The High-Performer’s Trap: “Polishing” is Killing Your Progress

A client recently told me, “I know perfectionism is supposed to be bad, but I can’t let it go. It’s the reason my work is better than everyone else’s.”

She isn’t entirely wrong. But she is scientifically misunderstanding the engine of her success.

Research in organizational psychology draws a sharp line between two distinct traits that often look identical from the outside but yield wildly different results: Perfectionistic Strivings (Adaptive) and Perfectionistic Concerns (Maladaptive).

One drives you to the C-suite. The other drives you to burnout. The key to sustainable leadership isn’t lowering your standards; it’s shifting your focus from avoiding judgment to managing impact.

The Science: Striving vs. Obsessing

1. Adaptive Striving (The Excellence Mindset) This is the drive to set extremely high standards. The science shows this trait is positively correlated with performance and engagement. Leaders with this trait focus on the pursuit of the goal. When they miss the mark, they are frustrated, but they treat the data as a lesson and adjust.

2. Maladaptive Concerns (The Perfectionist Trap) This is defined by a preoccupation with making mistakes and a fear of negative social evaluation. Leaders with this trait focus on the avoidance of failure. When they miss the mark, they internalize it as a character flaw.

The cost of the second type isn’t just emotional; it’s operational. It creates a bottleneck where nothing leaves your desk until it is bulletproof, slowing down the entire organization.

Case Study: The Weekend Watchdog

I recently coached a manager who had a habit of jumping into her team’s group chat on Saturdays and Sundays. She wasn’t just checking in; she was answering questions, giving directives, and solving problems before Monday morning even hit.

From the outside, this looked like Excellence. It looked like a dedicated leader supporting her team.

But when we dug into the why, it wasn’t about support. She admitted, “I jump in because I’m afraid they’ll miss something if I don’t.”

This behavior wasn’t “pioneering” the work forward; it was “polishing” the process to soothe her own anxiety. By constantly preventing small problems, she was creating a massive one: she was training her team to be helpless.

We designed a behavioral experiment: She had to stay out of the chat for one weekend.

The result? She felt anxious. It was uncomfortable. She wanted to fix things. But she held the line. And guess what? The team figured it out. By suppressing her Perfectionistic Concern (the need to control the outcome to avoid anxiety), she unlocked Adaptive Striving (building a team that can function independently).

She later reflected, “It gives me anxiety… but it is allowing me to have some downtime away from work and time with my family.”

The Lesson: Excellence isn’t about being the hero who saves the day. Excellence is building a system that doesn’t need a hero.

The Shift: From Polishing to Pioneering

To move from Perfectionistic Concerns (Polishing) to Excellence Striving (Pioneering), apply these cognitive shifts:

A Question for Your Next Decision

The next time you find yourself obsessing over a deliverable or delaying a decision, ask yourself this diagnostic question:

“Am I trying to improve the outcome, or am I trying to protect myself from criticism?”

If it’s the former, keep pushing. That is excellence. If it’s the latter, ship it. That is leadership.

The Bottom Line

Perfectionism is often a safety behavior that masquerades as high standards, bottling up progress to soothe leadership anxiety. True excellence requires shifting from the “Polisher’s” need for control to the “Pioneer’s” drive for impact, prioritizing momentum over the illusion of flawlessness.