Written by Eva Benmeleh, Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Eva Benmeleh focuses on the multifaceted impact of perfectionism on individuals and their relationships. She is a clinical psychologist in private practice, an educator on maternal mental health and perfectionism, and the author of the book Sun and Moon Love Cloud: A Book about Divorce.
Does perfectionism drive success or sabotage it? Many leaders and employees believe that perfectionism is a strength, but when left unchecked, it can hinder growth, efficiency, and workplace morale. Leaders who hold themselves and their teams to impossible standards often struggle with delegation, risk-taking, and adaptability. Similarly, perfectionist employees may feel overwhelmed by self-imposed pressure, leading to stress, burnout, and hesitation in decision-making.
Key aspects of a strong company culture: effective communication, clear expectations, regular progress assessments, strategic planning, and resilience, can transform perfectionism from a barrier into a tool for excellence. Perfectionism is insidious. At the outset of addressing this issue, both leaders and employees may blame each other as the source of the problem. The reality is that both are essential to the company’s success and play a role in the challenge. Both parties can work on identifying the strengths and weaknesses of perfectionism.
Usually, leaders and employees have good intentions and want the company to succeed. However, employees may hesitate to ask questions or challenge decisions for fear of disappointing their leader. This can lead to miscommunication or incorrect assumptions. Leaders may avoid delegating to their employees out of fear that they won’t understand, will do it incorrectly, or will take up too much of their time completing a project.
Therefore, honest communication and training are key to mitigating perfectionism’s toxic patterns. Clear expectations, based on regular progress assessments and strategic planning, create a work culture rooted in a growth mindset, utilizing the strengths of each member of the company for collective success. Perfectionism is not a fixed trait. With the right mindset and structured planning, its relentless drive for success can be harnessed productively, ensuring that high standards enhance performance rather than hinder progress.
Perfectionism within leadership
Perfectionist leaders must first recognize how their tendencies impact their leadership style, team dynamics, and overall productivity. These tendencies may create bottlenecks in decision-making, inhibit innovation, and increase employee frustration. Leaders who struggle with perfectionism may need external support, such as a mentor or coach, to help them see how these habits hinder the company’s success.
Delegation is a crucial skill for perfectionist leaders. Micromanaging stifles innovation and efficiency, preventing employees from fully utilizing their skills. Leaders should take the time to assess employee strengths and weaknesses during hiring or routine evaluations and assign tasks accordingly. By trusting employees with responsibilities and gradually increasing their autonomy, leaders can create a more engaged workforce.
By focusing on steady progress rather than unattainable perfection, leaders can maintain a visionary mindset while ensuring efficiency and long-term success without getting lost in minor details. Setting realistic expectations and appreciating employees' actual capacities ensure that progress remains steady and measurable. Companies that embrace a growth mindset see mistakes as opportunities for improvement rather than failures. Leaders who regularly engage with mentors, colleagues, or coaches to monitor their perfectionist tendencies can create a healthier work environment, especially during pivotal moments of change and expansion.
How to work with perfectionistic employees
Working with perfectionistic employees can be tricky for many leaders. Leaders may appreciate their acute attention to detail, task-oriented mindset, and motivation to complete tasks quickly and efficiently, yet they may struggle with how to handle the self-doubt, sabotage, procrastination, and oversight that can also arise.
Supplying clear guidelines from onboarding can help leaders establish healthy expectations for work requirements within the company. Providing balanced feedback is essential. While perfectionist employees often excel in certain areas, they may need reassurance that mistakes are part of the learning process and not a measure of their worth or competence.
Leaders can foster a culture where feedback is seen as a tool for growth rather than criticism, reinforcing that progress matters more than unattainable perfection. They should also help these employees prioritize tasks effectively, focusing on impact rather than getting caught up in unnecessary details. Additionally, modeling healthy work habits, such as taking breaks and embracing flexibility, encourages perfectionist employees to adopt a more sustainable approach to work.
Perfectionism within employees
Perfectionist employees often hold themselves to impossibly high standards, which can lead to stress, burnout, and decreased productivity. From a psychological perspective, they seek approval and struggle to express themselves authentically to authority out of fear of negative repercussions.
To work through perfectionistic tendencies, begin by recognizing when they create procrastination, stagnation, or, worse, burnout. External support from a therapist or coach can be helpful, as perfectionism is insidious and often hard to recognize without self-awareness.
Next, set realistic expectations. You may have agreed to a position that seemed to align with your goals and schedule on paper but, in reality, does not. If your goal is to remain with this company or seek a different job, setting realistic expectations is key.
Accepting feedback is just as important as giving it. Feedback does not need to be critical, and even if it is, learn to see it as a gift, an opportunity to grow and improve in areas of self-doubt and weakness.
Learn to prioritize based on urgency and importance. When you focus on the overall quality of your work, you will better discern which details are crucial and which are distractions from completing the project.
Lastly, and most importantly, live with self-compassion. Everyone makes mistakes as they learn new skills. However, if you find yourself making more mistakes than would typically be expected at this point in your career, assess whether this is the best placement for you.
How to work with a perfectionist leader
Employees working under a perfectionist leader may feel micromanaged or afraid to make mistakes. Some may love their job but resent leadership that seems to block them from fulfilling their purpose within the company. If this is your case, begin with self-compassion and extend that to leadership. Is it possible that their high standards are not meant to punish you but to inspire you to greater heights of accomplishment?
Learn the art of communication. By keeping leadership informed on progress, asking the right clarifying questions, obtaining clear guidelines, and demonstrating competence, you build the trust necessary to be a reliable and efficient part of the company.
Shifting the workplace culture
By embracing adaptability and prioritizing progress over perfection, leaders and employees alike can cultivate a thriving workplace where innovation, collaboration, and well-being flourish. The key isn’t to eliminate perfectionism but to redefine it in a way that fosters sustainable success.
Have you experienced perfectionism in your workplace, either in leadership or as an employee? What strategies have helped you or your team navigate perfectionist tendencies? Share your insights in the comments!
Read more from Eva Benmeleh
Eva Benmeleh, Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Eva Benmeleh focuses on the multifaceted impact of perfectionism on individuals and their relationships. She is a clinical psychologist in private practice, an educator on maternal mental health and perfectionism, and the author of the book Sun and Moon Love Cloud: A Book about Divorce. She is committed to unraveling the polarities in perfectionism, integrating the striving for personal growth with harmonious flow. She is committed to working with individuals open to compassionate yet astute feedback, expanding their awareness, and making profound changes to the quality of their lives.
