Selves We Cannot Forgive

I don't know about you, but I put a lot of pressure on myself. I'm not sharing that as some sort of martyr-type-play. I'm just stating a fact. Maybe you feel a similar level of pressure?

Perfection
Do you like your work to be 'just right?' I do. I like the thinking, planning and execution to be on point. As in, perfectly on point. The world is so quick to judge even the most minor error that, for me, striving to make everything perfect has become the norm.

It's a good strategy actually, except for one minor point.

Perfection is impossible.

Forgiveness
The challenge of striving for something (perfection) and never achieving it (reality) sounds bizarre. 

Yet why do so many of us espouse this approach as reasonable? I've seen the nonstop barrage of blogs and articles that proclaim how wonderful failing is for us. 

Well, let me telly something, I hate failing. I don't care if I've made an inconsequential typo in a meaningless tweet.

I hate failing.

However, I have also forced myself to learn to do something new. It took a long time to balance this new skill without lowering my expectations of perfection. It's called forgiveness.

"I am unwilling to strive for anything less than perfection; but I am also now forgiving myself if I know I've done my absolute best and fell short."

How About You

Does the pressure of being the perfect spouse, or student, or leader become too much sometimes? Are you in the 'Perfection Club' with me where the rules dictate that we must torture ourselves with every little failure? Perhaps it's time to try developing a new skill that allows you to aim high and forgive yourself at the same time?

It made a big difference for me.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Mythical Beings

I've come across hundreds of leaders in my lifetime. Many of them are so weak and ineffective it's made me wonder how they ever landed their job. 

Or any job. 

Ever.

Fantasy
What does the ideal leader look like anyway? Are they supposed to know everything...literally everything about the business? Should they be calm in every situation? 

When it comes to decision-making, they are the ones that are supposed to have it all figured out. They are the people we all lean on when the pressure gets too intense. They are always there for the rest of us.

But who is there for them?

I'm afraid that the vision of what a leader should be has outpaced what the world will ever allow. Honestly, is anyone that good? 

Or, is there an opportunity for contemporary leaders to recognize that through relying on one another...building a small group of energized yet humble colleagues working toward a common vision...that something special can be achieved?

Reality
One of my favorite phrases in the office is to "keep it real." I say this because I don't like getting caught in the world of jargon, or HR-speak, or whatever the lingo is in the industry where I'm working.

Real people...which is everyone by the way...like real talk. Not corporate speak, or fast-talking empty suites that can't execute on anything meaningful. Maybe it's time we stop expecting leaders to have all the answers, and allow them the freedom to engage everyone on the team to help build something special?

How About You
It turns out I've aspired to be one of those mythical beings for a long time. I've experienced the pressure to be perfect in every situation. I've felt embarrassed when I stumbled (imagine that...I'm human after all.) Leadership is a team sport...and that's not a myth at all.

I'd love to hear from you.


No Excuses.



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