Leading with Emotional Intelligence: Hands-On ... - always yours

128 LEADING WITH EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
automatic responses become who you are to the people you lead and
have unintended negative consequences and repercussions.
Less Confident About Yourself and Others
There is less self-trust and trust in others as the loop continues
and the estimation of success is less likely. Confidence is reduced.
Must Do Better Next Time
As a solution for stress and frustration, a leader makes the decision
that, next time, “I’ll try harder, start sooner, and do better.”
Now there is another setup put into place for the next task, which
will unfortunately generate the same unrealistic expectations . . .
and the loop goes on.
HOW TO COUNTER THE PERFECTION LOOP
To counter the debilitating effects of the Perfection Loop, you
have to develop new behaviors early in the first or second steps—
before the momentum sucks you in. Small changes at the beginning
and throughout will help you break this pattern. To begin, think of
a current expectation and answer the following:
• How realistic and attainable are your expectations?
• Do you thoroughly assess your expectations and plan for
what it will take to get the task done?
• Rate yourself on a 1-10 scale with 10 representing your most
realistic expectation. What is your rating?
• To what degree does perfection run your life or have control
over you? Rate yourself from 1-100%.
• What is the first step you need to gain some control?
• Look at the Procrastination’s Seduction chart (page 127).
Which rationale do you use the most?
• What would be the best counter to the statement, “No, I need
to develop a realistic plan and get something started now”?