If you are seeking to make a change, such as developing a new habit or skill or break a bad habit, you might check into what it might take to actually follow through on making that change. If you find you get stuck at that stage without then following through to do anything differently, you might be experiencing some procrastination due to perfectionism.
If this rings trueto you, something I’ve learned to do is tap into a superpower all humans have. It’s called “Imperfect action.” Here’s how it works:
There’s something you have to do. (Daunting task!) You think, “I don’t know what to do” and start to freeze up. But what if, as a leader, you could take this concept of imperfect action and apply it not only to your personal growth but also to the development of your team? By incorporating the concept of imperfect action into leadership practices, leaders can encourage their team members to embrace experimentation, take calculated risks, and learn from failures while working towards shared objectives, continuous learning, and development.
You tap into the superpower and tell yourself, “Great! Let’s do it badly and then get better.” As a leader, you understand that psychological safety is a crucial element in fostering a growth mindset and promoting imperfect action. Leaders who prioritize psychological safety create an environment where individuals feel empowered to share their ideas, take risks, and make mistakes without fear of judgment or negative consequences. This enables teams to engage in open dialogue, innovation, and learning, ultimately driving personal and collective growth.
You tackle the task with freedom, knowing it doesn’t have to be ‘right.’ Leadership isn’t a journey marked by a series of victories; instead, it is a voyage defined by resilience amidst the storms of uncertainty and setbacks. Embracing imperfect action showcases this resilience and serves as a beacon, guiding your team to press on despite the odds. Your willingness to embrace imperfection and encourage your team to do the same fosters a culture of resilience, adaptability, and growth.
You notice imperfections and problems. You wish it was better, but tell yourself it’s okay. “Being a human being, I get to make mistakes,” you remind yourself. “Package deal.” As a leader, you recognize that imperfections and mistakes are part of the learning process. Your role is to guide and support your team members, encouraging them to learn from their mistakes and see them as opportunities for growth. By promoting a culture that embraces imperfection, you create an environment where innovation and improvement thrive.
You finish the task. And — more often than you would ever expect, People tell you they love it. Of course, that won’t always happen, but the more you repeat the action and try to do better, the better you will get. Leadership isn’t about being perfect; it’s about making progress and inspiring others to do the same. By incorporating imperfect action into your leadership approach, you unleash the potential for remarkable achievements and continuous growth.
My clients have found that this technique works really well. Why do you suppose that is? Part of that has to do with the power of leadership in embracing imperfection, resilience, and continuous learning. The Growth Mindset fostered by effective leadership, empowers individuals and teams to overcome challenges, embrace experimentation, and achieve their goals.
Growth or Fixed Mindset?
According to researcher Carole Dweck, we have two primary mindsets about things, people, and ourselves. Either we believe that we are Fixed (the “fixed mindset”), or that we are Growing (the “growth mindset”).
Dweck’s dichotomy of mindsets — the Fixed versus the Growth — is a profound lens through which to view ourselves. With a Fixed mindset, we are static entities, bound by our inherent nature. The Growth mindset, on the other hand, offers a dynamic perspective where we are continually evolving.
Likewise, having a primarily Growth mindset means that we believe we are growing and changing; situations are constantly in flux, things do change over time, boys can learn to behave better, and stupid is just a label–not a representation of who or what a person is.
The fixed mindset doesn’t require accountability. It allows us to give up and never try again because we’ll never be any better than we are right now. However, as leaders, we understand that the growth mindset gives us a path forward. It tells us that we are changing and can continue to improve. If we aren’t ready now, we can become ready.
Take Steve Jobs, who was famously ousted from Apple only to return and lead the company to its golden age. He didn’t allow the ‘imperfection’ of his initial leadership stint to paralyze him. Instead, he embraced it, learned, and grew from it.
Strengths-based Growth Mindset
The strengths movement has encouraged us to focus on building our strengths and not spend too much energy trying to fix weaknesses. I agree, but sometimes this gets twisted to support a fixed mindset.
The growth mindset can embrace strengths philosophy. You and I can improve both our strengths and our weaknesses through focused practice and study. But, if something is a strength, that will improve a lot more and a lot faster than our weaknesses will improve. That’s okay! We can still work on our weaknesses to make sure we don’t do damage with them.
Imperfect Action is how we step into our power.
Waiting until we’re perfect is one of the important ways people stay small and play small. When we accept our imperfections and step forward anyway, accepting assignments and leadership and challenges, we become more fully ourselves. We allow ourselves to be seen.
If you hold on to a fixed mindset, all of that is just too threatening. So we don’t try, and we don’t improve. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
If you know you have been playing small and missing the opportunities and power that have been available to you, a commitment to imperfect action is a powerful step you can take.
When you think, “What if I fail? What if I make them angry? What if they don’t like it? What if they don’t want me around anymore?” You can remind yourself that these fears are fueled by a fixed mindset. They keep us boxed in.
What if something bad happens? Well, it might, or it might not. If actual damage is done (probably unlikely), you can take action to make amends. More likely, you will have stepped into your power in a way that inspires and clarifies.
Imperfect Action requires self-compassion
Taking imperfect action requires that we practice self-compassion. When your inner critic is beating on you for making a mistake or for failing, remind yourself that none of us on this planet are perfect, though most of us wish we were.
Very little in this life needs to be exactly right. Some of the things that do: Precautions against infection in operating rooms, organ transplant surgeries, building rocket ships that take people into space… these things probably have to be perfect.
But your presentation (or music or cooking or your decision to tell someone how you feel and what you want) is not likely to be one of those things.
It’s okay to take some time to discern whether or not perfection is important in your situation.
We must remember (and tell each other) that it’s okay when something isn’t perfect. Much can be changed tomorrow if necessary.
What task have you been avoiding? What have you procrastinated about? Could you get started today if you just embraced the growth mindset and did it imperfectly?
As a leader, what opportunities for growth and development are you creating for yourself and your team through imperfect action? It’s time to unleash the power of leadership by embracing imperfection, resilience, and continuous learning.
