The perfectionist
For the past two days several of our team managers have been doing a presentation of their team's performance for the past 4 months. Their audience are me, my partner and our boss.
We've set the expectation that we are only going to look at how they do during presentations in order to prepare them for future opportunities and situations where they may need to do one.
Most of them, although nervous in the beginning, welcome the idea. They are glad that they are given this opportunity to develop this area which we may not need at the moment but for future endeavors. Most, if not all (actually I'm sure that it's not all), were very keen on taking down notes and welcoming any and all feedbacks and criticisms about their presentation, eager to become better the next time.
The last one we had for today was very different. Of all, she was the most difficult to give feedback and criticisms to. She seems to be either defensive or taking it too hard on herself.
For about a year already, i've been having a hard time trying to help this one and only manager of mine to become better at what she's doind, yet somehow I'm having a very hard time doing it.
Today, I realized, she's a perfectionist. She wants everything done EXACTLY as how she's been asked to and if she can't do it, she apologizes and feels bad she can't. Right after the presentation while I was talking with my boss, she sent me a message saying she's Sorry she let me down.
I certainly was not let down. In fact I was glad I had saw her clearer today. Unfortunately, she only see's one side of the whole presentation and its outcome.
I find it difficult to shake the "Perfectionist" out of her.
How oh how do I do that?
We've set the expectation that we are only going to look at how they do during presentations in order to prepare them for future opportunities and situations where they may need to do one.
Most of them, although nervous in the beginning, welcome the idea. They are glad that they are given this opportunity to develop this area which we may not need at the moment but for future endeavors. Most, if not all (actually I'm sure that it's not all), were very keen on taking down notes and welcoming any and all feedbacks and criticisms about their presentation, eager to become better the next time.
The last one we had for today was very different. Of all, she was the most difficult to give feedback and criticisms to. She seems to be either defensive or taking it too hard on herself.
For about a year already, i've been having a hard time trying to help this one and only manager of mine to become better at what she's doind, yet somehow I'm having a very hard time doing it.
Today, I realized, she's a perfectionist. She wants everything done EXACTLY as how she's been asked to and if she can't do it, she apologizes and feels bad she can't. Right after the presentation while I was talking with my boss, she sent me a message saying she's Sorry she let me down.
I certainly was not let down. In fact I was glad I had saw her clearer today. Unfortunately, she only see's one side of the whole presentation and its outcome.
I find it difficult to shake the "Perfectionist" out of her.
How oh how do I do that?
