Have you ever been interviewed for an article by a news reporter or a magazine? If you haven’t, you will be. And you need to understand this from the very first contact.
This is the instruction manual for reporters on How to Get the Story. Continue reading Loosening Lips
You know about filling your nonprofit board with a matrix of key skills: a CPA, a lawyer, an HR specialist, subject matter experts, fundraisers, etc. You know about including stakeholder representatives: donors, churches, government, journalists, clients (yes clients), etc.
These are good places to start looking. But here are four nonnegotiables for the final selection. Continue reading Seeking a Board Member – 4 Things You Will Want
Perfectionism.
I have it. If you are in leadership, there is a high probability that you have it, too. It has three faces.
Perfectionists are always striving for flawless performance. That is good. We are taught about continuous improvement, kaizen, Zero Defects, Six Sigma, zero variation, the OODA loop. Nearly every management improvement program preaches working toward perfection.
The second face of perfectionism is impossibly high standards. Perfectionists have the end in view, but, often forget the process of getting there. They have no tolerance for others.
Quite often, being flawless costs twice the effort of 95% perfection, without the added value.
And striving for perfection in a task can mean it is never completed.
I have several project reports on my desk, waiting to be published. The projects are completed. The problems have been solved. The new processes have been implemented and are working. But, the report is not yet flawless. This is characteristic of Meyer-Briggs INTPs like me. The project never gets done.
The lack of tolerance means your subordinates and coworkers will become defensive. They will begin to work-to-rule. They will be constantly revising. Nothing will get done.
Yes, it can get even worse.
Perfectionism, with its impossibly high standards, and lack of tolerance, causes the growth of policies, procedures, and standards. “There will be no deviation from perfection and here is what I mean by perfection…”
Creativity dies a cruel death. Initiative is gone in before anyone notices. No one may question “the right way.” No deviations allowed. Costs climb. Schedules grow. Talented people leave.