Perfectionism

I subscribe to the idea that “perfect is perfectly acceptable.” This isn’t terribly controversial when we are talking about big, important tasks where the consequences of less than perfect are obvious, but I often encounter shoulder shrugs, or outright hostility, when demanding perfection in the little things.

You may claim that perfectionism is paralyzing and problematic, but the care that you take in the small things tends to affect the big things. Building a habit of striving for excellence in the details is the goal. In our hospitality business we say, “The way you do one thing is the way you do everything.” and, “Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.”

This mindset produces a level of care and pride in creating amazing experiences that energizes the team. That mentality translates into everyday work of all types. Being sloppy in the execution of little things like a simple email can bleed over into more important activities like a big client proposal.

You’ve no doubt heard that “perfect is the enemy of the good,” but we can strive for excellence without being overwhelmed by the extra effort. Just a little more thought and care will go a long, long way.