Feb 7
Katy McFee spent the bulk of her career undiagnosed, and struggled for years until she learned how to work with her ADHD and not against it. After 18 years in the corporate world she founded her company, Insights to Action, which is on a mission to help close the gender gap in senior leadership.
Katy discovered through her entrepreneurship journey and ADHD diagnosis that we can all thrive as our authentic selves once we are ready to accept ourselves for who we are. She is passionate about empowering women and helping more women break into senior leadership and thrive as leaders without burning out, a passion that shines through in everything she does.
Join my insightful conversation with Katy to hear about her personal ADHD journey, how she sets herself up for success each day with an energizing morning routine, everything she’s learned about leadership in the corporate world, and all the work she’s doing to help other incredible women like herself make meaningful changes in male-dominated industries.
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"I'm a hyper person. I have trouble sitting still. I don't like down time. So there were a lot of things and I think one of the key elements was that I didn't recognize them all as ADHD symptoms, I thought they were my own personal quirks."
- Katy McFee
"One of the key things that my diagnosis released me of is the shame. There was no intentional shame, however I definitely internalized the feeling that there was something wrong with me because I couldn't seem to get to things on time. I couldn't seem to do what were pretty basic tasks for other people, but for me, they felt so overwhelming."
- Katy McFee
"I had previously thought, ‘well, I can't have ADHD, I'm so successful. I've been able to figure out my life, sort of.’ And then listening to your podcast really was so eye-opening for me."
- Katy McFee
- Katy shares her experience with ADHD, mentioning struggles with lateness and clutter, and how she's learned to prioritize organization and cleanliness as an adult.
- Katy struggled with internalizing shame due to her difficulties with organization and time management, despite lacking any intentional shame from her family.
- Katy reflects on how her ADHD diagnosis and women's studies class helped her accept herself and manage her ADHD more intentionally.
[24:56 - 44:10] ADHD, Sleep Routine, and Leadership
- Katy shares her morning routine and how it has improved her sleep quality despite having ADHD.
- Katy enjoyed the challenge of adding ice to the tank daily and found it to be "game changing" for her well-being.
- Katy discovered her superpower and outsourced her weaknesses to focus on her strengths, leading to greater success.
- Katy found Insights to Action, a company that aligns with her values and allows her to build something meaningful, rather than simply climbing the corporate ladder.
- Katy emphasizes the need for more women in leadership to challenge the default settings and schedules that are often based on the male body, and to create a more inclusive and equitable transportation system.
- Katy shares her daily routine for managing ADHD, including meditation, exercise, and cold therapy.
