From Praise to Pressure - Understanding the Perfectionism Problem with Greg Chasson

Sit down with host Brandon Laws and guest Dr. Gregory Chasson for a never-discussed topic on our podcast: perfectionism in the workplace. Drawing insights from his recent book, Flawed, Dr. Chasson paints a picture of how the relentless pursuit of perfection can spiral into a toxic force within corporate culture. Tune in to learn how leaders can combat this “perfection obsession” with empathy, understanding, and flexibility.    TAKEAWAYS Perfectionism becomes problematic when it involves excessive, inflexible demands that go beyond what's considered normal or healthy. Procrastination is often a manifestation of perfectionism because people engage in safety behaviors such as excessive checking, reassurance-seeking, or extensive research to avoid failure. Perfectionism undermines workplace efficiency and productivity because it leads to decision paralysis, a toxic work environment, and other-oriented perfectionism, where employees impose unrealistic standards on their colleagues. Organizational practices like public praise or leaderboards can unwittingly perpetuate a culture of perfectionism, often demoralizing those struggling to meet the high standards. Perfectionists often overemphasize rules at the expense of underlying values, leading to policing behaviors that can be detrimental to workplace harmony. “Should” statements create unattainable universal expectations, leading to overwhelming pressure and feelings of inadequacy.    A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST 🔊 Podcast: Transform Your Workplace, sponsored by Xenium HR 🎙️ Host: Brandon Laws 📋 In his own words: “The Transform Your Workplace podcast is your go-to source for the latest workplace trends, big ideas, and time-tested methods straight from the mouths of industry experts and respected thought-leaders.