Workplace Wellbeing: The pressure of being a perfectionist 

A drive to get everything right can drive us to succeed at work but it can also make it difficult to accept our mistakes and fearful of trying new things 

Perfectionists often have unrealistically high standards, which can be counterproductive. Pic: iStock

PERFECTIONISM might just be our favourite flaw. It’s certainly one often mentioned in job interviews when people are asked to name one of their weaknesses. That’s because many of us see it as a strength in disguise, a characteristic that pushes us to perform at our optimum level at work. However, this personality trait is far more complicated than a commitment to a high work standard.

“Perfectionism is innate in all of us, creating a desire for growth and self-improvement,” says counselling and organisational psychologist Margaret Forde. “Think of toddlers: one minute, they’re racing around on all fours, and the next, something inside prompts them to get up and start walking even though it’s slower to start with. That desire is to be encouraged.”