According to Harvard Business Review, 67% of executives have struggled with managerial perfectionism. Leaders know that striving for progress is about being content with decisions that may not make everyone happy. We all have the desire to be perfect, but imposing unfair standards behind a decision can cause your team to disengage.
Reflect on how to make work-in-progress decisions
Learning how to make work-in-progress decisions is fundamental in developing and honing your leadership skills. Start by simply taking a moment to reflect.
Would you consider perfectionism a weakness?
Exercises to help you make work-in-progress decisions
Now, it's time to put your reflection into action. Finding opportunities to implement your leadership skills can allow you to make work-in-progress decisions.
- Create a pros and cons before making a decision. This will help you evaluate the best options, avoid decision-making paralysis, and give you a sense of progress with your decision. For example, if you want to start a business from home, consider the advantages and disadvantages of the whole process.
- Practice making small decisions instead of big decisions. For example, you can decide when to schedule customer interviews as opposed to re-evaluating a project’s timeline and agreed deliverables.
- Find a close colleague and share your thinking behind a decision. A quick sync can ensure that you’re heading in the right direction.
