01/01/2017
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In the late 17th-century, Lord Chesterfield, an English writer and politician, wrote to his son, "Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well." Over three hundred years later, we still heed this advice from the fourth Earl of Chesterfield. Yet, doing something well doesn't mean doing it perfectly. The 21st-century workplace requires more than doing something well.
Today's adage should be: "Whatever is worth doing, is worth doing." That's the secret people who are winning at working know. It's action, not inaction, practice not theory, and progress not perfection that builds success, achieves results, and actualizes dreams.
After hearing me speak at a conference, a young woman sought me out. She was struggling with this concept of progress over perfection and asked for advice. "How do you do it?" she asked. "How do you accept something as finished when you know it could be better?" She explained she was managing an over budget project months past due and her boss's displeasure was clear. Even so she struggled. "If only I had more time to do it right," she pined.
There's a difference between doing your best under the circumstances, and trying to achieve perfection. As a person who has perfectionist leanings at times, I understand doing things well. There's always more you can do to make it better, grandeur, niftier; always more to add, augment, or debug; more ideas, more tweaking, more revisions to make it close to the illusionary perfect status. But in order to survive and thrive in today's workplace progress surpasses perfection.
If a toddler didn't walk until she could walk perfectly; a musician didn't play until he was accepted by the Philharmonic; or an inventor didn't invent until she had a multimillion dollar product, we'd think it crazy. It's no crazier for us. Whatever our work, we must move it forward to get results. Our work is a work in progress; so are we.
People who are winning at working test and pilot and risk and even fail sometimes. They evolve a process, an idea or a product bit by bit, laying elements to build a strong foundation. Perfect is not the goal. Results and progress are. As the saying goes, "Better is the enemy of done."
You see, sometimes the message is more important than the vehicle that delivers it; the idea more important than the packaging, the work-around more important than the ultimate fix to the problem. Of course, sometimes it's not. But that's a judgment call.
So unlike many who spend their days trying to make something perfect, people who are winning at working spend their days making progress. Making progress, any progress, fuels their motivation, creativity, and energy. It builds their momentum. And it ignites their results. Want to be winning at working? Keep making progress.
Named a 100 Top Thought Leader in 2014 by Trust Across America, Nan Russell is a professional speaker, workplace consultant, and the author of four books including: Trust, Inc.: How to Create a Business Culture that Will Ignite Passion, Engagement, and Innovation and The Titleless Leader. Her work insights column, Winning at Working, appears in numerous publications and she’s a blogger for PsychologyToday.com on the topic of workplace trust. Prior to moving to the Rocky Mountains to pursue a life-dream as a writer, her career took her from a minimum wage employee to Vice President of multibillion dollar QVC. She holds degrees from Stanford and the University of Michigan. For more information, visit http://www.nanrussell.com, or contact Nan at info@nanrussell.com.
© 2016 Nan S. RussellThe views and opinions expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect those of College Central Network, Inc. or its affiliates. Reference to any company, organization, product, or service does not constitute endorsement by College Central Network, Inc., its affiliates or associated companies. The information provided is not intended to replace the advice or guidance of your legal, financial, or medical professional.