Is your boss always pointing out that your work isn't quite right? Does he or she expect you to work yourself to the bone? Do you go home every night exhausted and at your wit's end?

Sit down, take a deep breath and relax as you learn some strategies that will help you win the trust of your perfectionist boss.

It's important to seek to understand perfectionist bosses and why they're so focused on perfection. It's often because they fear they'll lose something if perfection isn't achieved. They may be afraid of losing their prestige, sense of worth or even their jobs.

Communicate

When receiving an assignment or project from a perfectionist, take a moment to clarify the expectations. Very often they don’t think it through until you hand in the report, then they critique you on what they see in that moment. As your boss describes how s/he wants things done, write down the expectations step by step. Make sure you keep asking questions until you're clear about your boss's expectations. You may even want to summarize what you wrote down to make sure you understood correctly.

Pay attention to details

Be precise. Give your boss neat, orderly, spell-checked work. Nothing stands out more to a perfectionist than typos, sloppiness and inaccurate information. Keep track of deadlines and get your work done on time. All of this discipline improves your professionalism as well.

Be prepared

Never come unprepared to a meeting. If you have a project to report on, come to the meeting with a complete progress report. Have thought through what possible questions your manager might ask. Look at it from his/her point of view. If the meeting is about a new topic, do your pre-meeting research about the subject.

No surprises

Perfectionists don't like surprises. Keep your boss informed as to how a project is going as the work progresses. If you see the possibility of a problem on the horizon, give your boss a heads up. Even if the problem has to do with a weakness in your work or your staff’s work, it is better to bring it up in advance. Never cover up a mistake to avoid criticism, even though it may be tempting, as you'll immediately lose the trust of your perfectionist boss. Be sure to offer an idea for solving or preventing it. Any possible solutions should be well thought out, logical and workable.

Have a can-do attitude

Even though it may be tough, keep a positive attitude when the perfectionist is demanding. If you're feeling overwhelmed, make a logical case for getting assistance with your work. This way, you're saying you can do it if you get help.

Show you care

Because perfectionists often are harder to like, they don't receive many messages that others care about them and their welfare. If you see your boss is a nervous wreck trying to push everyone to perfection, say something like, “I'm worried about you. You look exhausted. Why don't you take a few moments of peace and quiet in your office, and I'll cover for you." A small gesture of caring often will help your boss be more understanding of your struggle.

Be proactive

Instead of reacting negatively to the perfectionist boss's demands, seek to understand them and create a strategy for working with them. This way, when you go home at night, you can let go of your work worries because you know you've got a plan for managing up.

This outlines some of aspects of Managing Up. If you would like to ask Janelle Brittain questions about your specific situation, email your question to her at Janelle@DynamicPerformance.com

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Janelle Brittain, MBA, CSP, is CEO & President of Dynamic Performance Institute, LLC and Dynamic Solutions Group., companies that help leadership and teams of organizations grow to their highest dynamic performance.  Her most recent books are “Star Team Dynamics: 12 Lessons Learned from Experienced Team Builders” and “How to Say It: Performance Reviews, Phrases and Strategies for Painless and Productive Performance Reviews.” To learn more, visit www.DynamicPerformance.com and WWW.DynamicSolutionsGp.com . To hear concrete advice or have your business questions answered, go to Janelle’s on-line audio shows at: https://thewinonline.com/shows/dynamic-performance-business-coach-bring-...