The Case for Performance vs Perfection

“Don’t let perfect get in the way of good.”

Do you struggle with “perfectionism”? The most successful leaders understand that seeking “performance” rather than “perfection” is what sets them and their organization apart, and pointed in a positive direction. Focusing on performance is addressing growth – individuals, teams, and entire organizations can always improve from where they are. Building upon successes, learning from challenges, being innovative and adaptable, all contribute to growth.

Wait a minute, don’t we want our organization and our teams operating at their optimum? The short answer is yes – but not striving for perfection, but rather improvement. We suggest, the best teams are those who are continually growing, driven to perform at top levels. Those teams who are so called perfect, have only one way to go – down! Performance-based teams strive to operate at their best, always with the understanding that they can learn to be better.

Coach John Wooden built winning teams by addressing and teaching performance. He inspired his teams to strive to achieve peak performance by doing a lot of little things well. In other words, master the basics, identify strengths to sustain them, and take action to address areas for improvement.

Does Perfection Even Exist?

Perfection focused organizations are static state – in theory, they attempt to achieve perfection and stay there. But once perfection is achieved (if that is even possible) where does the organization go? Nowhere to go but down.

You’ve seen those leaders who are constantly chasing perfection. These are often seen as micromanagers, ego-bound self-serving or heartless leaders. Generally, they are less than inspiring, with nothing that people find compelling to be a part of. Often those who work in these organizations do so as a “j-o-b” rather than finding work to be their purposeful engagement.

Hubert Joly is the author of “The Heart of Business – Leadership Principles for the Next Era of Capitalism” and was the CEO who turned Best Buy from a dying brand to a thriving organization better than it was in its past. He says that “perfection does not exist”, therefore it makes no sense to strive to achieve it. His turnaround of Best Buy was built with his performance-based approach that began with himself and spread throughout the organization to each “blue-shirt” on-the-floor employee.

The “Cliff’s” of Perfectionism

While perfectionists may think they are striving for best outcomes, in reality, they are heading towards dangerous cliffs. Craig Groeschel puts it this way: “The pursuit of excellence will consistently motivate you, but the pursuit of perfection will eventually limit you.”

Those seeking perfection too often find themselves devoting inconsistent amounts of their time and energy to less important tasks that make them look, appear, and feel good. This leaves little time for the truly important challenges where they can and should be influencing outcomes. Leaders must learn where to place their “crowbar”, to optimally expend their energy and use their time to achieve the greatest outcomes.

Ann McGee-Cooper has found in her studies that “when the drive for excellence becomes fused with our ego or sense of self-worth, it can become damaging and even addictive. If I only feel good about myself when I am perfect, then I will have to work harder and harder to keep from making the inevitable mistake.”

“Perfectionism is not about striving for excellence but striving for the impossible, unattainable, and ultimately, the unachievable,” according to Kailey Spina Horan, Ph.D., LMHC. Her research found that “the chronic disappointment that results from perfectionism is exhausting, but it also puts us at risk for a myriad of other mental and physical health issues. Perfectionism has been found to increase risk for, and contribute to, the maintenance of eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and depression, poor physical health, premature death, pathological worry, and generalized anxiety disorder, and sadly, even suicidal ideation.”

Performance for Enduring Success

Businesses or other organizations are much like athletic teams. They can be at the top of their game today, but without regular growth, they will drop from where they are quickly. A drive towards improved performance is enduring, it is a pathway to achieving recurring success. As one client put it, “You don’t have to be sick to get better.”

Strengths can’t be sustained if they are unknown, and problems can’t be fixed if not identified. Successful leaders and teams will act much like a pro sports team and “watch the video” of their own performance in “yesterday’s game”. No matter how good the game was played, the best teams routinely pause to critique their own performance so they can constantly improve.

This approach requires individuals and teams to repeatedly examine themselves. Not a one-time event, it takes regular work and renewed strategies to sustain what is done well.

Identification of challenges or areas of improvement is important, but without action, it is simply information. Areas identified for improvement require an action plan with follow up and follow through by the leader and the team.

Striving for improved performance is motivating, bringing life to a team, giving it a real sense of purpose.

Embrace “Uncomfortable” to Grow

For many organizations at this time, keeping up is good enough, actually found to be acceptable. If they aren’t going under or falling behind, they feel they are thriving. In these cases, and even more so today as we are all faced with “volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity” or VUCA events, they stand to lose their competitive advantage.

These organizations, and the people within them, often become victims of their own successes, trapped within what we call the “prison of the known”. That is, leaders in these organizations often mistakenly assume that what made them successful in the past is also their formula for the future. Rather than questioning these basic assumptions, when faced with VUCA challenges, the same organizations will double down on the now outmoded strategies that made them successful in the past, all but assuring their demise.

Maintaining the status quo is actually moving backwards as others around you continue to find ways to improve their performance. The alternative is to take a deliberate effort to seek improvement. Use of stretch goals may feel uncomfortable, but to those who are inspired to achieve the best outcomes, it is the path to their growth.

Jon Gordon suggests that rather than maintaining the status quo, “the best are always striving to be better. If you are striving to get better, then you are always growing. And if you are always growing, then you are not comfortable. To be the best, you have to be willing to be uncomfortable, and embrace it as a part of your growth process. The best see where there is room for improvement and their humility and passion drives them to improve.

The average ones, however, don’t see it or don’t want to see it. The fact is past success does not determine future success. Future success is the result of how you work and prepare and practice and how you strive to improve every day. It’s a commitment that the best of the best make every week, every day, every hour, and every moment. Force yourself to be uncomfortable.”

The Case is Clear

Performance is enduring and not a static state. Strive to achieve peak performance with energy focused on improvement, not perfection. Grow by building upon success and taking action to improve challenges. Be committed to prepare, practice, and work to improve regularly. “Don’t let perfect get in the way of good!”

Integrator Leader Reflections

Do you embrace “uncomfortable” to grow?
Are you aiming for human perfection or are you striving for outstanding performance for you and your team?
Are you finding that perfect is getting in the way of good?

www.chambersbayinstitute.com ● leadership@chambersbayinstitute.com