The Anxious Achiever The Gifts of Neurodivergent Leadership with Dr. Michael Freeman
Sep 16, 2025
In this discussion, Dr. Michael Freeman, a psychiatrist and researcher at UC Berkeley, dives into the powerful intersection of neurodiversity and leadership. He unpacks why traits like ADHD, bipolar spectrum, and dyslexia often appear in high-performing entrepreneurs. Discover how these characteristics can be leveraged as superpowers but may also turn into liabilities. Dr. Freeman also explores the unique advantages AI might offer to neurodivergent thinkers, highlighting the dual nature of their strengths and vulnerabilities in the business world.
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Screening Entrepreneurs For Distress
- Freeman's team created a seven-question screening tool to identify entrepreneurs at risk of distress.
- They validated it with ~314 referred entrepreneurs and plan to scale to 5,000+ for broader impact.
Entrepreneurship Is Neurodiverse
- Entrepreneurship attracts neurodiverse people, including bipolar spectrum, ADHD, and anxiety.
- These traits fuel superpowers but also elevate vulnerability, including higher suicidality and hospitalization rates.
Two Entrepreneur Styles: Craft Vs Scale
- Entrepreneurs split into craftspersons who do everything and scalers who delegate quickly.
- Scalability depends on asking "what only I can do" and hiring people smarter than you.
