Executive Function Skills in Adults

There has been a significant amount of recent buzz surrounding executive function skills. You may have come across discussions about them in relation to children facing difficulties in school, resulting in behavioral issues in the classroom and struggles to complete homework. Educators and parents nationwide are now placing emphasis on developing these skills at age-appropriate levels in both academic and home environments. However, have you ever wondered what executive function skills mean for adults? Do we ever fully develop them?

Executive function skills reside in our prefrontal cortex and have often been likened to the CEO of our brains. After all, they do contain the term "executive." Yet, based on my experience working closely with numerous CEOs, I would argue that these skills are more akin to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of your brain. They are the skills that enable you to organize and execute operations effectively, allowing you, as the CEO, to focus on the bigger picture and the strategic aspects of achieving your goals. As adults, we require a diverse range of skill sets. We need both visionary and creative skills to generate ideas, as well as operational skills to bring those ideas to fruition.

So, let's delve into these skills and explore how they manifest in adults:

1. Sustained attention: The ability to concentrate and manage distractions

2. Self-regulation: The capacity to self-regulate thoughts, actions, and emotions

3. Time management: The aptitude to accurately estimate the time required for a given task, allocate time for it, and adhere to the schedule

4. Planning, prioritizing, and organization: The ability to identify the necessary time and resources for a particular project or task, and the skill to schedule and execute in order of importance and urgency

5. Task initiation: The capability to begin a task and maintain focus

6. Self-motivation and persistence: The drive to initiate and achieve goals with determination and resilience

7. Working memory: The skill to retain and recall a sequence of information or steps in the correct order

8. Metacognition: The ability to observe oneself with self-compassion and a growth mindset

The truth is executive function skills disappear when the perception of the situation feels wrong to us in some way. For example, we find it a challenge to pay attention when a meeting is boring. We avoid accepting a request to speak at a conference because we fear humiliation. We find it difficult to organize a slide deck when the objective is unclear. We stay up all night writing a proposal when we feel insecure about our abilities.

Sometimes it feels as though we don’t have executive function skills at all. However, they actually lie dormant, not always responsive to immediate demands.

Let me share a recent story from one of my clients. This individual, an accomplished executive with successes in business and real estate, has returned to graduate school to pursue another degree. He expressed frustration over his perceived executive dysfunction, as it hindered his ability to write a paper for a particularly loathsome class.

"Well, I didn't write the paper on Saturday as intended," he confessed with a tinge of shame. When I inquired about how he spent his day instead, he hung his head and replied, "I planned my vacation to Thailand." I gave him the space to tell me his plans and his face lit up with a smile. Together we envisioned the luxurious hotels, exciting excursions, and delightful culinary experiences of his upcoming trip. His entire posture and tone of voice beamed with joy and enthusiasm. It was contagious. Not only was I delighted for him and his well-deserved trip, but I was also pleased with the evidence his itinerary had provided us of his executive function skills. Planning such an elaborate and intricate trip required the utilization of all these skills!

His executive function skills had been present all along, but only accessible according to a personal set of rules. They manifested when he felt a personal interest in the subject matter. Some individuals can naturally tap into these skills according to universal rules or secondhand interest. They can easily get started, focus and follow through until the job is done, then move on while feeling good about themselves, even if the job does not personally captivate them. Truly commendable.

But what if we fall into the category of relying solely on interest-based skills? How will we ever manage this business called “adulting”? The way I see it, we have three options: We can train and strengthen our executive function muscles, such as willpower and self discipline. Alternatively, we can establish systems, strategies, and enlist support from individuals and resources to complement these skills. Collaboration, delegation, and automation can play a significant role here. Lastly, we can identify our interests and eliminate all ambiguity. We can get crystal clear on our vision. We can explore the possibilities and see the opportunities that present themselves by completing the task at hand. We can choose the path that resonates most deeply with us. The truth is that executive function skills appear when the perception of the situation feels right to us in some way.

During our session, my client managed to connect with his "why." He recognized how writing the paper served the larger purpose of attaining his degree, which in turn would enable him to live and work in Southeast Asia. This realization allowed him to release the grip of perfectionism that had been impeding his progress. Armed with this newfound evidence (and some helpful technology), he completed the paper, submitted it, and let it go.

We are not doomed to a life of aimless drifting or scattered scurrying. We possess the skills and keys to success within us. Sometimes, we simply need assistance in locating and activating those keys. Where are yours?