Perfectionism is common enough that we’ll all eventually encounter perfectionists in the workplace. How can you collaborate more productively with them? I have five suggestions drawn from psychological research into perfectionism and also, anxiety, which is typically what underlies perfectionism. If you’re a perfectionist yourself, you’ll learn tips to create smoother, stronger working relationships.
Figure Out Which Type of Perfectionist You’re Dealing With
Avoidant perfectionists have trouble beginning tasks.
- Obsessive perfectionists tend to struggle to complete tasks.
- Both types also share a habit of expanding the scope of projects.
- How you deal with these traits may differ according to the type you’re dealing with.
Set Boundaries
A perfectionist’s unrealistic expectations can unintentionally make their teammates feel like their time is not being valued
- Try setting boundaries by deciding not to respond to their evening or weekend emails or institute a team policy or guideline about this
- By developing boundaries you will create a culture that encourages personal growth
Enhance Feelings of Security Through Mutual Influence
Mutual influence is when a teammate allows you to influence their way of thinking
- When people feel a sense of relationship security, it’s much easier for them to receive critical feedback
- Show your perfectionist teammates that you think of them highly, and believe in their talent and capabilities
- Perfectionists need to know that your general view of them is positive, and that small mistakes, like making a typo, isn’t going to impact your overall confidence in them
Don’t Internalize Unrealistic Expectations
Perfectionists tend to equate time with quality, so be particularly thoughtful and diplomatic in explaining why you don’t want to spend that much time on this project
- The goal is to explain the opportunity cost of spending excess time filling in ten marginally useful columns of data when you could be serving the company in more productive ways
Support Processes that Help the Team Focus on the Big Picture
During team meetings, ask: Is there a simpler way we can achieve our goal?
- Create a basic checklist to help the group stay organized
- Encourage the use of heuristics for making decisions that help everyone in the team to effectively prioritize
