humanfirstai.net
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