How to Stop People Pleasing and Manage ADHD Rejection Sensitivity at Work with Dave Greenwood — ADHD-ish™ ADHD Business Strategy for Busy Brains

Ever find yourself overcommitting to client requests or spiraling over a colleague's tone in Slack? In this episode of the ADHD-ish podcast, host Diann Wingert and guest Dave Greenwood discuss how people-pleasing and rejection sensitivity directly fuel overworking and chronic burnout for every ambitious business owner with ADHD.

Together, they unpack Adlerian psychology and practical tools like the separation of tasks to set clear boundaries, navigate rejection sensitivity, and foster authentic neurodivergent leadership. Discover how tailored ADHD business coaching principles help protect your energy and build a resilient, sustainable business.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS & TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - ADHD Rejection Sensitivity and People Pleasing

05:00 - Why Rejection Feels So Overwhelming

10:30 - Can Adults with ADHD Really Change?

15:30 - Breaking Free from Old Patterns

20:00 - Fixed Mindset, Excuses, and ADHD Burnout

25:00 - Taking Responsibility Without Self-Blame

30:00 - Why ADHD Challenges Are Often Relational

40:00 - Self-Acceptance, Boundaries, and Living Present

Top 3 takeaways for anyone navigating work or life with ADHD (or just being human):

You are not responsible for how others feel. Adler’s “separation of tasks” is a game-changer—do your part authentically, but let go of trying to control what others think or feel about you.
You can change—if you want to. It’s easy to blame your ADHD or circumstances (hello, fixed mindset!), but the real magic starts when you open yourself to possibility, even if change is slow and non-linear.
All problems are (ultimately) relational. Whether you’re late to a meeting or starting a business, our challenges almost always revolve around other humans. Building healthier boundaries and self-acceptance opens the door to genuine connection—and some serious peace of mind.

Dave Greenwood is a repeat guest and friend of the ADHD-ish podcast, known for his authenticity and sense of humor. He is the host of the Overcoming Distractions podcast and author of two popular books on living with ADHD. Though Dave jokingly calls himself a “welding school flunk-out,” he brings a wealth of lived experience, professional insight, and a pragmatic approach to living well with ADHD, especially for the self-employed

🎙️Mic Drop Moment:

Whether it’s with your boss, your partner, your clients, or even your business software (yes, really), most of our challenges come down to relationships - with others and ourselves. Listen for insights on how “people-pleasing,” unhelpful narratives, and unresolved childhood scars shape our work and our lives.

Next steps:

Buy The Courage to Be Disliked audiobook
Listen to the other podcast episodes that complement this one (links below)
Schedule a consultation to work with Dave Greenwood or Diann Wingert

Mentioned in this episode:

The Courage to Be Disliked by Kishimi & Koga
Dave’s Book “Overcoming Burnout”
The Four Tendencies worksheet
Dave & Diann talk about The Four Tendencies: Part 1 - Part 2
Dave & Diann talk about rejection sensitivity on Dave’s podcast
ADHD-ish episode on Cognitive Bias
The Big Leap
Growth Mindset vs Fixed Mindset
ADHD & Meditation episode on ADHD-ish