Perfectionism - The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing?

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As someone who got the highest ever mark for "Be Perfect" on @Lynn Leahy's Drivers Scorecard, I know only too well that perfectionism is a wolf in sheep's clothing. It may masquerade as dedication, but it breeds fear, procrastination, and ultimately, hinders progress.

In the world of startups, founders are often lauded for their relentless pursuit of excellence.? However, a hidden danger lurks within this ambition: perfectionism.? While striving for quality is commendable, the relentless pursuit of flawless execution can have a surprising consequence: procrastination.

The Perfectionist Trap: Fear of Falling Short

Perfectionists set unrealistically high standards, often for themselves and their teams. This creates a constant fear of failure – any outcome less than perfect feels like a personal indictment.? Imagine a product launch – the perfectionist founder might delay release, endlessly tweaking features, paralyzed by the fear of presenting anything less than flawless.

The Allure of "Just a Little Longer"

Procrastination becomes a natural escape route.? If a task feels insurmountable because of the pressure for flawlessness, it's easier to put it off entirely.? "Just a little longer to get it perfect," the perfectionist thinks,? justifying the delay with the illusion of more time leading to a flawless outcome.

The Perilous Domino Effect

Procrastination in one area can quickly snowball.? Missed deadlines lead to scrambling, further fueling anxiety and the need for control.? Team morale suffers as trust erodes and the pressure to deliver intensifies.? The very pursuit of perfection ironically hinders the ability to achieve it.

Breaking Free: Embracing "Good Enough"

So how can founders escape this perfectionism-procrastination trap?? The answer lies in a paradigm shift:? embracing "good enough."? This doesn't mean settling for mediocrity; it means acknowledging that progress and iteration are more valuable than immediate flawlessness.

Strategies for Imperfect Action:

• Set SMART Goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals provide a clear roadmap and a realistic gauge of progress.
• Celebrate Milestones: Don't wait for the "perfect" launch to celebrate achievements. Acknowledge and reward progress along the way to keep motivation high.
• Embrace Failure as Feedback: View setbacks as learning opportunities. Analyze what went wrong and use that knowledge to improve future iterations.
• Focus on Progress, Not Perfection: Shift the focus from achieving a flawless outcome to making consistent progress. Regularly assess progress and adapt your approach as needed.
• Delegate & Empower: Don't try to do everything yourself. Trust your team members and delegate tasks, fostering a culture of shared ownership and responsibility.

Perfectionism is a wolf in sheep's clothing.? It may masquerade as dedication, but it breeds fear, procrastination, and ultimately, hinders progress.? By embracing "good enough" and focusing on continuous improvement, founders can break free from this cycle and lead their startups on a path of sustainable success.? Remember, the journey to greatness is paved with imperfect steps, each one a valuable learning experience.? So, take the leap, Founder.? Embrace the power of "good enough" and watch your business soar.

What I've been doing this week

Last weekend saw a marathon (by my standards - a 640 mile round trip in 36 hours) drive to Royal Military Academy Sandhurst with my daughter Ela for the Military vs Cancer annual dinner to say "Thank you" to the lovely corporate sponsors who help us to help current and veteran personnel (and their immediate families) who are facing a personal battle with cancer. Being able to share the most amazing night, in a place that helped shape who I am, with my daughter was something really special (and I think she enjoyed it as well!).

I had my usual quota of 1-2-1s with my awesome CEO clients, including Matthew Scott , the Founder of Playhuman Group who (completely unprompted) wrote a LI post about it that made me cry...

I also hosted the first of this year's Distilled Wisdom sessions - an online fireside chat about cybersecurity and data privacy with my friends Neil Beaton and Constantine Karbaliotis . I'll share the link to the recording once I've finished editing, but it was a "don't miss" event with a clear warning to all Founders, CEOs and business leaders about the dangers of assuming that cyberattacks are something that only happens to other people...

And if that weren't enough, today is the 58th birthday of my darling husband, Geoff Nicholson, The Culture Bio-Catalyst? , so we're off to our vacation cabin this afternoon for a long weekend!

What I'm Reading

According to a growing body of psychology research, procrastination isn’t a weakness – it’s a symptom.? So this week I've been reading around the subject to find you some quick and easy reads that will help you understand more about procrastination and how you can overcome it.

• Neil Fiore's The Now Habit - A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play
• Michelle K. Johnston's The Seismic Shift in Leadership - How to Thrive in a New Era of Connection
• Sarah Goff-Dupont's article The Real Reasons You Procrastinate at Work

Links will take you to the getAbstract authorised summaries.

Substacks worth subscribing to:? as promised, I've compiled a list of my must-read Substacks, which you can find here.

Three Pillars of Growth?? - 3 Things to Do This Week

• Strategy - Redefine "Good Enough": Perfectionists often get stuck trying to make everything flawless. This week, challenge yourself to adopt a "good enough" mindset. Decide on a few key tasks, establish minimum standards for these tasks, and commit to meeting those standards –even if it's not absolute perfection. This helps combat delays caused by overthinking and over-perfecting.
• Structure - Practice Timeboxing: Procrastinators often struggle with open-ended tasks that seem overwhelming. Timeboxing breaks down tasks into shorter, focused blocks with strict deadlines. For example, instead of "improve website copy," schedule 30 minutes for "rewrite homepage headline." This makes tasks less intimidating and creates a sense of urgency.
• Leadership - Delegate and Trust: Whether driven by perfectionism or fear of failure, many Founders struggle to delegate. This week, identify a small, non-critical task and assign it to a team member (if you have a team). Give clear instructions and expectations, and then resist the urge to micromanage. Delegation frees up your time and builds trust with your team.

Wondering how stable your foundation for the Three Pillars of Growth?? is?? Find out with our FREE (and absolutely no obligation) Three Pillars Power Assessment??

I'll Leave You Now With These Golden Nuggets? ? ? ?

• This week's quotes: “Both workaholics and chronic procrastinators are either working or feeling guilty about not working.” “One of the most devastating consequences of procrastination is that it leads to putting off living.” and “Procrastination is not a character defect.” - all three from Neil Fiore
• Give it a try: There's a whole variety of websites and apps that you can explore if perfectionism is a problem for you, but I particularly like this worksheet created by Dr Jeremy Sutton from Positive Psychology: Goal Setting to Manage Perfectionism

I'm Carri Nicholson, The Leader Whisperer?,?and my mission is to ensure that early stage Founders have all the? tools, insights, and dedicated support across the core Three Pillars of? Growth?, to allow them to join the elite 5% of Founders who create sustainable, scalable businesses.? ??

What's your biggest growth challenge right now?

Tell me in the comments section and let's start the conversation!