The fallacy of perfectionism

The quest for perfection has undermined many a career. Endless analysis and second guessing paralyze decision making and leads to failure. Brent Turner, CEO Summit Behavioral Healthcare, relays timeless advice to the people joining his team: “don’t be worried about making a mistake.” He notes that he didn’t make perfect scores in his MBA program and doesn’t make perfect scores as CEO, but you “have to put a mark on the page to get a grade.” In business, taking action allows you to learn and move forward. You can always correct course, so it is better to fail quickly and pivot than idle while you try to find the perfect course of action. Good advice for anyone starting a new role.

To hear more from my interview with Brent Turner, watch the video. We have a wide-ranging discussion on the growing behavioral health industry, innovation in care delivery, and opportunities in healthcare.

Leadership Notes is a blog and video series on leadership.  Through interviews with leaders from both the private and public sector, Johnson examines key leadership issues like empowerment, team development, and cultural dexterity.  The blog also addresses topics such as learning from failure, the importance of friendship, and the role leaders play in developing organizational culture.

You can access the entire library of entries on LinkedIn.