There are perfect games in baseball. Just check out Chicago White Sox player Mark Buehrle. There are perfect 10s in diving. Greg Louganis comes to mind. There are perfect routines in gymnastics. Remember Mary Lou Retton? Or Nadia Comaneci?
How many of us grew up hearing the old saying, “Practice makes perfect?”
All too often managers are looking for the perfect performance from their employees. There are few perfect 10s if any, in the business world. There is no such thing as a perfect game, dive or routine in the corporate world. And I disagree that practice makes perfect. In fact, I believe that practice makes progress. Progress towards the goals.
Progress is what managers today need to focus on, not perfection.
Think about where your employees are at today and where they could be tomorrow. Work with them to develop a plan that will get them there. Engage your employees in a conversation and focus on behaviors that will lead to success. As an employee begins to take steps towards their potential, celebrate their progress. Don’t wait for the employee to arrive at the set destination. Help them see how small efforts every day will get them closer to their goals. As you celebrate their progress also find out how and what the employee is doing that is allowing them to make that progress. This will continue their momentum and keep them focused.
In my experience, if you wait for perfection, you will be waiting a long time. Without celebrating the small wins, employees tend to give up and shift their focus. Changing or enhancing behavior is uncomfortable, kind of like exercising. Don’t wait to celebrate the win of going from working out for 10 minutes to 20 minutes to an hour. You can’t get to an hour without first making it to 20 minutes.
Realize that perfection in the workplace is a moving target. Making it that much more critical to build on small successes and focus on progress!
How will you focus on the progress your employees are making today?
Do you agree, disagree or just don’t give a rip? We would love to hear from you!
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I really like the notion of “practice makes progress”. The pursuit of perfection is a draining and frustrating activity. I’m familiar with the feeling it creates when you strive for perfection and fall short of the mark. But, you have me thinking that striving for progress is a much more positive pursuit, whether it is from yourself or from those you lead. And, it is something that is happily achievable.
As a recovering perfectionist, I take a lesson from your message. Thank you.
Gwyn
Hi Gwyn,
Cheers, from one recovering perfectionist to another! You hit the nail on the head, the pursuit of perfection is draining and frustrating. Partly because it’s a moving target and partly because it really doesn’t exist. Things can always be a little more perfect in a perfectionists world!
I believe at my core that progress is what really matters. There are so many things to do each day that if we make progress towards our goal, even though it may not be right where we want to be, we must still celebrate! Otherwise the cycle will be never ending because we will never get there. This applies at work, personally and with kids as well.
Together we can break the cycle and focus on our progress!
Thanks for sharing,
Kelly
This is such an important distinction that gets so easily lost amidst the intense demands on our time. The bottom line counts on our ability to produce results, but the human beings who produce those results are more likely to transcend the challenges they face in the process and even raise the bar on themselves when we are wise enough to encourage them along the way.
When a child is learning to walk we celebrate every step and provide encouragement after every fall. Your post has me thinking about what might be possible if we brought some of that same spirit of encouragement to the people we manage and lead.
Hi Susan,
I love using the example of a child learning to walk. You are so right, we celebrate every step and provide that encouragement until they master the art of walking. Then we shift our focus and celebrate other milestones. We must adopt this same principle in the workplace. As you pointed out people will raise the bar themselves and transcend challenges.
Thank you for sharing and contributing to the discussion.
Cheers!
Kelly
Susan is inspires everyday leadership through everyday actions. Check out her blog at: http://randomactsofleadership.com/
Kelly,
I like your examples of perfection. I think that perfect performances have several elements. Most “perfect” performances are the results of behaviors — practice makes perfect — and collaboration.
Rarely does a peak performer attain that level of competence without hard work in their crafts; behaviors. Really, the behaviors are all we can control. We have no control over the outcomes. While Greg Louganis, Mary Lou Retton and Nadia Comaneci turned in “perfect” performances, when they were finished, they were dependent on subjective scores from judges. The same goes in many business situations, especially in a sales environment. All we can do is control our behaviors and let the averages work on the outcomes.
Days before Mark Buehrle’s perfect game, Jonathan Sanchez came inches from one in San Francisco. Two plays stand out from that game. In the 8th inning, an easy ground ball bounced off of the third baseman’s glove for an error. This meant that the best outcome possible was a no-hitter. A few minutes later, the center fielder made an amazing play to save the no-hitter. Sanchez pitched a brilliant game. Afterward, he was thankful to his team for helping to carry him.
Where would Mary Lou and Nadia have been without Bela Karolyi, their coach? Where would Mark have been without the support of his team?
You’re right. We can not wait for perfection. We can adjust our behaviors to achieve excellence. Then, at some point, we’ll get there with a little help from our friends.
Marty
Hi Marty,
I love your focus on behaviors to generate results. You make a really important point about subjectivity for athletes, in sales, in leadership and pretty much in any relationship we have. We can’t always control the outcomes. What we can control are our behaviors. As we practice and focus on winning behaviors everything else will fall into place.
Everyone needs support while working towards their end goal. Just like you pointed out where would Mary Lou and Nadia be without Bela Karolyi? He certainly was a key ingredient to their success. And Mark Buehrle would not have achieved the perfect game without his team members supporting and the most unbelievable catch by Dewayne Wise. We don’t operate in a vacuum.
I completely agree with you that it is critical for us to analyze our behaviors to discover what works and what doesn’t and adjust our “game” from there. We will get there, and we won’t be alone.
Thanks for contributing to the discussion!
Kelly
Marty focuses on business values and ethics lessons from the U.S. Marine Corps. Check him out at: http://semperfibusiness.wordpress.com/ and follow him on Twitter http://twitter.com/SemperFiValues
Hi. Thank you for posting this article. It helps a lot of people, one of them is me because while I am reading, I am learning new things that I can apply in everyday life. Fantastic site! I will bookmark your site and I will always look for your update.
So glad that the post resonated with you Focus Factor! We are honored to be included in your bookmarks and look forward to hearing from you.
Best to you,
Kelly
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