The Perils of Perfectionism in Leadership

By Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN

French author Voltaire wrote, “The perfect is the enemy of the good.” I thought about this when I was working with a new nurse manager who described herself as a perfectionist. She has very high standards for both herself and others. While a little perfectionism can be a good thing in leadership, too much can be a double edged sword. Perfectionists can easily lose sight of the bigger picture and derail themselves in leadership. The following are common problems seen in leaders who are perfectionists:

Delay in Decision Making – by their nature, perfectionists want to make the very best decision and often believe that there may even be a better alternatives out there. The challenge is that with all the changes in healthcare, decision often need to be made quickly with the best information available at the time. An inability to make timely decisions can lead others to see you as indecisive.
Excessive Worry about Failure – Perfectionists want to feel absolutely ready before taking on challenges. This can lead to holding back from advancement or leadership roles. They may also avoid volunteering their units or areas for special projects if there is not a guarantee of success. One reason perfectionists are so strongly motivated to avoid small mistakes is because making them triggers their tendency to ruminate. To lead successfully in a complex environment, you have to be more willing to take risks.
Applying High Standards to Others – perfectionists set very high standards for themselves. The challenge in leadership for perfectionists is when they apply these same standards to others. The perfectionist leader often tries to maximize results in situations by using a pace-setter style to manage others. This approach can be characterized by impatience, lack of empathy, negative stretch (i.e., stretching someone well beyond their comfort zone with insufficient or no support) and harsh judgments about others’ performance and capabilities. This can lead to disappointment on the part of the leader and feelings of being micro-managed by their staff. A perfectionist approach can cause even your best and brightest people to become unmotivated, devalued, dependent, dis-empowered, frustrated, and ultimately disengaged.

If you are a perfectionist, it is important to recognize that it is a double edged sword. While in many respects, it has probably greatly contributed to your career success but it can also lead to leadership derailment. Pay attention to your tendencies for perfectionism and work hard to moderate your behavior. Recognize the difference between excellence and perfect. Understand that there at multiple pathways to achieve the same goal and your approach might not be the best one. Practice patience and recognize that perfectionism is likely to emerge when you are under stress. Find yourself an accountability partner who can help you when you are being unrealistic. Aim to be a recovering perfectionist.