I’m not exactly sure how I became a perfectionist. It certainly wasn’t my parents' doing—they would have gladly welcomed a few Bs on my report card if it meant I could drop some of the intensity with which I approached my early academic endeavors. I still remember being so upset when I got a 98 on a spelling test in the 4th grade. Maybe it was Catholic school pedagogy or the achievement culture of the DC suburbs where I grew up, but perfectionism was deeply embedded in my self-identity from an early age.

I wish I could say I shook it off by high school, or college, or even grad school. But the reality is I brought my pursuit of perfection all the way to the workplace. To be fair, there may have been times when the desire to get it “right” benefitted me, but there have been some real downsides, as well.

Early in my career, I didn’t always share my ideas, fearing that any hole in my reasoning would be harshly judged. And, I spent more time than I care to admit formatting, proofreading, and refining reports for an internal audience, which not only was unnecessary but also a poor use of my time. When I pushed myself to be perfect, I lost the chance to be more creative and innovative, taking up mental space too focused on details that didn’t matter.

The Cost of Perfectionism in the Workplace

And I’m not alone. In a 2022 study by the Hardin Group, 86% of respondents believed perfectionist expectations negatively impacted their work. Many of our workshop participants admit to struggling with it as well.

Perfectionism in the workplace fuels stress and burnout, stifles creativity, and undermines psychological safety. It silences voices, discourages risk-taking, and inhibits growth. Importantly, research indicates that women and people of color tend to feel the pressure of perfectionism at higher rates in the workplace.

Embracing Imperfection

We’re not going to tackle all of perfectionism in this edition of Wednesday Words. And, I can’t say I’ve shed it completely—I now identify as a recovering perfectionist. One practice we use at Ei has really helped me: the shitty first draft, or SFD. The SFD was popularized by Anne Lamott in her 1994 book Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. She introduced the idea that all good writers begin with terrible first drafts, and that doing so is a crucial part of the writing process. It helps overcome writer's block and reduces anxiety about writing.

We often share the SFD concept in our Prototyping workshop, when talking about the benefits of adopting a bias toward action. The idea is simple: with any challenge or project, you want to fail fast before you spend too much time and money on it. The trade off of putting an early and unpolished idea out into the world? Eschewing perfectionism.

The Sh*tty First Draft in Action

So how do we put this literary concept into action at Ei? For one, we have a Slack channel called #SFDs. Everyone knows that anything in the SFD channel is indeed a slapdash first attempt and therefore, all comments are welcome, including “I think you’re totally on the wrong track here.” I’d never say that to a teammate who’d spent hours on the deliverable they’re sharing. It would crush them. But, if it’s a true SFD, that barrier is no longer there.

You’d be surprised how often we use the SFD channel. I even dropped an SFD of the Wednesday Words piece about SFDs you’re currently reading in said channel! For me, it has unlocked more creativity and deeper collaboration with our team. The practice has made me feel more psychologically safe and led to far better ideas. I can take more risks because I know the team will be there to give me feedback and support along the way, catching mistakes and bolstering good ideas. I know my teammates would say the same.

As you can see, I'm something of a shitty first-draft evangelist. Not convinced? Some of the most well-known examples of achievements that began as SFDs include Star Wars, The Great Gatsby, and even Airbnb's original website.

What’s the equivalent of an SFD channel in your organization? Is there a nascent project you could share with your team and say something like, “Hey there, I spent 5 minutes fleshing out this idea. I just want to ensure I’m on the right track before going any further. All ideas welcome.” The perfectionists might need a little nudge from you as an example. So, embrace the power of shitty first drafts and see how it transforms your work and your team.

Banner image by Hyperpix Productions and Resource Boy on Behance.