How to manage high strivers

Imagine your ideal employee. What is he or she like? Someone who comes in early and leaves late? Someone you can bank on
putting forth 100 percent-plus effort?

By Anne Wolfinger – 03/24/02 The Independent Record

Someone who takes pride and ownership in his or her work and in your business, who is
responsive and responsible, who volunteers ideas?
These people do exist and I call them “high strivers.” You may be one yourself if you work with a passion for high standards rather
than just putting in your time. Having high strivers on board can be a wonderful boon for your business. Sometimes, however, you
may feel you have a tiger by the tail.

Because high strivers put so much into their work, they can overdo it. For example, high strivers with too much ownership in their
work may become inflexible and unwilling to consider a change in procedure or direction. They may complain about co-workers
not holding up their end of things, or may not hesitate pointing out to you the changes you need to make.

High strivers are perfectionists. They try very, very hard in their work. This is not always a guarantee of good overall work
performance, however. High strivers may lose sight of the bigger and more important picture as they perfect the details.
On the other hand, they may be very, very good at what they do, in which case you may run the risk of relying on them too much.

High strivers get a lot of their energy from having too much to do. Adrenalized behavior works for a while, but in effect you are
borrowing on tomorrow’s energy stores if you push yourself when you know inside you need to rest and refuel.

This means, no surprise, that high strivers are prone to job burnout. This may start to show up as a change in attitude for the worse,
irritability, or work slippage.
Here are some ideas for managing these exceptional employees, especially if you’re a high striver yourself. Start with being a role
model. Have a life outside of your work, with relationships, interests and activities that help you recharge your batteries. Make good
self-care a regular habit, eating balanced meals, getting plenty of exercise, rest and sleep. I sometimes wonder in a typical office
how many people are sleep-deprived.

Lighten up, or, as we used to say as kids, “don’t get your undies in a bundle.” Learn to go with the flow and even enjoy the
unexpected in life. Snow, for example, can wreak havoc on travel schedules, but it sure looks pretty coming down.
As a manager, be clear and communicate your expectations of your high strivers’ work performance, and be quick to compliment
them on work well done.

After coaching many of these individuals, I’ve seen a trend that high strivers tend to underrate their accomplishments and overrate
the work that remains. Because of this, they miss out on the sense of job satisfaction that comes from work well done. Help your
high strivers develop selective perfectionism by letting them know what aspects of their work are the most important.

Above all, think long term. Employees are expensive to replace and retrain. Yet when you overtly or covertly send signals that
overtime is commendable and even expected, you’re putting your high strivers on the track toward job burnout.

Interior designer and well-known author Alexandra Stoddard, in her book “Living Beautifully Together,” recalls working for her
mentor, Eleanor Brown, founder of the design firm McMillen Inc. in New York City.
“She knew about the long haul,” writes Stoddard. “Her firm had strict hours and you had to leave by 5:30 p.m. or you were locked
inside the townhouse.

“One evening I got carried away and, being on the top floor, wasn’t aware that anyone else had left. I barreled down the stairs and
triggered the alarms! Holmes Protection Agency had to come get me.
“She was not amused. Working late was never rewarded. There was no overtime. Overdoing was a sign of disorganization to her.

She wanted us to keep a steady pace, as had proven successful for her over many productive, rewarding years.”
Help your “harried” high striver develop more “tortoise” qualities like steadiness and endurance. After all, we all know from Aesop
who wins the race in the end.

Anne Wolfinger, president of Anne Wolfinger & Associates, a career and business coaching company, publishes a free e-mail
newsletter called Career Pizzazz: Love Your Work, Love Your Life, Leave a Legacy. She can be reached at 406-442-9655 or
[email protected], or visit her web site at http://www.annewolfinger.com.

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