Hi there,
I hope you've had a wonderful week!
I was reading a founder’s biog on their company profile the other day where they quite proudly stated that they were a ‘perfectionist’.
Now, I’m pretty sure that the intention here was to reassure potential clients that their work would be delivered to a consistently high standard. However, it quite frankly filled me with nothing short of horror for what it would most probably be like to work with that person and, as the founder of the business, quite possibly, their company too.
In my honest opinion, there really ain't nothing great about being a perfectionist.
For the individual in question, you’re facing a pretty hellish life. You see, perfectionists are fuelled by an intense fear of failure. They set unrealistically high standards for themselves and others, believing that anything less than perfect is a failure.
Cases of burnout follow the perfectionist and their team like a chain of nervous ducklings. Alongside missed opportunities for growth, cr*ppy team morale and, ultimately, complete disengagement. Quite the heady mix.
So, what’s the perfectionist to do, to remedy their situation?
Well, I can share all the management coaching tips in the world, but fundamentally there’s some real work to do here on why this need for external validation is so profound and how one can both understand and overcome it.
However, on a more practical basis, for the sake of both you and your teammates here are some ideas if perfectionism is ruining all of your days:
1. Challenge negative thoughts - yeah, they come up. Like bloody whack-a-mole and, I’m afraid, your role here is to manage them. Want a pro tip? Ask yourself - is it true? Every time. And I’ll bet you, 9 times out of 10 it won't be.
2. Set time limits - if your perfectionism is never-ending then manage the amount of time you commit to a task. This will ensure that you don’t get lost in the detail or whether every single one of the angles on your new Google slides deck is exactly 92 degrees.
3. Delegate - If you're part of a team, learn to delegate tasks and trust others to contribute to the project. Not only will it lighten your workload, but it'll ensure that Bob in project management doesn’t think that you secretly hate him.
4. Embrace imperfection - yeah, I know; uncomfortable, but understand that imperfections add character and uniqueness. But, no, that doesn’t mean it’s an excuse for bad behaviour at the team outing.
5. Focus on the process not the outcome - acknowledge the effort and dedication you put into your work. Find the joy in the doing because you never know what’s going to happen next anyway.
Overcoming perfectionism isn't going to happen overnight. And, it really doesn’t matter if you don’t get it right first time. Remember; it's progress not perfection.
Now, let's get to the highlight you've all been waiting for - my TikTok video of the week!
Building on our discussion from a previous newsletter, I've brought the conversation to TikTok to share some ways to keep your team motivated during challenging times like pay freezes.
Enjoy!
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful weekend when it arrives!
Cate x
Hi there,
I hope you've had a wonderful week!
I was reading a founder’s biog on their company profile the other day where they quite proudly stated that they were a ‘perfectionist’.
Now, I’m pretty sure that the intention here was to reassure potential clients that their work would be delivered to a consistently high standard. However, it quite frankly filled me with nothing short of horror for what it would most probably be like to work with that person and, as the founder of the business, quite possibly, their company too.
In my honest opinion, there really ain't nothing great about being a perfectionist.
For the individual in question, you’re facing a pretty hellish life. You see, perfectionists are fuelled by an intense fear of failure. They set unrealistically high standards for themselves and others, believing that anything less than perfect is a failure.
Cases of burnout follow the perfectionist and their team like a chain of nervous ducklings. Alongside missed opportunities for growth, cr*ppy team morale and, ultimately, complete disengagement. Quite the heady mix.
So, what’s the perfectionist to do, to remedy their situation?
Well, I can share all the management coaching tips in the world, but fundamentally there’s some real work to do here on why this need for external validation is so profound and how one can both understand and overcome it.
However, on a more practical basis, for the sake of both you and your teammates here are some ideas if perfectionism is ruining all of your days:
1. Challenge negative thoughts - yeah, they come up. Like bloody whack-a-mole and, I’m afraid, your role here is to manage them. Want a pro tip? Ask yourself - is it true? Every time. And I’ll bet you, 9 times out of 10 it won't be.
2. Set time limits - if your perfectionism is never-ending then manage the amount of time you commit to a task. This will ensure that you don’t get lost in the detail or whether every single one of the angles on your new Google slides deck is exactly 92 degrees.
3. Delegate - If you're part of a team, learn to delegate tasks and trust others to contribute to the project. Not only will it lighten your workload, but it'll ensure that Bob in project management doesn’t think that you secretly hate him.
4. Embrace imperfection - yeah, I know; uncomfortable, but understand that imperfections add character and uniqueness. But, no, that doesn’t mean it’s an excuse for bad behaviour at the team outing.
5. Focus on the process not the outcome - acknowledge the effort and dedication you put into your work. Find the joy in the doing because you never know what’s going to happen next anyway.
Overcoming perfectionism isn't going to happen overnight. And, it really doesn’t matter if you don’t get it right first time. Remember; it's progress not perfection.
Now, let's get to the highlight you've all been waiting for - my TikTok video of the week!
Building on our discussion from a previous newsletter, I've brought the conversation to TikTok to share some ways to keep your team motivated during challenging times like pay freezes.
Enjoy!
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful weekend when it arrives!
Cate x
