Perfectionists are both a blessing and a curse. They definitely have high standards and are committed to their work. But they generally fixate on every detail of a project and can’t see at times the forest from the trees.”
[su_dropcap style=”flat”]T[/su_dropcap]HAT’S WHAT I told Mark, an accounting manager, who was exasperated with Melinda, a financial analyst. She was incredibly attentive to detail and, on occasion, obsessed with it. Part of her job was to produce and end of the month report for the CFO.
Mark was frustrated because she taking too much time and the CFO wants the report now, not two days from now. He asked: “What should I do?”
How Do You Manage a Perfectionist?
It can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. And when done well, you both will benefit. An authentic leader taps into her emotional intelligence– a set of skills that influence the way we cope with and navigate the everyday challenges of the workplace as well as life. Here are four ways to harness the positive qualities of perfectionists while mitigating the negative ones:
- Give them projects that tie into their strengths.
Those are ones where attention to details and accuracy are needed and, most importantly, appreciated. Don’t put a perfectionist in a role that is overly complex or very broad or requires managing people.
For example, in team tasks, she can be the minute taker because she will capture as much data as possible. - Communicate priorities often.
Remind her about what is most important in completing the project – getting the report done on time with the mandated outcomes. Help her differentiate between results that are ‘good enough’ and those that have to be exact. - Increase her self-awareness.
Many perfectionists don’t realize what they’re doing or what affect it has on others. Even in the right position, perfectionists can create problems. You need to help them recognize when their exacting standards results in negative outcomes –limit their rising into management ( if that is a career goal) or coworkers shying away from work with him (if she values colleague relationships).. - Coach to change behavior.
Perfectionists may have a hard time hearing criticism of their work. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t provide performance improvement feedback. Start by stating the problem and then ask for feedback and potential solutions.
So the next time Mark noticed Melinda was spending too much time and energy on a project, he first commended her focus and then in clear, concise terms told her that she was getting behind on the agreed timeline. After further discussion he asked her to come up with a solution. Together they set deadlines and paired Melinda with less-detail oriented partners so she would be forced to accept “good enough” results.
Smart Moves Tip
All of us, if we take pride in our professionalism and competency, are perfectionist to some degrees. But true perfectionism is a flaw more than an asset. It’s when it becomes an obsession and overrides clear thinking and behavior that it’s a problem for the person, for the manager and for the team. Now is the time to nip the problem in the bud with good performance coaching.
Have you had a perfectionist on your team? How did you handle it? Or perhaps you’re some perfectionistic tendencies. Is it an asset or a liability for you right now? Share your thoughts.
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