CEOs Can’t Afford Perfection

CEOs should search high and low for synergy. They are on a hunt for the truly outstanding and innovative. But, they can’t afford perfection.

If a CEO is looking for the perfect team, not only will he/she never find it, but then he/she should really be looking for a new CEO. I think it is a dangerous proposition to attempt perfection because a state of perfectionism limits the amount of failures one is willing to have in striving for true innovation.

For you to create something that we both agree is “perfect,” it will generally mean we are both using the same schema to judge it. Sure, we may be on the same page, but is either one of us focused on being better or different or new?

When a CEO hires something with a “perfect” background, the employee has held all of the right jobs and has all of the right education. He/she knows what is expected and how to deliver that. These preconceived notions can be hard to break if a company is looking to be innovative.

So, what should a CEO actually pay for? Creativity! Anyone can be hired or contracted to carry out a well-outlined vision. But only those who are not afraid to fail are an investment with the potential for huge returns. Perfection is archaic, where as unabashed creativity (even that which is punctuated by subjective failures) is worth it’s weight in gold to a CEO with vision.

TRACY SHANK

I never dreamt of conquering the world, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think big! I know that the best things in life happen when we are collaborating, sharing and spending time with others, so I want to combine my love for communication and my zest for taking action and help build a network of people who are also thinking big… and I decided to START HERE.