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7 Reasons Why Law Firm Diversity Initiatives Fail
Many law firms understand the importance of building a diverse workforce. The changing demographics within the United States have signaled to firms that diversity is an important goal that will affect the firm’s viability and ultimately the bottom...
A Happy Professional Chooses Clients
Many professionals do not refuse clients out of fear of losing money. However, there is another side to the coin -- the high price of the negative effect of accepting everyone who walks in the door. One happy professional I know, a lawyer, always...
Five Strategies To Strengthen Your Company’s Financial Management
Too many businesses wait until a crisis occurs before they start to focus on improving their financial management. Often, by that time, it can be too late. By setting aside an hour now to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your...
Is Accumulating a Net Worth of $1,000,000 Easy? Yes and No
After purchasing Anthony Robbin's Get The Edge program, I was a bit skeptical that it would provide much value. I can honestly tell you that it has dramatically changed many areas in my life. Many of my new or old goals are finally in clear...
Team Effort Pays Off for Entrepreneurs
Business owners should not be running the day-to-day activities within their companies. In order to bring small and medium size companies to newer and stronger levels, systems should be running companies. Owners must be in a position to step...
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Perfection vs. Excellence (Business, Career, Life Coaching Series)
"(Howard) Hughes never learned how to convert his knowledge to practical application. Instead he sought a perfection that assured failure."
- From Empire: The Life, Legend and Madness of Howard Hughes
by Donald L. Bartlett & James B. Steel
How many times have you heard someone (it may have been you) proclaim or complain that he/she is a perfectionist? You may have noticed that going for perfection is a fool's game. You simply cannot win when you set perfection as your standard.
There may be rare and unusual situations where perfection is assumed to be an appropriate standard. Frankly, I can't think of one - no, not even life and death situations such as heart surgery demand perfection in the process. Each stitch does not have to be sewn perfectly in order to affect the outcome. Perfection is present in the ultimate result, as evident in the patient's survival or death, not in the process.
When "perfection" is the goal it is usually out of an exaggerated desire to be right, to avoid criticism or risk. The focus is on "how am I doing?" rather than on producing a specific outcome. Excellence, on the other hand, is a way of life. It is the context in which high achievers and peak performers produce and
contribute to the quality of life. High achievers and peak performers get things done by taking action looking for appropriate outcomes and measuring their success based on the quantity and quality of their results.
The bad news is that being a human being means we have the abilities and the failings of human beings. We make mistakes. We get tired. We get distracted. We fail to communicate clearly and accurately. When we set perfection as our goal, all of our actions are based on attempts to conquer our natural human limits with little or no intention on the ultimate outcome. The search for perfection limits our ability to act meaningfully.
Acting in accordance with standards of excellence allows us to produce superb results and opens the door to experimentation and creativity.
About the Author
Ruth Zanes has been a Business, Career and Personal Success Coach since 1985. Her broad range of experience prior to coaching includes consultant, business ownership and corporate executive for some of the world’s largest corporations. Contact Ruth at: http://www.unlimitedresourcesinc.com
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