How To Deal with the Overachiever

This excerpt from Minda Zetlin of Inc. published on The Muse hit very close to home:

3. The Overachiever
“In school and in work alike, there are always overachievers,” Eisenhauer says. As the boss, it may not be obvious to you why an overachiever is a problem personality. “Authority figures tend to respond well to overachievers,” he notes. “They go above and beyond what is asked of them and clearly care about succeeding.”

You want overachievers on your team, he notes—they propose big ideas, move projects forward, and generally get things done. If you give them a task, you don’t have to wonder whether it will be completed or not.

“However, overachievers can often be impatient,” Eisenhauer says. They may not work well in situations where they have to strictly follow orders. And they can cause jealousy and resentment in their less overachieving co-workers.

“Approach them as a supporter and a coach,” Eisenhauer advises. “Give them projects, but don’t micromanage. Check in often, but not to dictate how things are done. And make sure that you don’t heap praise on these employees at the expense of others.”

Full Article: https://www.themuse.com/advice/6-types-of-employees-who-frustrate-their-bosses-and-how-smart-managers-deal-with-them