Does Perfectionism Help or Hinder Business
Business Technology | October 28, 2011
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 end up changing direction repeatedly, 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
Believe in the decisions you make! One trap of perfectionism is to second-guess yourself, which is often a never-ending spiral. So when you make a decision, trust yourself and stick to it.
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 keep 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 getting settled into your plan be sure you…
Have a Plan B
You never know what’s going to happen! An obstacle may arise that can’t be overcome, so make sure you have a plan B. A backup plan can help you from getting entrenched to deeply in your first plan and devastated if things go wrong. The more flexible and ready for change you are, the easier it is to adapt to things life throws at you.
There is a fine line between perfectionism and having a critical eye. It’s important to always strive for the best, but worrying about getting something perfect is damaging to the project and your mental health. The steps I’ve outlined above will help you to free yourself from the perfectionist mindset, if you find yourself there. Here is a great article about avoiding the pitfalls of perfectionism all together.
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 end up changing direction repeatedly, 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
Believe in the decisions you make! One trap of perfectionism is to second-guess yourself, which is often a never-ending spiral. So when you make a decision, trust yourself and stick to it.
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 keep 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 getting settled into your plan be sure you…
Have a Plan B
You never know what’s going to happen! An obstacle may arise that can’t be overcome, so make sure you have a plan B. A backup plan can help you from getting entrenched to deeply in your first plan and devastated if things go wrong. The more flexible and ready for change you are, the easier it is to adapt to things life throws at you.
There is a fine line between perfectionism and having a critical eye. It’s important to always strive for the best, but worrying about getting something perfect is damaging to the project and your mental health. The steps I’ve outlined above will help you to free yourself from the perfectionist mindset, if you find yourself there. Here is a great article about avoiding the pitfalls of perfectionism all together.