In the book ‘Bird by Bird’ by Annie Lamott, she states “perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor”. When I sit with this, I sit and wonder what this phrase truly means to me. I think to myself ‘how many ideas I have let float in and out of my mind for the fear they were not going to be liked by others’. I think about how many moments I stood in front of the mirror wishing I didn’t ‘look so big’ in that shirt. Wishing I just looked exactly how I wanted for one night. And I’m brought back to the moments when I almost didn’t write this piece for the sheer thought that there may only be two people who read it.
Perfectionism prevents us from being able to take action, restricts our freedom of creativity and shocks our body into feeling like we will be judged by others for showing up as who we are. Whether this strikes us on our personal or professional journey, perfectionism strips us of the most prized step we can take; the first one.
Perfectionism is like the weed that grows through the concrete pavement, stubborn and forceful by nature. It creeps in when we don’t want it to and it can freeze us into stagnation.
In the context of leadership, taking the first step means you allow a space to exist where your most imperfect versions can live in the room with you. Choosing to give yourself permission to grow with more experience and exposure over time. To give yourself the grace of noticing new things, hearing new perspectives and showing up differently than you had before. All while having the openness and knowing that there is always more to learn and understand.
In leadership when one tries to be perfect, they are only hesitating. When leaders wait to execute a plan or complete a project; they delay decisions, avoid difficult conversations, and miss opportunities to learn in motion. This type of hesitation in leadership actively shapes the culture and and trickles into the norms and values of teams and the organization.
If you are a leader and you find yourself facing the battle of waiting because of the fear of being imperfect, these are three recommended actions you can take today.
- Set a decision deadline. If you continue waiting for the perfect time, the time will never come. Pending the project you are working on, create a project timeline and start with just STEP 1 to get yourself moving. This shifts the mindset from perfection to progress creating momentum.
- Delegate some of your tasks. Control is often tied with perfectionism and the need to manage every single aspect of something for your perfect desired outcome. It strips you from seeing perspectives and visions outside of yourself. One way to start this is by sharing expectations clearly with members of your team.
- Learn in motion. One of the most powerful things you can do as a leader is to normalize imperfection out loud. Invite contributions from the team and share what you are learning in real time. This invites innovation and a growth mindset culture.
So whether imperfection is delaying your outcome in your personal or professional life, the mindset is bleeding into both. Ask yourself ‘What am I waiting for?’. The cost of perfection isn’t just delay, its showing the team, the organization and the world a piece of who you really are.
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Dawn Xx
