Leading an Eclectic Staff Julie Fell University of Iowa April 2013 Session ID 529

Session Rules of Etiquette Please turn off your cell phone/pager If you must leave the session early, please do so as discreetly as possible Please avoid side conversation during the session Please complete the session evaluation Thank you for your cooperation!

Do any of these people work in your office? Procrastinators Perfectionists Difficult people People in difficult situations My mother-in-law used to say…I find this is also true of the people in our office.

Confession – Disclosure – Disclaimer My perfectionist tendencies are gone, but I still insist on accuracy I have been known to procrastinate  I do not have the answers but I hope we can share our experiences

Perfectionists May have unrealistic standards for themselves and for others May not effectively allocate time Are unable to delegate May not respond well to coaching or feedback

Perfectionists May have unrealistic standards for themselves (and for others) A perfectionist probably will not change unless they choose to do so We need to understand both the positives and the negatives of having a perfectionist on our team Coach – help your person understand they cannot do everything on their own Provide feedback – help them understand their behavior and ask them how they want to receive it Find the right job for them

Procrastinators Myth #1 – think they work best under pressure Myth #2 – think they are more creative under a time constraint Myth #3 – feel they are unable to begin a project because it has to be perfect

Procrastinators Vowing to stop procrastinating is probably not the best solution Set goals and review past successes “Swiss Cheese It” (McGraw for Undergraduates: http://www.princeton.edu/mcgraw/us) Break big tasks into small ones or use several short blocks of time to whittle away a large task.

Difficult person or person in a difficult situation? Ask for time off at peak times (more than once) Significant deadline dates, early registration, commencement Chronic absence Health conditions FMLA Mondays and Fridays UI Philosophy and Expectations Regarding Staff Attendance and Use of Leave Benefits Details the responsibilities of the staff member and the unit http://www.uiowa.edu/hr/administration/staff_attendance_expectations.html

What next? Expectations must be communicated Performance evaluations Prepare the employee for the conversation Allow plenty of time for the evaluations Gather quantitative and qualitative data necessary for discussion Provide feedback throughout the year Provide opportunities for training/staff development Expectations – job description, in the interview, at the time of hire, when a change occurs – new policy, new system, upgrade

Discussion

Thank You! Julie Fell julie-fell@uiowa.edu Please complete the session evaluation form using the AACRAO Mobile App or the paper form provided in your conference bag. Session ID 529

References Farrington, J. (2012). From the research: myths worth dispelling. Performance Improvement Quarterly. 24 (4). pp. 11-16. DOI:10.1002/piq20121 (wileyonlinelibrary.com). Gallo, A. (2011, Oct. 19). How to manage a perfectionist. HBR Blog Network/Best Practices. http://blogs.hbr.org/hmu/2011/10/how-to-manage-a-perfectionist.html. Ross, R. (2012). Managing perfectionism in the workplace. Employment Relations Today. DOI 10.1002/ert.21370 (wileyonlinelibrary.com). Understanding and overcoming procrastination. (2012). The McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning. www.princeton.edu/mcgraw/us. Expectations – job description, in the interview, at the time of hire, when a change occurs – new policy, new system, upgrade