perfect Archives - Dennis E. Gilbert

24
Mar 21
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Workplace Standards Usually Aren’t Perfect

Tags : inaction perfect perfection realistic expectations

When you receive the meeting request, and you reply, “Perfect.” Is it really perfect? What are your workplace standards, and how are your words or thoughts connected to what happens next?

Striving for excellence is something everyone seems to understand.

It represents something better than before. Something previously unseen, or perhaps a comparison to build up to. Whether it is a standard, a metric, or created from a feeling, excellence seems to have a universal call-to-action.

What’s Perfect?

Is the project you’re currently working on perfect? Was your trip across town, down the highway, or into your home office before your workday started, perfect?

Something different happens when we start to analyze perfect.

People sometimes mention the perfect storm, the perfect taste of a food, or the perfect candidate for the job. Is any of this really perfect?

Most of what we pursue is not perfect.

The date and time of the meeting may fit nicely, or close, but we respond with enthusiasm by stating it is perfect.

Our dinner may taste really great, even better than what we can remember, but perfection may be a stretch.

When we travel to work or go through a morning routine it may be good, but chances are, not everything is perfect.

Does perfect matter?

Workplace Standards

Someone in the marketing department doesn’t want to launch because the new tag line doesn’t feel perfect.

The art department isn’t pleased with the colors of the hardcopy materials when compared with the website. In other words, things aren’t perfect.

The sales team doesn’t believe the market is big enough to achieve the goals. As soon as the goals are right-sized things will be perfect.

In the research and development department, the functions and features are something less than current capabilities. Waiting might be worthwhile. Just a little more time and they can make it perfect.

When you want to stall a project, seek perfect.

It is one of the best excuses for inaction.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

20
Aug 20
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Workplace Options, For Better or For Worse

Tags : choices options perfect workplace decisions

What are the options? Many people in the workforce are often considering their workplace options. Not only related to their career, but related to business decisions, employee decisions, and the directional decisions of the organization.

In the United States, we are in a presidential election year. Many people chatter about the presidential campaigns currently underway, and to generalize, my best guess is that somewhere around 50 percent of the population will agree on one of the candidates.

As in any election cycle, a question to consider is, “Who isn’t running that should be?”

It matters because the voters are really only voting on the best option.

Always the Best Option

Frustrated hiring managers are faced with hiring the best available option. There may be many people better suited for the job opportunity, but they either didn’t apply or perhaps the compensation package didn’t fit.

Marketing and advertising managers have to make the most of a budget. A Superbowl commercial may be effective to boost sales, yet it may not be affordable to most small businesses. Instead, they set direction best on the best available options within their budget.

Job seekers look for options. A computer science graduate may be able to earn a substantial income in technology hot spots throughout the United States, yet he or she may choose to live in a small rural town in Montana. Other options exist, but they are not suitable for their personal framework of choices.

Workplace Options

People and organizations are always living with choices. They are living with choices based on finding a balance within options.

The elected official is the best option out of those seeking the position. A candidate who gets the job is the best of the options. Advertising options are the best value within the budget. Career pathways somehow weave their way into existence as the best option within the framework of the individual.

In the workplace, there may not always be a perfect option. Waiting for one may be the biggest mistake of all.

For better or for worse.

-DEG

12
Feb 18
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Accepting Less Than Perfect

Tags : hard to please obsession perfect perfection

It is common. Many people believe they are working towards perfection. Do you have high standards? Are you willing to accept less than perfect?

Hard to Attain

The perfect product, the perfect resume, or the perfect grade on the exam and that’s not all. There is more, the perfect hair, makeup, or shoes. What about the perfect timing, the perfect email, or an absolutely perfect website. We can’t leave out all of the work the boss expects to be perfect.

Do any of these things really exist? Perfect is frustrating and on top of that it is nearly impossible to attain.

Perfect is Temporary

There is always someone. Someone who doesn’t like your social media posts, someone who criticizes your best work, and someone who has decided they dislike you and you don’t even know it.

We exist in a World that changes its mind in an instant. What was popular last month, or last week, may not stand a chance today. While you’re trying to find the time to perfect it someone else is launching something new.

Hard to Please

When you say you like the background color blue, someone will say it should be grey. If you like the Garamond font, someone else will want it in Calibri. You watch videos but someone else hates them. You only click thumbs up. Someone else trolls to give only thumbs down.

Yes, it is true, you can’t please everybody. Your commitment to achieve perfection may be pointless. Something less than perfect may be much more enjoyable.

Certainly there are moments we need the perfect parking spot, the perfect timing, and to give the perfect message. Relentlessly chasing perfection may be an addiction you should avoid.

People become addicted to perfect. A feeling of rejection may breed obsession. An obsession with the unattainable is not healthy.

