We all admire excellence when we see it. It motivates, elevates, and draws people toward it. It makes us want to improve ourselves. But perfection? Perfection isolates, drains energy, erodes confidence, and stifles growth. Still, too many leaders and their teams confuse the two.

The truth is, excellence and perfection aren’t cousins; they’re opposites. Perfection is the evil twin of excellence. Excellence is about progress. Perfection is about protection. One fuels innovation and risk-taking, while the other acts as a brake disguised as ambition.

The Perfection Trap

Perfection sneaks in quietly, especially among high performers. It starts as pride in your work and a commitment to quality. Then, slowly, it becomes fear. Fear of failure, being wrong, being judged, or falling short of expectations.

Leaders who once moved fast and took calculated risks start second-guessing decisions. Teams stop experimenting because they don’t want to disappoint. You see it in meetings when questions become, “Are we sure?” instead of, “What if we tried…”?

Perfection might look like rigor, but in reality, it’s rigidity. It creates cultures where people wait for flawless answers instead of sharing initial ideas. And when every idea must be fully formed before it’s shared, innovation withers before it can live.

A few years ago, I watched a client team spend months “perfecting” a new engagement campaign. Every headline was polished, each slide redesigned, and every color tested multiple times. The goal was to make it flawless before launching.

But while they polished their efforts, a competitor launched a similar but simpler campaign. It wasn’t perfect, but it was there. Within weeks, they captured the attention of key clients, built relationships, and led the conversation.

The lesson was harsh but clear. Trying to be perfect slows down progress, and in business, making progress gives you an edge.

What if an insistence on perfection prevents you and your team from doing your best work?

The Liberation of Excellence

Excellence, on the other hand, is dynamic. It involves moving forward rather than chasing perfection. It is guided by curiosity instead of fear. Excellence embraces iteration and understands that done outweighs perfect because done can be tested, improved, and refined.

Excellence asks, “What’s the next right step?”, not “What happens if this is not good enough?” Excellence treats mistakes as data, not disasters. It rewards learning over looking right.

When leaders demonstrate this mindset, teams are willing to take smart risks. They ask questions openly, challenge each other, engage in healthy debates, and push boundaries. They think creatively because they know they won’t be punished for imperfection; instead, they’ll be recognized for effort, insight, and growth. 

When Leaders Confuse the Two

I’ve seen leaders fall into perfectionism under pressure. The higher the stakes, the tighter their grip becomes. But in trying to eliminate uncertainty, they also kill momentum. Deadlines slip away, opportunities are missed, and talent becomes disengaged.

The irony? The pursuit of perfection rarely produces perfect results—it produces paralysis. Excellence, however, builds velocity, capability, and confidence over time. It’s the perfection paradox.

Perfection says, “We can’t release it until it’s flawless.” Excellence says, “Let’s release it, learn, and make it better.”

Reframe the Mindset

If you want to unlock better, start here:

• Redefine quality. Swap “flawless” for “fit for purpose.” Ask, “Does this solve the problem well enough to test and learn from?”
• Reward curiosity. Celebrate questions and prototypes, not just finished products. Progress deserves as much recognition as results.
• Model imperfection. Share your learning moments. When you admit what you’re figuring out, your team feels safe to experiment.
• Shift from control to clarity. Provide clear direction and goals, but allow teams to determine how to achieve them. Autonomy fosters excellence, not perfection.

Perfection is about control. Excellence is about courage.

Your Next Move

Pick one leadership behavior to change this week:

1. Choose a decision or project you’ve hesitated to pursue because it’s not perfect.
2. Ask yourself: “Does this need to be flawless or just good enough to move forward and learn?”
3. Share this with your team: “We’re embracing excellence, not perfection. Let’s test, learn, refine.”
4. At your next meeting, pause and ask: “What risk are we avoiding because we’re afraid of getting it wrong? How could we turn that into a bold move instead?”

A Closing Thought

Perfection masks itself as ambition, but it often conceals fear. Excellence is brave, curious, and keeps moving forward. 

So, ask yourself: Are you leading with the mindset of perfection, or through the strength of excellence?

Ultimately, the world doesn’t need more perfect initiatives. It needs leaders willing to start, improve, and grow.

Let’s unlock better—together.