Moving from Perfectionism to Productivity
‘Done is better than perfect’
Consider John, a sales executive in a consumer goods company. John is a highly conscientious person who prides himself on his integrity. When John makes a promise, he delivers on it. Throughout his career, this has landed him in good favor with his bosses and his clients, which has gotten him significant praise and recognition. Newly promoted into the regional sales manager role, he found himself overwhelmed with the amount of work on his plate, yet didn’t feel he could delegate much to others because he was responsible. Although he felt more stressed out with the increased workload, he just thought that was part of the ‘burden of management.’ At the end of his first year on the job, he was tired from this new work pattern and became deflated when he received his region’s engagement survey results. In short, he had inadvertently created a culture of dependence, a climate of apathy, and to top it off he had formed unsustainable work habits that were affecting him personally.
Unfortunately, John’s is a familiar story. When operating in new, frequently ambiguous environments, many executives worry most about getting their output perfect every time. This drive for perfection is a double-edged sword that ultimately cripples their best efforts. In short their winning formula no longer works.
In order to successfully manage this transition, it is helpful to understand the psychology of perfectionism. There is no shortage of research on the topic, and studies have found that there are two distinct processes people tend to use when they approach any task. Some choose a process called performance orientation. Here the focus is on the final product and an avoidance of failure. An organization’s climate can actually prime executives for this orientation, especially when the emphasis is strictly on delivering the bottom-line.
The other process, known as learning orientation, is characterized by the motivation to learn as much as possible, with a primary emphasis on personal growth. Individuals with a learning orientation have been shown to be more resilient and constructive about how they receive feedback from peers, score more highly on exams while in university, and are more productive overall than those who use a strictly performance orientation. They can also bypass some of the anxiety their peers report by being less focused on avoidance of mistakes and instead embracing experimentation.
One reason for the difference in outcomes between these two groups is the different responses each has to stress - the classic ‘flight or fight’ response. The learning orientation group, who sees a situation as an engaging challenge, is more likely to respond positively and benefit from increased blood flow to their muscles and brain. The effect is that they tend to perform better on both motor and mental tasks. In contrast, those who perceive a situation as threatening are more likely to respond negatively in a way that constricts their blood flow to these essential parts of the body.
Ultimately, both approaches to goal achievement are extremely important. After all, executives who fail to deliver results do not last. However, leaders can take away the fact that their results may be enhanced if they reframe their performance-driven approach toward learning. This pattern is hard to break. Performance orientation is driven into many of us as children and built upon throughout our early adult lives. The mantra for success in many societies seems to be “get good grades, which will get you into a good college, which will get you a good job.” Ultimately, the emphasis is on the outcome (good grades = good college = good job), not the process or the learning that enables us to achieve these goals.
Difficult as it may be, this transition is one that many leaders must navigate in order to sustain their early success. As the latest research shows, to be our best, most innovative selves, we should stop to take in all that we are learning instead of focusing only on the finish line. Counter intuitively, this can actually boost our results and profits while allowing us to feel more relaxed and learn more that can be applied to future situations. In order to really break the pattern, we suggest that leaders try to change their focus gradually.
Focus on process AND outcomes: The research is clear that goals are both motivating and facilitate personal achievement. However, once the goal is clear, leaders need to ensure their people understand the scheme of maneuver to achieve it. Some questions to ask are: “What do we need to do to get there?" "How can I teach my team to dig deep and understand the significance of what they are doing?"
Adopt the principle of equifinality: There are an infinite number of routes to a given point, and yours is not the only possible solution. In fact, if you adopt this principle you will come to learn that yours is not even the best possible solution – it is only one of many. Give yourself a chance to be surprised by others’ ingenuity, and give them a chance to demonstrate it.
Access your inner detective: Curiosity is the precursor to learning, and it can be fun. Remember the days you ran to a mentor, parent, or teacher proud to tell them about something new you’ve learned? Find that thirst to uncover the truth by starting a quest. “How can I learn as much about this particular situation as possible?” “Where is that person who can generate the best solutions to this challenge?” “What could be possible if we did it Mary’s way?”
Take your time: If your natural inclination is to focus on the outcome, that’s OK, for now. You can’t expect to change your mindset over night. Focusing on the very act of changing your emphasis toward being less performance-oriented is a mindset that emphasizes performance in itself! If it takes you awhile to learn how to change the way you frame issues, that’s fine. Be easy on yourself as you learn this new skill.
Relax: The tendency to focus on perfection is usually driven by stress and an intense need to succeed. This is natural for many leaders who care deeply about results. If you can find a moment or two each day to meditate or step back to think about your journey and the path you’ve taken to get there, you are less likely to feel overwhelmed by day-to-day performance indicators.
Selected references:
Blascovich, J. (2013). 25 Challenge and Threat. Handbook of Approach and Avoidance Motivation, 431.
Childs, J. H., & Stoeber, J. (2012). Do you want me to be perfect? Two longitudinal studies on socially prescribed perfectionism, stress and burnout in the workplace. Work & Stress, 26(4), 347-364.
Dweck, C. S. (1986). Motivational processes affecting learning. American Psychologist, 41(10), 1040.
Hackman, J. R., & Wageman, R. (2007). Asking the right questions about leadership: Discussion and conclusions.