Leading an Eclectic Staff

Julie FellUniversity of Iowa

April 2013Session ID 529

AACRAO San Francisco 2013 Session ID: 529

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AACRAO San Francisco 2013 Session ID: 529

Do any of these people work in your office?

• Procrastinators• Perfectionists• Difficult people• People in difficult situations

AACRAO San Francisco 2013 Session ID: 529

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

AACRAO San Francisco 2013 Session ID: 529

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

AACRAO San Francisco 2013 Session ID: 529

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

AACRAO San Francisco 2013 Session ID: 529

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

AACRAO San Francisco 2013 Session ID: 529

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)

AACRAO San Francisco 2013 Session ID: 529

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

AACRAO San Francisco 2013 Session ID: 529

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

AACRAO San Francisco 2013 Session ID: 529

Discussion

AACRAO San Francisco 2013 Session ID: 529

Thank You!

Julie Felljulie-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

AACRAO San Francisco 2013 Session ID: 529

ReferencesFarrington, 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.