Perfect is the Enemy of Done. Good is the Enemy of Great.

Like many professionals, one of the weaknesses that I’ve had to battle in my life and career is perfectionism.

Perfectionism can be a strength because there are times that every detail matters, especially when producing a product or service that could harm people if every detail is not 100% accurate.

In aviation, for example, this could be the pre-flight maintenance checks on an aircraft. This needs to be perfect as there is little or no room for error.

The key is being aware of these times while being able to let go of perfection when it is not necessary.

Over the years, I’ve learnt that perfectionism can kill productivity by preventing people who have plenty of talent and ability from getting things done.

Nowadays, in many instances, I’ve adopted an approach of finishing things to the best of my abilities leaving room for continuous improvement, or KAIZEN, as the Japanese say.

It’s important to learn when greatness is required compared to when satisfactory will do.

At the same time, we must fight the complacency that can appear when we are good at something, which stifles the extra effort that would allow us to be great.

Consider your tasks and projects and decide what is required in each case – Perfect, Done, Good or Great.

Gregory Skeete

Gregory Skeete helps technical experts and executives develop and sustain high-performance leadership to ENGINEER SUCCESS in both life and enterprise.He is an international High-Performance Leadership Coach, Trainer and Speaker, certified with Maxwell Leadership, one of the world’s premier institutes for leadership development founded by the highly acclaimed global leadership expert, Dr. John C. Maxwell.Gregory holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering, backed by Industrial Engineering and Process Improvement experience in the manufacturing sector. He has also studied business leadership under a range of other global thought leaders including Dr. Robert Cialdini and Sir Richard Branson, who Gregory during the inaugural YLAI Fellowship Program initiated under former US President Barack Obama.As the Founder of Life Engineer Inc., he has leveraged his range of experience to develop solutions that help individuals and organisations systematically achieve desired results to drive positive change.

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