What Working an Election Taught Me About Executive Function and Training

Working as a tabulator at election polls, I learned a profound lesson about training people: always assume executive processing dysfunction. Not because everyone has it, but because it’s the best way to ensure success for everyone—regardless of their cognitive strengths or challenges.

At the tabulator, I was responsible for giving voters multi-step instructions to ensure their votes were properly counted. On paper, these instructions were simple:

1. Insert your ballot into the tabulator.
2. Wait for the confirmation screen.
3. Collect your “I Voted” sticker and exit the polling area.

Simple, right? Yet, only about 5% of voters could follow all three steps flawlessly when given them all at once. The remaining 95% froze, hesitated, or completed the first step incorrectly. Those who managed to get through step one often forgot or misinterpreted the last steps.

Why did this happen? Everyone was nervous. Voting is important, and people want to get it right. But anxiety, coupled with the need to process multiple instructions simultaneously, can overwhelm even the most competent individuals

I realized the key to smoother interactions was breaking it down:

• Give one instruction.
• Wait for them to complete it.
• Then move on to the next step.

This approach worked like magic. By focusing on guiding one step at a time, I became more effective and patient and the voters were able to follow the instructions effectively and efficiently. 

This experience fundamentally changed how I think about teaching and communication. Multi-step tasks often seem easy to those of us familiar with them, but for someone learning or under stress, they can feel like a mountain. The step-by-step method isn’t just for people with diagnosed executive function challenges; it’s for all of us.

The lesson here? Assume everyone—including yourself—needs this type of guidance. Simplify, focus, and build success one step at a time. Whether you're training someone at work, teaching a skill, or explaining a new process, this approach ensures clarity, reduces stress, and gets better results.

So, next time you’re tempted to rattle off a series of steps, pause. Take it slow, one step at a time, and watch how much smoother everything goes.