Getting the benefits of your working styles

Drivers are characteristic ways of behaving which are usually strengths but may become weaknesses under stress. As change is stressful, drivers tend to creep in to action plans:

Hurry up: rush and overlook significant areas (may delay until urgent)
Be perfect: first time but takes to long so never finish
Please people: without asking - worried to get it wrong/upset people
Try hard: something new - but not succeeding or finishing
Be strong: must cope - stiff upper lip, avoid own shortcomings, can't admit weakness

If you are a Hurry Up

plan your work in stages, setting interim target dates
concentrate on listening carefully to others until they have finished speaking
learn relaxation techniques and use them regularly

If you are a Be Perfect

set realistic standards of performance and accuracy
practice asking yourself what the consequences really are - do this whenever you find a mistake
make a point of telling others that their mistakes are not serious

If you are a Please People

start asking people questions to check out what they want instead of guessing
please yourself more often and ask other people for what you want
practice telling other people firmly when they are wrong

If you are a Try Hard

stop volunteering
make a plan that includes finishing a task - and then stick to that plan through to a conclusion
check out the parameters of a task so that you only do what is expected

If you are a Be Strong

keep a task and time log so that you can monitor your workload
ask other people to help you
take up a spare time activity you can really enjoy