Is perfectionism secretly sabotaging your leadership?
As a recovering perfectionist, the focus of this edition of the Conscious Leadership Advantage is particularly close to my heart. Hopefully it’s helpful for anyone else who sees themself as a perfectionist too.
Perfectionism is often viewed positively, certainly in highly-regulated industries where accuracy is vital.
While it’s important to have high expectations and high standards, perfectionism actually gets in the way of progress. In fact, perfectionism can create a significant barrier to effective leadership
Conscious leaders understand that focusing on the process and progress made is far more useful than trying to achieve an impossible ideal.
Perfectionism protects us
There is a reason for perfectionism: it’s often a form of self-protection. We might believe that if we can do everything flawlessly, or present a perfect image, then we can avoid the painful feelings which arise when we’re on the receiving end of perceived criticism, judgment or failure.
Perfectionism keeps us safe from feeling ‘not good enough’.
In unpredictable or highly critical environments, striving for perfection can feel like something we can control.
The problem is that while we might feel safe, being safe also means staying small, avoiding the risks and discomfort inherent in growth, change and learning.
The pitfalls of perfectionism
For leaders, perfectionism creates several problems. As perfectionism usually partners with a harsh, critical inner voice, even small mistakes are seen as major failures, which can be exhausting.
This internal narrative can create behaviours that slow or stall action, such as:
Procrastination: the fear of not doing something perfectly can be so great that it becomes much easier and feels safer not to start at all. Either important projects and deadlines can be delayed while waiting for the "perfect" plan or moment, or people end up under pressure to complete the task last minute because they have procrastinated for so long.
Dismissing strengths: a perfectionist leader often focuses on flaws and weaknesses to such an extent that they can completely overlook, dismiss or minimise not only their own strengths, but their team’s strengths.
Fragility: when you set unrealistic expectations for everything to be perfect, you become fragile in the face of the unknown. Unexpected challenges or setbacks can feel catastrophic. .
A better way: focus on progress over perfection
Conscious leaders choose to value the process and the progress made toward achieving an objective rather than focusing on a flawless outcome. This approach involves a different set of actions and a different mindset.
Check out these comparisons for some examples.
Progress focus: acknowledge and celebrate the small wins and incremental steps along the way to a bigger objective.
Perfectionist focus: only looks at a final, perfect outcome.
Progress focus: create a culture of continuous learning through being open about their own areas for development. They encourage their team to do the same.
Perfectionist focus: view own areas for development as weaknesses to be hidden. They project an image of having all the answers and expect the same from their team, creating a culture where people are afraid to admit they need help or don’t know.
Progress focus: recognise and make use of their own talents and strengths, as well as the talents of their team members, building confidence and engagement.
Perfectionist focus: dismiss their own strengths as simply 'meeting the standard' and are hyperfocused on fixing weakness. This creates a mentality where nothing is ever good enough and achievements are quickly overlooked in the search for the next flaw.
Progress focus: a resilient approach. These leaders accept that things won't always be perfect. They become more adaptable and better able to handle uncertainty.
Perfectionist focus: view uncertainty and the unknown as a direct threat to their ability to achieve a perfect outcome. They become rigid and try to overplan or control situations, making them fragile and rigid in the face of unexpected challenges.
Progress focus: view mistakes are a source of valuable information and learning, and approach mistakes with curiosity about what went wrong.
Perfectionist focus: view mistakes as evidence of personal failure and something to be avoided.
Why progress over perfection matters
Shifting your focus from perfection to progress has a noticeably positive effect on you and your team. For starters, it reduces the fear of failure that so often leads to procrastination. Consequently, when people aren't afraid to make mistakes, they are more willing to try new things and suggest innovative ideas.
The approach of progress over perfection also sustains forward movement and momentum. Waiting for a perfect result is draining, but celebrating small successes provides regular positive feedback that keeps everyone moving forward, especially through challenges. This also accelerates learning cycles: the more you try, learn, and adjust, the faster you and your team improve.
The many costs of perfectionism
1. The personal cost (the cost to you)
Increased stress and burnout: The relentless pressure to be perfect is mentally exhausting and leads to chronic stress and eventual burnout.
Diminished self-esteem: A harsh inner critic dismissed successes, reinforcing a feeling of never being good enough.
Analysis paralysis and procrastination: The fear of imperfection can be so overwhelming, making it easier to stall decisions and delay action.
2. The team cost (the cost to your people)
Erosion of psychological safety: a leader viewing mistakes as failures creates a culture of fear where team members will not admit errors, ask for help, or voice dissenting opinions.
Demotivation and disengagement: Team members can feel that their work is never good enough, leading to frustration and a sense that their efforts are undervalued. This is a direct path to disengagement.
Micromanagement: Perfectionist leaders often struggle to delegate effectively because they fear a loss of control and believe no one else can meet their exacting standards. This leads to them micromanaging tasks, which disempowers the team.
3. The organisational cost (the cost to the business)
Reduced speed and agility: Perfectionism is the enemy of speed. Over-planning, endless revisions, and a fear of launching anything less than perfect slows the entire organisation down, preventing quick responses to market changes.
High employee turnover: Talented people won’t stay long in a high-stress, low-trust environment where they feel constantly criticised and micromanaged. This leads to higher recruitment costs and a loss of valuable knowledge.
Poor customer focus: An organisation with an internal focus on perfection can to lose sight of what their customer actually needs, which might be a good, fast, simple solution, rather than a flawless, slow, and complex one.
Ultimately, focusing on progress is a more sustainable and effective way to lead with better outcomes for the individual, their team and the organisation as a whole.
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Dr Sarah Whyte is a keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, counsellor and coach.
Looking for a speaker to equip your leaders with proven strategies to perform at their peak without sacrificing their wellbeing? Let's connect.
Discover how the Conscious Leadership Advantage can improve your next event and assist your team to achieve sustainable success: sarah@drsarahwhyte.com
