Do you find yourself agonizing over every little detail? Does it take you three times as long to accomplish a task because you are trying to get it “just right?” If so, you might be a perfectionist? It’s not an uncommon personality trait to see in the business world and it can help to push people to strive to do their best. In extreme cases, though, it leads to wasted time and resources. The outcome usually doesn’t justify the immense effort that went into it. If you find yourself in the web of extreme perfectionism, here are a few tips that can lead you out.
Make a Decision and Stick to it
You make good decisions; that’s the reason you’re managing the projects you are working on. So when you make a decision, stick to it. Try not to second-guess yourself – this just wastes time. Who’s to say your fourth or fifth decision will be any better or beneficial? If you start that second-guessing game, it can spiral out of control!
Trust 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, prior to getting settled into your plan make 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.
Having a critical eye and a touch of perfectionism can help you execute top quality offerings. However, it can become detrimental to your business if you don’t stay flexible. If you find yourself caught up in perfectionism, use the steps I’ve outlined above.