Successfully Managing the Office Overachiever

Sure, it’s easy to make fun of overachievers and … honestly … it’s even easier to get irritated with them when they come off as pushy, condescending, obnoxious and overbearing.  However, overachievers have the drive, determination, passion, and energy needed to accomplish huge projects.

You need to lead them differently if you want to take advantage of what they have to offer. You also need to be aware of characteristics that can undermine their success. You need to understand their personality type and build a relationship based on trust, so they know you have their best interests at heart.

How to easily spot an overachiever:

Their positive traits (Woo-Hoo!)

1. They are driven to perform. Overachievers will take extra initiative and go beyond the boundaries of the job description to solve problems. They have extremely lofty expectations for themselves and they focus on results, not process.   

2. They tend to demonstrate good judgment. Many have sharp problem-solving skills, foresight, good acumen, and the ability to blend into the company’s culture in a positive and energetic way.

3. They take risks. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained” is not just a saying for overachievers … it’s their mantra in life. They do their homework and accept change easily along with taking calculated risks to achieve their goals.

Annnnnnd, Their Negative Traits (Whew …!)

4. They’re impatient to the point of exasperation. Most overachievers are impatient when asked to explain the same thing more than once. They don’t understand why people can’t see the big picture as they do.   

5. They don’t like to follow standard processes and protocols. Overachievers often take shortcuts and leave important details to someone else to fix. Because they are results-oriented, it’s often difficult for them to sit and do a job because they’re told to do it. Every job must have a direct link to the “big picture.”

6. They get addicted to working. Overachievers are constantly thinking and talking about work. They often skip meals and breaks and it virtually takes an Act of Congress to get them to use vacation time.

Understanding the mind of an overachiever:

1. They get a “high” from completing tasks above expectations. Overachievers get their satisfaction from the product and doing it in ways that surprise others, especially their superiors. However, this sensation gets harder to get as time passes and the overachiever will seek bigger projects (and challenges) to achieve their high. 

2. Overachievers get bored quickly. Self-explanatory. Don’t expect an overachiever to be a lifer in any position in the company.

3. They don’t multi-task well. Overachievers tend to put blinders on and devote their energy to one task, often neglecting other “less important” tasks … at least less important in their minds. To some people, they may come off as forgetful or scatterbrained, but this is rarely the case. They tend to be laser-focused on the job at hand.

4. Overachievers hate to be wrong. Making mistakes is devastating to their egos and self-esteem. Consequently, bosses must give criticism the right way for overachievers to respond well.

5. They don’t like being managed closely. Generally, overachievers prefer to self-manage and may have trouble working within the confines of strict management or rigid hierarchy situations.

Managing the overachiever:

Here are a few tips that work well when managing an overachiever.

Mentoring program: Develop a mentoring program to lead overachievers and let them provide insight to other employees.

Patience: Overachievers demand a lot from their managers. But if you give them the time and attention they need, they can accomplish much more than other employees in the same position.

When working with an overachiever, keep the following suggestions in mind:

• Set realistic goals and deadlines
• Praise the process as well as the outcome
• Present challenging assignments
• Delegate authority with responsibility
• Stress relationships as well as tasks
• Decrease fear
• Help the overachiever see the long-term payoffs 
• Emphasize the need for a better work-life mixture in their life to avoid burnout 

In the right situation with the right leadership in place, overachievers can easily be your organization’s superstars and do it without crushing the toes of their co-workers.