Is it ever good enough?

Perfectionists derive energy and satisfaction from taking solutions and developing them to the point of perfection and excellence, maximising their potential.

This could be a receptionist constantly striving to have the perfect welcome for their visitors, the branding consultant ensuring that the new product design is the best it can be before it goes to print or the gardener striving for the perfect lawn.

When it matters most to them, they will struggle to accept ‘good enough’. At an extreme, they are obsessive. Their drive for continuous improvement and their striving for excellence will reflect a determined and tenacious nature. It also reflects optimism, the view that something could be better.

Polishers are perfectionists by nature

Their biggest challenge…when they have to make a decision that a task is good enough, fit for purpose, when they see possibilities for improvement. Many call these individuals ‘Perfectionists’ we call them ‘Polishers’. Any effective Polisher is a perfectionist by nature.

So how do these individuals manage their perfectionist nature and maximise their impact whilst understanding when to accept something is good enough?

In the first of our ‘Talking Heads Series’ we meet Toby Mildon. Toby has had a successful career working in the Diversity & Inclusion space for the likes of Deloitte and The BBC. In this incredibly insightful interview, he talks to Dr GC about being a ‘Polisher’.

‘Polishers create a future to be proud of. They focus on making things better, continual improvement, and the pursuit of excellence.’

We take a look in to Toby’s life and why he has been drawn to specific kinds of roles, the learnings he has achieved and the adaptations he has had to make to forge a successful career. He walks us through his learnings around being a Polisher, self-awareness and explains how taking The GC Index has helped him underpin his success in the corporate world.

Identifying the essence of the Polisher – Toby explains how who motivates him, who energises him and explores his drive for continual improvement. Openly admitting he has struggled with knowing when something is good enough he explains how he has overcome this issue by working with and trusting others who can identify when something is good enough. He also explains some of his frustrations with the world and it’s imperfections.

Agile Management has played a big part in Toby’s life and he is a qualified coach. He explains how these two factors have helped him to filter his demand of self and others and to manage people and workloads to ensure a harmonious approach to collaborative working.

The GC Index® measures and describes five proclivities – Play Maker, Polisher, Implementer, Strategist and Game Changer – five different ways in which people are inclined to make an impact and contribution.

It creates a level playing field where everyone can contribute and make a positive impact. Get your profile to find out how you can make your game-changing impact.