Is Your Pursuit of Perfection Hurting Your Leadership?

INTRODUCTION

Are you familiar with the classic interview question, “What is your greatest weakness?” and the infamous answer, “I’m a perfectionist”? 

Why is perfectionist such a common, cliché response to this standard interview question? I suspect it’s because we all believe perfectionism isn’t a weakness; we believe it’s admirable. Many of us may even say we prefer working with someone who makes every sacrifice to deliver the very best. 

But truly, perfectionism is a weakness. 

Ginni Rometty, former president and CEO of IBM, says that perfectionism may seem like a great trait for a boss to have, but it’s actually pretty toxic.

A Harvard Business Review article from 2021 noted that, “At some point in your career, you are going to work for a bad boss. Surveys consistently show that about 75% of employees in any organization consider their boss the most stressful part of their jobs. Leaders who display difficult personality traits like narcissism or impulsivity are understandably stressful to work for. A less talked about but highly common trait is perfectionism. Research indicates that perfectionism is on the rise and it is impacting the way we work, including our willingness, effort, and motivation.”

I consider myself a perfectionist, and for most of my life, I deeply believed that this was the reason for my success. It wasn’t until I studied Positive Intelligence that I could identify all the ways perfectionism was holding me back. This insight led to me recovering my essence—I genuinely care about outcomes and am a careful observer—without always having to do “the right thing, the right way.” That’s to say, I can be successful with greater ease and more joy the less I am a perfectionist! It’s been the most transformative insight of my professional career and it is the reason I am so passionate about sharing the wisdom of Positive Intelligence with my CEO community and beyond.

POSITIVE INTELLIGENCE 

Positive Intelligence is a program created by Shirzad Chamine . 

“Positive Intelligence is ultimately about action and results. Its tools and techniques are a synthesis of the best practices in neuroscience, performance science, positive psychology and cognitive psychology.”

For a more in-depth explanation of my experience with positive intelligence, see this article. 

SABOTEUR: STICKLER 

There are ten saboteurs; I’ve written about The Judge, The Hyper-Achiever, and The Controller. This week, I’ll discuss The Stickler. 

The characteristics of the Stickler Saboteur are: 

• A relentless need for perfection and precision
• A focus on details to the point of losing sight of the bigger picture
• An intolerance for mistakes, leading to frustration or criticism of others
• A preference for order, structure, and rules—sometimes at the expense of innovation
• A sense of self-worth tied to being seen as “correct” or “meticulous”

The Stickler Saboteur often manifests in behaviors similar to those of the Controller but with more focus on one way to do things. While close attention to detail and following procedures and rules may seem like strengths, the Stickler’s insistence on perfection comes at a cost—both to the leader and those they lead. The pressure for everything to be perfect every time creates an incredibly stressful environment.  

This is my personal top saboteur. It shows up for me in the belief that there is one right way to do things.  Sometimes, I will spend hours on a PowerPoint presentation, making sure fonts and content are consistent regardless of the low odds that someone will notice. Ultimately, this time spent doesn’t add value to the experience of what or how I present/teach. 

The fact that I’m a workaholic is 100% attributable to the fact that I’ve given free rein to my Stickler Saboteur for most of my career. The more time we spend obsessing over small things and refusing to delegate, the more we will work. Until I found Positive Intelligence, it was impossible for me to accept that it’s possible to achieve excellence in many different ways, and most often without perfectionism. 

I know I’m not alone in my perfectionism. 

Over the past few years, in various settings, I have asked hundreds of CEOs and leaders to write a secret—something they have never shared—about how they really feel inside. They anonymously write their answers on 3-5 cards and turn them in. I’ve received every type of answer you can imagine because even though they are secret, they are universally shared feelings, almost without exception. 

I’ve selected some of the statements to help illustrate the insidious nature of The Stickler when unrecognized and unchecked. 

Statement 1: “I don’t trust anyone else to meet my standards."

 Statement 2: "I might as well do everything myself; it’s always faster and done right the first time." 

Statement 3: "I’m not satisfied until everything is exactly as it should be."

