I worked with an individual who had regularly put themselves forward for additional responsibilities, but hadn’t successfully secured a promotion. As we worked together it became apparent to them that they had a belief that everything had to be perfect, especially when it came to their own work. They also struggled with the concept of delegation, feeling that they were shirking responsibilities.

They also struggled with the concept of delegation, feeling that they were shirking responsibilities. Leading a small team, this was stressful for them, but manageable. However, when broader responsibilities were taken they became overwhelmed and often unsure of where to start or when to stop, working longer and longer hours to do it all. By failing to delegate and needing everything to be perfect they were failing and getting in the way of their own success.

As we worked together they recognised the limiting factors of their behaviours and we worked on how to embed the recognition that good enough is good enough, done is better than perfect and how by delegating they were empowering the next level leaders to step up and shine. Developing a detailed action plan helped this particular coachee to manage their inner critic and keep them on track.

After a few months they have secured a new role that will develop their leadership capabilities without overwhelming them and allow them to continue to put their learnings into practice. I am looking forward to working with them again in the future to assist them with the next step!