ADHDifference - WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP + guest Dr Alessandra Wall

Dr Alessandra Wall, founder and CEO of Noteworthy, joins Julie Legg to reflect on her life, career, and insights into women in leadership. 

She shares her experiences of working with children and adults with ADHD and what led her to shift from psychology to founding Noteworthy, a platform helping women in leadership roles find their voice and value. Though never formally diagnosed with ADHD, Alessandra recognised many of its traits in herself. The conversation dives deep into how to communicate our value, the reality of executive stress, the concept of the “gilded cage” and the power of the pause.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Noteworthy: Alessandra's leadership platform supports women in high-powered roles by encouraging authentic self-expression and dismantling internalised narratives that keep them playing small. Success shouldn’t require compromise on identity or mental health.
• Women in Leadership: Many are high-functioning but secretly burning out or feeling "less than." Societal expectations, especially around femininity and behaviour, often cause women to mask their neurodivergent traits more than men.
• Communicating Your Value: Women often downplay their abilities or wait for external validation. It is important that women are able to articulate their worth—not in a loud or performative way, but with clarity, intention, and confidence.
• Managing Stress: Stress is a constant in high-performance environments, but it's how we relate to it that matters. Many high-achievers are taught to grind, but few are taught to rest with purpose.
• The Gilded Cage: This metaphor refers to being successful on paper while feeling unfulfilled, stuck, or disconnected in reality. Life ‘at the top’ can feel like a prison made of gold—prestige, salary, title—but still a prison.
• “Mastering the Pause”: The power of stopping, reflecting, and responding with intention. ADHD brains are often fast-reacting, but the pause allows for clarity, emotional regulation, and better decision-making.

LINKS:

• LinkedIn – Dr Alessandra Wall 
• Website - Noteworthy
• Noteworthy Newsletter 
• Unforgettable - A 3-step roadmap to articulating your value with confidence, poise, and Impact
• Back To Me, a 4 week guide to restoring balance & regaining control

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• Julie Legg is the author of The Missing Piece: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD