Leaderly Quote: Demote your inner perfectionist
For some of us active and recovering perfectionists, we await feedback holding out hope that if we did things perfectly, we will hear only glowing praise. And yet, for most people (even the brightest and most capable) this happens almost never. I’d argue that perfectionism actually steers us away from the very hard-hitting feedback that’s most instructive.
Think about it.
When others get the sense that you’re a perfectionist, it handicaps easy, open dialogue.
A better approach? Thank your perfectionist for her concern, and then explain that progress is almost always made in a jagged, up and down trajectory—rarely is it perfectly linear.
Selena Rezvani
Selena Rezvani is a recognized consultant, speaker and author on women and leadership. A seasoned human capital consultant, Selena uses workplace culture assessments to help corporate clients be more inclusive and welcoming to women. She’s also the author of two leadership books targeted at professional women – Pushback: How Smart Women Ask—and Stand Up—for What They Want (Jossey-Bass, 2012) and The Next Generation of Women Leaders (Praeger, 2009). Selena has been featured in the LA Times, Oprah.com, Todayshow.com, Forbes, and wrote an award-winning column on women for The Washington Post.
For some of us active and recovering perfectionists, we await feedback holding out hope that if we did things perfectly, we will hear only glowing praise. And yet, for most people (even the brightest and most capable) this happens almost never. I’d argue that perfectionism actually steers us away from the very hard-hitting feedback that’s most instructive.
Think about it.
When others get the sense that you’re a perfectionist, it handicaps easy, open dialogue.
A better approach? Thank your perfectionist for her concern, and then explain that progress is almost always made in a jagged, up and down trajectory—rarely is it perfectly linear.
Selena Rezvani
Selena Rezvani is a recognized consultant, speaker and author on women and leadership. A seasoned human capital consultant, Selena uses workplace culture assessments to help corporate clients be more inclusive and welcoming to women. She’s also the author of two leadership books targeted at professional women – Pushback: How Smart Women Ask—and Stand Up—for What They Want (Jossey-Bass, 2012) and The Next Generation of Women Leaders (Praeger, 2009). Selena has been featured in the LA Times, Oprah.com, Todayshow.com, Forbes, and wrote an award-winning column on women for The Washington Post.
