Let me ask you this—do you think that perfectionism is a great leadership quality to have? Many people see it as essential for success. After all, setting high standards and achieving big goals can feel very rewarding. And that’s what we are trained for as leaders, isn’t it? Actually, perfectionism can be a double-edged sword for leadership, as it has both positive and negative aspects. When positive, it can be very self-motivating and drive you to overcome adversity and achieve success. When negative, it can make you overly focused on avoiding failures, resulting in a negative orientation. Perfectionism is a personality trait that involves setting high standards and being overly critical of oneself, and leaders who constantly display this trait often struggle in key areas.
Here’s what perfectionist leaders often do:
They set unrealistically high expectations for themselves and their team.
They are quick to find faults and overly critical of mistakes, both for themselves and others.
They expect everyone around them to share the same high-achievement mindset.
They may push people far past the point of reasoning, leading to burnout.
They are often unhappy with themselves and their results, never feeling rewarded for any performance.
They are motivated by the fear of failure.
So, you see, perfectionism is not a badge of honor. In fact, it is rooted in fear—fear of failure, fear of not living up to expectations, fear that things could always be done better, which leads to endless cycles of rework. Often, procrastination stems from perfectionism. A leader who is overly focused on perfection may worry excessively, feel anxious about situations, and struggle with decision-making. Rather than aiming for perfectionism, I advocate for leaders to pursue excellence. Excellence allows you to progress while enjoying the process. There is a clear difference between wanting to excel and wanting to be perfect. We don’t have to be perfect to be successful, and perfectionists are not always successful. Excellence is self-focused and rooted in the question: How can I improve? Perfectionism, on the other hand, is rooted in the fear of What will others think of me? So, I leave you with this thought—are you advocating perfectionism, or do you want to be a leader who pursues excellence?
Your Good Friend and Mentor
Payal Nanjiani
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