Expecting Perfection

You will work with partners and managers who expect perfection.

Read that again: You will work with people who expect perfection from you.

This is hard for me, because sometimes it is me. Sometimes I am the "boss" expecting too much from myself.

This is also hard for me, as I tend to extend grace and understanding to people as a matter of course, noting the human side we all have (even to a fault, when it doesn't always serve me (or them) to do so).

What happens when that understanding is not extended to me in return?

Tension, struggle, anxiety, disappointment, frustration.

Sometimes, I grin and bear it when facing these perfection-expectations.

Sometimes, I internalize the perfectionism, adding to my already existing perfectionist tendencies.

Sometimes, I flounder, becoming so overwhelmed with the idea of meeting these too-high standards that I cannot help but not meet them.

The good news is that we can learn to let go of our own internal perfectionism and we can learn to reality-check others' expectations of us (and whether they're real or imagined).

☮ Find trusted mentors who can help you navigate the situation.

☮ Learn to say no and guide your work elsewhere.

☮ Look for people who support you, teach you, guide you--with realistic expectations and positive coaching when improvement is needed (because it will be, we're all learning and we're all human).

When you find these folks, you'll appreciate them even more, having gained perspective from past perfection-expecting scenarios.

You'll also learn what not to be like when you step into a management role.

Tough bosses can take a toll on your mental health and well-being.

Having a tough inner critic can be even worse.

Navigating the workforce--the legal field or anything else--is not always easy.

But, you're rarely alone in your experiences, and cultivating a more positive, empowering environment is possible--starting with yourself.

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