In the business world, it’s easy to find perfectionists. Are you one? Perfectionism can help us have a critical eye, keep us driven and motivated to work harder, but if you find yourself changing direction time and again, questioning your choices, or stressing about small details, perfectionism will be more of a hindrance then a help. Many negative things can stem from this, the most prominent being wasted resources of both time and money. At the end of the day the outcome doesn’t generally justify the effort. Below are some tips to liberate yourself from the net of perfectionism when you find yourself ensnared.
Make a Decision and Stick to it
When you choose a direction to take and announce it to your employees, stick to it. One of the pitfalls of perfectionism is wasted time second-guessing yourself. If you’re constantly changing gears after your team has started the project, then you have wasted those recourses. You might never know if your third, fourth, or fifth decision would be any better. As they say, go with your gut!
Trus t your Employees
When you unveil your plan to your employees they will inevitably have opinions. Listen to what they have to say! If they tell you it’s a good idea, trust them. This will stop you from falling into the questioning game. Also, their skills are your resources, so trust them to execute their part of the plan well. You hired them because you trust their stills, right? And lastly, before you get settled into your plan be sure you…
Have a Plan B
Sometimes things get fouled up, so be prepared with a backup plan. This will not only prevent you from panicking, but will keep you mentally flexible for change. Flexibility is a great trait to have in business because things always change. You can’t plan everything perfectly, so stretch that part of yourself by having a plan to fall back on.
Perfectionism could have a beneficial effect as it may make you strive to be your best, but that pressure can lead to stress and wasted time. Try to stay flexible and strive for your personal best. If you find yourself caught up in perfectionism, the steps I’ve outlined above should help. You can also read this article to learn how to avoid perfectionism pitfalls all together.