Explanation: 

These statements underscore how the Stickler Saboteur can create a self-perpetuating cycle of mistrust, overwork, and frustration. When the Stickler Saboteur dominates, leaders often find themselves trapped in patterns that diminish trust, creativity, and morale. For leaders, the desire for perfection isn’t simply about high standards but rather about a profound fear never being good enough. 

CHARACTERISTICS & IMPACTS 

When the Stickler Saboteur is focused on PERFECTIONISM OVER PROGRESS, leaders obsess over minute details, delaying decisions or progress. Teams may feel FRUSTRATED by the constant need to “redo” or “fix” work that is actually acceptable. The more demoralized the team feels, the more likely they are to leave a job. 

When the Stickler Saboteur is focused on MICROMANAGEMENT AND CONTROL, the leader doesn’t delegate well. The leadership mentality is, “If I don’t do it, it won’t be done right”. This leaves employees feeling DISEMPOWERED AND DISTRUSTED, stifling their growth and initiative. 

When the Stickler Saboteur is focused on JUDGEMENT AND CRITICISM, a leader’s high standards aren’t just internal—they’re projected onto others. The work culture of “you can always do better/it’s never good enough” creates an environment where team members feel JUDGED AND INSUFFICIENT, reducing morale and collaboration. 

CONSEQUENCES AT WORK 

In a leadership role, when the Stickler Saboteur runs unchecked, the consequences are far-reaching. Some examples are: 

1.     Erodes Trust 

Employees feel micromanaged, which reduces engagement and loyalty. Teams don’t trust leaders to value their work. They may stop taking the initiative and wait instead for explicit instructions, which leads leaders to judge their lack of initiative and distrust their abilities. 

2.     Decreases Innovation 

Fear of making mistakes discourages risk-taking and creativity. A rigid focus on the “right way” can stifle new ideas and approaches. 

3.     Decreases Efficiency 

Overemphasis on perfection slows productivity. Deadlines are often missed as leaders or teams spend excessive time fine-tuning. 

MOVE BEYOND THE ILLUSION OF PERFECTION! 

Perfection doesn’t exist and even if it did, it comes as a cost that is never worth paying. The most effective strategy for counteracting saboteurs is to develop your SAGE, the inner part of the mind focused on empathy, gratitude, and intrinsic motivation. This is how you minimize a saboteur’s negative impact on you and in your business. 

The following steps can help leaders begin to let go of the Stickler Saboteur: 

1.     Sage Step 1: Catch the Saboteur 

Recognize when the Stickler is active. Ask yourself: “Is this level of precision truly necessary? Am I focused on details at the expense of the bigger picture?” 

2.     Sage Step 2: Pause & Reframe 

Use a mindfulness exercise like a “PQ Rep” to disrupt the saboteur’s control. Shift your perspective to what’s good enough to move forward. 

3.     Sage Step 3: Empower Others! 

Shift your focus to celebrating small moments of trust and empowerment within your team. Instead of revising others’ work, celebrate their contributions and coach them toward growth. Build trust by letting go of tasks that don’t require your perfectionist lens. 

4.     Sage Step 4: Prioritize (The Bucket Method) 

Put items in one of two buckets: 20% “Needs to be perfect”; 80% “Good enough is truly good enough.” 

While the Stickler Saboteur has successfully convinced you that there is an objective and attainable perfect result or outcome, that is not the truth. The consequences of prioritizing perfectionism are costly. Employees quit, and that costs money. For example, the cost of turnover from 2014-2019 was estimated to be US$223 billion dollars. Through the power of Positive Intelligence, you can access your strengths (self-disciplined, principled & ethical, direct, discerning) without giving in to the tremendous harms of the illusion of perfectionism. 

Thank You! 

This newsletter is possible because of the engagement and support of readers like you. I deeply respect your time and trust, and thank you for being here. Here’s to continuing on this transformative journey and unlocking the true potential within us all! 

Mark Taylor

Where Manhattan CEOs Go to Grow

Vistage NYC

Direct: 212.867.5849

www.marktaylor.nyc