PERFECTION DOES NOT EQUAL IDEAL

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Maintaining a mindset of excellence (not perfectionism)

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Sally Smith was absolutely perfect. Her work was flawless. She rarely made mistakes, and she always seemed to say exactly the right things. She even dressed perfectly, and had the perfect family. Just one problem...Sally Smith was perfectly miserable!

At first blush, perfection is viewed as flawless execution--an ideal that we should all strive to achieve. Yet, the desire for perfection can have crippling effects. When people focus on attaining perfection, there is a tendency to be overly critical of oneself or others; to generate stress and its resulting effects; to counteract efficiency, which affects productivity; and to sink morale as the individual and his coworkers learn that their efforts are never good enough.

So what’s the alternative? Instead of perfection, strive for excellence. Set high standards, and look to consistently meet them. But, don’t obsess about being perfect. The differences between excellence and perfection might seem subtle at first, but the results are substantial.

Consider the mindset of a person focused on perfection:

• Critical
• Harried and time-crunched
• Unable to see the big picture
• Stressed
• Unconfident
• Rarely, if ever, allowing a sense of true accomplishment and personal reward

In contrast, the person concentrating on excellence has a mindset of:

• Continual growth and learning
• Satisfaction of a job well-done and clients served
• Lower stress thanks to clarified expectations
• Strong sense of meaningful accomplishment

Mindset management is a lifelong practice that, over time, becomes easier to snap back into when a turbulent course might knock you off of both feet.

From Perfectionism to Excellence

Set clear and realistic expectations

The first mistake most perfectionists make is setting goals or standards that cannot possibly be achieved. When starting a project or even a daily task, ask yourself "what outcome would I (or my boss or customer) consider to be a really good result?"

By setting a clear benchmark for excellence, you eliminate the need to be perfect. You also create clear expectations for your work, which will help you better track your progress and reduce the stress that comes from trying to be perfect.

Identify what’s most important

Rather than aiming for complete perfection, ask yourself or the group members, "What’s most important about this project?" The question can be adapted to just about any scenario (e.g. "What’s most important about this meeting? Interaction?"). By knowing what’s most important, you can easily set realistic expectations.

Recognize "perfection boundaries"

Perfectionists are rarely satisfied with their results. Rather than stopping at the point of excellence, they continue to re-do work (while wasting time and increasing stress) in an effort to improve the result. Learn to recognize your "perfection boundaries." When a task has been completed (or nears completion), measure the results against the excellence expectations you’ve set. Once the standard has been achieved, stop "picking for unattainable perfection" and move forward with the project.

Take a reality check

When you find yourself becoming frantic about a goal that you have to meet, stop and ask, "What’s really at stake?" Is the frustration-level equal to the problem? If you continue to be stressed, ask a trusted colleague to evaluate the situation with you. Sometimes talking about it helps put the issue into perspective. Then, move into action mode so that your concerns will be replaced with accomplishments.

Identify perfectionist triggers

Identify and recognize the factors that lead or contribute to your perfectionist thinking and behaviors. Keep a journal, for example. With this information, you can deliberately prepare your "buffer" against perfectionism, and employ tactics that shift your thinking to excellence. You’ll also be better able to see a bout of perfectionism on the horizon.

Consider using a coach

The outside perspective of a trained person who is genuinely interested in helping others become their best selves can be a valuable addition to your more individual, introspective work. Ask for referrals or consider speaking with a mentor.

Delegate

Many perfectionists are overburdened by the thought that only they can do, manage, handle or fix something. They tackle every project, and micromanage any that they do manage to delegate, and ultimately burn out. Allow others to perform tasks and take on responsibilities, which will increase the group’s skill-level (not just yours) and increase the odds that the group will reach excellence more often.

Celebrate

One of the biggest negative tendencies perfectionists have is to never be satisfied with their work. Take time to smell the roses! At the end of a project, or even a simple task, take a minute to review your work. Are you proud of your result? Is your manager satisfied? Are your customers happy? If so, pat yourself of the back and reinforce that you’ve done an excellent job!

Copyright 2002-2003. Reprinted with permission from Ivy Sea, Inc., San Francisco, CA (www.ivysea.com. For additional information or distribution rights, contact Ivy Sea, Inc. at (415) 778-3910.