Nobody is perfect, right? At least that is what you often hear.
Yet Madison Avenue and Hollywood would have us think otherwise. Perfect style, perfect skin, perfect smile, perfect hair. The list is endless.
Psychologists can make a career out of helping people who feel inadequate under such conditions and falsehoods. The truth is we all suffer some imperfection.
Standards at Work
Do you work in an environment where perfection is the measure of your performance? Maybe a score of 100% is the goal but seldom do any of us reach such perfection.
As a leader, how do you really view those around you; the people who work for and with you?
Enter Psychological Safety
The good folks at Google underwent a two-year study known as Project Oxygen to explore what made up high performing teams. The number 1 finding was something they called psychological security.
We’ve all been in meetings and, due to the fear of seeming incompetent, have held back questions or ideas. I get it. It’s unnerving to feel like you’re in an environment where everything you do or say is under a microscope.
But imagine a different setting. A situation in which everyone is safe to take risks, voice their opinions, and ask judgment-free questions. A culture where managers provide air cover and create safe zones so employees can let down their guard. That’s psychological safety.
Google found that teams with psychologically safe environments had employees who were less likely to leave, more likely to harness the power of diversity, and ultimately, who were more successful.
The Leader’s Role
First, lofty goals and great expectations aside, I see leaders dealing with grace when employees come up short.
Trust among employees begins when the Leader makes the effort to “have their back”. The way you do this may vary depending upon the environment you manage.
Here are five other ways to consider.
Demonstrate engagement by being present at meetings and during one-on-one sessions. (Hint: close the laptop)
Show understanding by recapping what you’ve heard. This accrues to becoming an empathetic listener.
Be inclusive in an interpersonal setting by sharing or revealing your own thoughts and values. Step up when one team member turns negative on another team member.
Expand your decision making by including your team. Invite the input, exchange the input and acknowledge the input.
Lastly, you can show confidence and conviction in decisions without becoming arrogant. Speak in your team’s ‘one voice’. Show the team that their contributions matter once the decision has been made. Explain the differences, but encourage the further effort to keep building team consensus.
Perfect Imperfection again
All of these thoughts bring us back to the idea of dealing with perfect imperfection at work, at home or with others around us. Becoming a leader who recognizes the need for dealing with this common situation will set you apart from others.
Question: What do you do to embrace perfect imperfection?