Less Than Perfect

Passion for your product, whatever that is, is admirable. Passion that leaves you empty, frustrated, and questioning your ability to cope is not a good idea.

Perhaps perfect is the wrong idea. Maybe the focus should be on value instead. Value is scalable.

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a five-time author and some of his work includes, #CustServ The Customer Service Culture, and Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

29
Jun 17
-

What 3 Percent Will Change Your Career?

Tags : career change likability motivation perfect

We’ve all seen the food pictures on social media, lots of them. Many people take their food pretty seriously. Some are known as picky eaters. Employers might be seriously picky, how will you change your career?

It seems that there is about three percent making the difference between awesome and, “No thanks, I’ll pass.”

Chicken nuggets without any sauce, a birthday cake without any icing, “No thanks, I’ll pass.”

Tomatoes on my turkey and cheese submarine sandwich or buried under my bun on a Whopper from Burger King, “Nope, they have to go!”

What is the difference between delicious and terrible? I would suggest about three percent.

Your Three Percent

The same might be true for your career. You might want to consider what you have to do to be the special sauce or the icing on the cake. What do you need to remove or eliminate? What will change your career?

I believe that we sometimes overestimate on the big stuff and underestimate on the small. People work really hard on the big stuff. College degrees, fancy titles, getting in with the most predominate and reputable employers. Sure, those things might be important but the game changer might be in the three percent.

Change Your Career

Here are a few things to consider:

Do you speak the language? I’m not suggesting the difference between English, Spanish, or French. Do you use words and phrases that are consistent with the organizational culture and mission? Language drives emotions and like it or not emotions condition our likability factor.
Are you confident? Confidence is based on our self-efficacy and self-esteem. Confidence can be built, similar to trust it can also easily be destroyed. The difference for confidence is that it is lost only if we allow it. Past mistakes or shortcomings shouldn’t make you feel weak. What is important is what you learned.
Do you look the part? This might ruffle some feathers but it might be the tomatoes on the sandwich. Have you thought about what should go? Sure, you can color your hair purple or have a ZZ Top beard you have the right. Is either of those smart for your career? It might depend on the business, but beware.

It’s early in the morning but I’m already thinking about lunch.

I know I’m going to toss the tomatoes on my sandwich.

It will then be perfect.

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a four-time author and some of his work includes, Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce and Pivot and Accelerate, The Next Move Is Yours! Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

03
Mar 17
3

Progress isn’t Always Perfect and Perfection is Temporary

Tags : innovation perfect perfectionist progress

Is progress always perfect? Is the concept of perfection permanent, or only temporary?

Many people get stuck on the concept of perfection. They are stuck because perfection is often not what is required, but progress is.

Always Perfect

We might paint a picture or look at a piece of art and say, “perfect.” If we are launching a rocket or satellite we might need perfect weather. A manufactured part that is within tolerance might also be perfect.

What we sometimes lose sight of is the fact that many of our jobs or the reason for a business is because things aren’t perfect. Many businesses exist because they solve a problem. The problem exists because the system or outcome isn’t perfect.

Consumers often measure costs. They compare the price to fix against the price to replace. Perfect is seldom permanent, it is often temporary, or only perfect for right now.

Therefore, perfection might have the highest price tag of all.

Perfect is Temporary

What is your job or your business?

If you repair, maintain, or fix something, it is because perfect was temporary.

If you change, innovate, or search for better ideas it is because perfect was temporary.

The lawyer, the doctor, or the road construction crew, they’re all employed because perfect is temporary.

Perhaps the risk is not that something will break or become outdated and useless. The bigger risk is the tragedy that occurs when it sits on the shelf, gets stuck in R&D, or just never becomes perfect enough. It never exists.

Some will discover that the risk of existence, like perfection, has the heaviest price to pay. If you don’t believe me just ask a Kodak historian (or former employee) about bringing ideas to market.

Progress

Many people believe that they have an idea for a book. The manuscript is floating around in their head.

Start to write it and eighty percent of the contents would spew out very quickly. Perfecting it, the final twenty percent of the contents, would take much more time. That final twenty percent of the contents likely requires eighty percent of the time and effort.

Some will never produce it, because it’s not perfect. So it will never exist.

Paint your picture, build your product, or write your book. If perfect is temporary then the failure to exist always has the highest price tag of all.

I believe that progress might be more important.

It isn’t always perfect.

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a four-time author and some of his work includes, Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce and Pivot and Accelerate, The Next Move Is Yours! Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

Tag Archives: perfect

Mar 21

-

What’s Perfect?

Workplace Standards

Aug 20

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Always the Best Option

Workplace Options

Feb 18

-

Hard to Attain

Perfect is Temporary

Hard to Please

Less Than Perfect

Jun 17

-

Your Three Percent

Change Your Career

Mar 17

Always Perfect

Perfect is Temporary

Progress

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