Overcoming the Perfectidemon Within

It's that time of year again when sleep is at a premium and you are thankful for the kind soul who identified caffeine.

And it's also a time when we can feel shattered, frustrated and completely overwhelmed by the prospect of looming deadlines and a lot at stake. And it's under these circumstances that our worst tendencies have a field day.

I've noticed that a lot of grant developers tend to have a perfectionist streak. This is a good thing considering that there are people on the other side who are measuring margins and tossing out proposals because they are missing 1 of 26 signatures.

But we can also be plagued by the perfectidemon when we are under stress.

So, what can we do when the perfectidemon raises its ugly head?

Well, I try to focus on why I am doing this in the first place. When I remember the estuary that is going to be cleaned, children that will be educated, or lives that will be saved by a new hospital wing it puts it all in perspective for me.

I am firm believer in the theory that all actions are grounded in either fear or love. And, that actions grounded in love trump the other kind. Period.

So, when working on an application I keep my eyes firmly planted on the prize. The prize of social change that will impact generations to come.

Keeping focused wards off the perfectidemon

For me, it is crucial that during planning we envision programs that will enable our team to realize some of their higher ideals. It can be tempting to plan a program that we think will get funded rather than one that we know our community needs. Don't.

Those proposals don't get funded. The ones that get funded are those in which the planning team's commitment and skill shine through. They are the proposals in which the reviewer can feel a fundamental connection between the people being served, your team's passion, and their own sense of the higher good.

What comes from the heart goes to the heart. And when you can touch both the mind and the heart of the reviewer your proposal will succeed. It's not about manipulation it's about connection. It's about honestly describing your community's needs and your enthusiastic assurance to use your skill and experience to create meaningful change.

When your planning team uses its expertise to plan programs that will have an impact, then your only task is to explain to the reviewer why you will succeed.

A minor caveat: I don't mean to propose programs that are clearly outside of the funding agency's interests. That would just be a waste of your time and their time. Simply, use your professional skills to hone in on what is needed and don't limit your vision of what is possible.

Assigning your perfectidemon a task

When my perfectidemon takes center stage, I say "thanks for the appearance, appreciate your help with making sure we get all 27 signatures." Then I assign it the task of the editing and critiquing since that is what perfectidemons are so good at.

And then I move on to remembering that this is about helping each other move through life and encouraging my team to dream big and plan effectively.

Data Digging

Working internationally? Want to know how U.S. literacy rates compare to Sweden's or Australia?

The UNESCO Institute for Statistics includes lots of global and internationally comparable statistics on education, science, technology, culture and communication.

www.uis.unesco.org

Happy Data Digging!

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