LEADERS ARE PERFECTIONISTSleaders have an understanding of the importance of conservation of time,
energy and effort. When a job is done right in the first place, there is no
need to waste time, energy and effort in repeating it.
Principle:
“Pleasing God rather than appeasing God is the
highest motivation for happy living and healthy
leading.”The positive side of this perfectionist characteristic is that leaders generally
excel in their jobs. Doing a job well is one of the greatest emotional
satisfactions for a leader. He gets a lot of “psychic joy” over a job well
done – whether it is preparing a speech...giving a report...planning a
strategy...organizing a job...carrying out a task...washing a car...
mowing his lawn...or plowing his garden.
The down side of this perfectionistic inclination is that it can easily
control the leader – rather than cultivate the leader. He becomes a perfectionist
to the degree that he can never ever please himself. Even worse, neither
can other people ever please him – whether it is his spouse, children, or
employees. A growing discontent emerges. A critical spirit often takes
over. He passes out far more criticisms than he does compliments.
He becomes so focused on perfection that he always sees the flaws. He
increasingly focuses on the imperfections in himself...in what he does...
in others around him...in what they do. The perceived imperfection he
always sees and feels, robs him of the joy of personally completing a task
with a sense of satisfaction. This often can be traced back to the person’s
childhood – and a parent who could never be pleased with their child’s
performance. Nothing was ever quite good enough. Grades should have
always been higher. Performance should have always been better. They
should have always achieved more than they did. Rewards and praises
seldom ever came. As a result, the child grew up with an obsessive drive
toward achievement. They are constantly trying to satisfy that compelling
inner voice of their parent who was always demanding more achievement
and better performance. This can become a sick drive toward perfection